Diversity Visa Lottery-Deadline

The Diversity Lottery makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas (green cards) annually to randomly selected applicants who complete entries, meet certain eligibility requirements and are from countries designated by the Department of State as having low rates of immigration to the U.S. The Department of State has released instructions for the 2008 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program and has designated qualifying countries for the FY 2008 lottery. To enter, an individual must have either a high school education or equivalent, or two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation which requires at least two years of training or experience to perform. Receipt of more than one entry per person will disqualify a person from registration. Natives of the following countries are ineligible to enter the 2008 Diversity Lottery: Brazil, Canada, P.R. China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and Vietnam. If a person is a native of one of these ineligible countries but their spouse is from a country that is eligible, he/she may claim their spouse's country of birth. Entries for the DV 2008 lottery must be submitted electronically between noon Eastern Daylight Time October 4, 2006 and noon Eastern Standard Time December 3, 2006. Paper entries will not be accepted. There is no fee to enter and applicants can access the DV entry form and instructions at http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1318.html. Applicants are encouraged to apply before the final days due to potential heavy website traffic and delays. Please note that if an applicant is selected, he or she will be contacted by the Department of State via regular mail and no fee is requested immediately upon selection. Applicants should be aware that there have been fraudulent soliciations via email indicating lottery selection, with requests for fee, these emails are not legitimate. Those who are chosen in the lottery will be notified by mail between May and July 2007 for processing of permanent residence between October 1, 2007 and September 30, 2008. If processing is not complete by September 30, 2008, an applicant will not be able to receive a green card. See the above website for additional details on entry procedures and requirements.