H1B Visa Lawyer Blog
Annually, the United States government issues a maximum of 50,000 green cards through a computer-generated random lottery drawing. Applications for the DV-2016 random lottery will be accepted from noon (EDT) Wednesday, October 1, 2014 through noon (EST) Monday, November 3, 2014. Paper entries will not be accepted, eligible participants may access the electronic Diversity Visa entry form (E-DV) to apply during this period. Early entry is recommended and they strongly encourage applicants not to wait until the last week of the registration period to enter!
These green cards are only available to those eligible participants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Please check the “INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE 2016 DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM (DV-2016)” for the complete list of countries/areas whose natives are eligible for DV-2016.
Natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply because the countries sent a total of more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the previous five years: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. Also, persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible.
Eligibility
To enter the DV lottery, you must be a native of one of the eligible countries. In most cases this means the country in which you were born. However, there are two other ways you may be able to qualify. First, if you were born in a country whose natives are ineligible but your spouse was born in a country whose natives are eligible; you can claim your spouse’s country of birth provided both you and your spouse are on the selected entry, are issued visas and enter the U.S. simultaneously. Second, if you were born in a country whose natives are ineligible, but neither of your parents was born there or resided there at the time of your birth, you may claim nativity in one of your parents’ country of birth if it is a country whose natives qualify for the DV-2016 program.
You must also meet either the education or work experience requirement of the DV program. You must have either a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education; OR, two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform. The U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net OnLine database will be used to determine qualifying work experience. For more information about qualifying work experience for the principal DV applicant, see the Frequently Asked Questions which are included in the instructions.
Do not submit an entry to the DV program unless you meet both of these requirements.
Detailed Diversity Visa Program: DV-2016 Instructions
Note: If you submit more than one entry you will be disqualified.
Source of Information:
Travel.State.Gov, Current Year – Visa News
DOS, 9/29/14, Press Release: 2016 Diversity Visa Program Registration