The U.S. Department of State is accepting online applications for the 2025 Diversity Visa lottery or DV Lottery from Wednesday, October 4, 2023, noon EDT until November 7б 2023, noon EDT.

Please read the DV-2025 instructions here. https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Diversity-Visa/DV-Instructions-Translations/dv-2025-instructions-translations/DV-2025-Instructions.pdf 

The ONLY way to submit your entry into a DV Lottery is ONLINE at the official US Department of State website.

​There is NO fee to apply.

Any other websites claiming that they can submit it for you, and fraudulent sites.

The only official government site is: https://dvprogram.state.gov/

Good luck! 

Период подачи заявок на Лотерею Грин Карт на 2025 год открыт с 4 октября по 7 ноября 2023.
Заявки бесплатные.

Инструкция тут.

Единственный вебсайт где можно полдавть вашу заявку онлайн - это официальный вебсайт Госдепа США.

Удачи!

DV-2024 Program: Online Registration DV-2024 Program: The online registration period for the DV-2024 Program begins on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at 12:00 noon EST, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4) and concludes on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at 12:00 noon EST, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5). 

Please NOTE: Submission of more than one entry for a person will disqualify all entries for that person.

DV-2024 Program Instructions
The English version of the DV-2024 Program Instructions in PDF format is the only official version.  Unofficial translations in additional languages will be added as they become available. 

Diversity Visa Program Information

See the Diversity Visa Program webpage for information about:

• Important fraud warning
• DV qualifying occupations

You can download and read the DV-2024 instructions in English here.

​Unofficial translations to other languages will be published here as soon as available.

The ONLY official website where you can submit your entry into the DV-2024 lottery is the U.S. Department of state website https://dvprogram.state.gov/

Please beware of fraudulent website pretending to be official government websites.

​The entry is FREE.

Briefly in Russian

С 5 октября по 8 ноября 2022 открыт период подачи заявок на лотерею Грин Карт на 2024 год. Подача заявки бесплатна. Только одна заявка на человека. Сохраните свой КОД. Без кода вы не сможете проверить статус вашей заявки в следующем году.

Подача заявок осуществляется онлайн на одном единственном официальном вебсайте Госдепа США тут https://dvprogram.state.gov/

Инструкции на английском тут . Их скоро должны перевести и опубликовать на других языках также.

Если вам нужна помощь или совет, пожалуйста обращайтесь по электронной почте.

DV-2023 Program: Online Registration will begin on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and concludes on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5).

Individuals who submit more than one entry during the registration period will be disqualified.
DV-2023 Program Instructions:

Announcement: 
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry/diversity-visa-instructions.html

Instructions for the DV-2023 lottery are here:
https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Diversity-Visa/DV-Instructions-Translations/DV-2023-Instructions-Translations/DV-2023-Instructions-English.pdf

The only official website where entries can be submitted is the U.S. Department of State website: 
https://dvprogram.state.gov/

If you need help or have questions or want to schedule a consultation with an immigration attorney, please email at attorney@law-visa-usa.com

​DV Lottery: What to do if you are selected as a winner in the DV or Green Card Lottery?

Selected entrants are encouraged to complete the online DS-260 application immediately to schedule an interview appointment at the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Please note: The Department of State will not mail notification letters or notify selectees by email. U.S. embassies and consulates will not provide a list of selectees. Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website is the ONLY means by which the Department of State notifies selectees of their selection.

If you receive notification through the Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) website that you have been selected for further processing in the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program, you must successfully complete the steps on the following pages before a consular interview can be scheduled to determine if you will receive a visa. You should complete these steps as soon as possible.

If you receive notification through the E-DV website that you have been selected for further processing in the DV Program, and you are physically present in the United States, you may be eligible to adjust status to obtain permanent residence through the DV Program. For more information, see Adjustment of Status. Consult an attorney to see if you are eligible for adjustment of status.

DV visa fee payment instructions are here.

It is important to remember that selection does not guarantee you will receive a visa. In order to receive a DV to immigrate to the United States, selectees must still meet all eligibility requirements under U.S. law.

The only site where you can enter into DV lottery and later check the results is ​https://dvlottery.state.gov/

​Read more about the DV process here.

​Read about Adjustment of status here.

Q: Is there any chance to reschedule an immigrant visa interview for the DV Lottery 2020? A visa interview was cancelled because of COVID-19.

A: A DV immigrant visa interview for FY 2020 must be rescheduled before September 30, 2020, and a visa has to be issued before September 30th, or the chance to immigrate through a Green Card lottery for this FY will be lost.

The embassies and consulates are currently closed because of COVID-19. If the case is pending at the U.S. embassy or Consulate, when they reopen, contact the consulate directly and without delay. They should be rescheduling everyone when they reopen. If the case is still at the NVC stage, you can contact NVC directly even now. NVC is currently open.

If you applied for adjustment of status and the case is pending at the local USCIS office,  USCIS will begin rescheduling soon. USCIS had previously announced that they plan to reopen local offices on or after June 4, 2020. This date might change.
​

DV or Green Card Lottery 2021 registration period open from October 2 to November 5, 2019:
​
Applicants must submit entries for the DV-2021 program electronically at dvlottery.state.gov between
noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), Wednesday, October 2, 2019, and noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST), Tuesday, November 5, 2019.

Do not wait until the last week of the registration period to enter, as heavy demand may result in website delays. No late entries or paper entries will be accepted.

The law allows only one entry per person during each registration period. Individuals with more than one entry will be disqualified.

For DV-2021, natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply, because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years:
Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible.

Eligibility:

Requirement #1: Individuals born in countries whose natives qualify may be eligible to enter.
If you were not born in an eligible country, there are two other ways you might be able to qualify.
 Was your spouse born in a country whose natives are eligible? If yes, you can claim your spouse’s country of birth – provided that both you and your spouse are named on the selected entry, are found eligible and issued diversity visas, and enter the United States simultaneously.
 Were you born in a country whose natives are ineligible, but in which neither of your parents was born or legally resident at the time of your birth? If yes, you may claim the country of birth of one of your parents if it is a country whose natives are eligible for the DV-2021 program.

Requirement #2: Each DV applicant must meet the education/work experience requirement of the DV
program by having either:
 at least a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year
course of formal elementary and secondary education;
OR
 two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform. The Department of State will use the U.S. Department
of Labor’s O*Net Online database to determine qualifying work experience.

NEW Passport Requirement: A green card lottery entry includes a question about your valid and unexpired passport . If you have no passport, you may not apply, unless you fall under a narrow exception:
a) Stateless (no nationality of any country),
b) A national of a Communist-controlled country, and unable to obtain a passport from my government,
​c) Unable to obtain a passport, and have received an individual waiver of the passport requirement by the Secretary of Homeland Security or Secretary of State.

Do not submit an entry to the DV program unless you meet both of these requirements.

If you need help, please contact us at attorney@law-visa-usa.com

Read more here: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Diversity-Visa/DV-Instructions-Translations/DV-2021-Instructions-Translations/DV-2021-Instructions-English.pdf

​

​DV-2020 Program: Online Registration

DV-2020 Program: The revised online registration period for the DV-2020 Program begins on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and concludes on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-4).  Individuals who submit more than one entry during the registration period will be disqualified.


​DV-2020 Program Instructions

The English version of the DV-2020 Program Instructions in PDF format are provided here. The English language version of the DV-2020 Program Instructions is the only official translation. 

Note: If you do not see instructions in your native language, please see the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website to find out whether your country may have additional Diversity Visa information.

DV-2019 Translations (unofficial) are here.

See the Diversity Visa Program webpage for information about:

• Important fraud warning
• DV qualifying occupations

Briefly in Russian:

С 3 октября 2018 в 12:00 по EST по 6 ноября 2018 12:00 по EST времени продлится регистрация на участие в лотерее грин карт на 2020 год.

Как всегда, совет такой - лучше подать заявку пораньше, так как в последние дни могут возникнуть проблемы на сайте из-за большого количества заявок. 

Помните, что каждый год всплывает множество мошенников, якобы предлагающих вам регистрацию через их сайты.

На самом деле всего один официальный сайт для приема заявок на Лотерею Грин Карт. Вам необходимо заполнить онлайн-форму Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form или DS-5501 на официальном сайте Госдепа США https://dvlottery.state.gov/. Сайт начнет работу 3 октября в полдень.

Due to technical issues, the registration period for DV-2019 is being restarted, and all entries made prior to October 18, 2017, will need to be resubmitted for the entrant to be considered.

The new registration period for DV-2019 opens for electronic entries at 11:00am, Wednesday, October 18, 2017, and closes at 11:00am, Wednesday, November 22, 2017.

If you entered before Wednesday, October 18, 2017, that entry will not be considered, and you will need to submit another entry during the new registration period. You may submit one new entry without being disqualified for submitting multiple entries. Individuals who submit more than one entry during the new registration period will be disqualified.

Applicants can access the electronic DV entry form (E-DV) at the official E-DV website, dvlottery.state.gov, during the registration period. DV instructions also are available on the Department of State’s public webpage at usvisas.state.gov/dv/instructions.

All other eligibility requirements remain the same.
Q: How many DV entries does the Department expect for DV-2019?
In DV-2018, the last year for which numbers are available, we received more than 14 million entries from principal applicants.
Q: How will the Department notify applicants whose entries are not valid?
The Department will send an automated email notification to each Diversity Visa entrant from whom an entry was received before October 18, 2017, using the email address provided on the lottery entry form, directing the entrant to check the website dvlottery.state.gov for an important announcement.

​Beginning May 15, 2018, DV-2019 entrants will be able to use their unique confirmation number provided at registration to check the online Entrant Status Check at dvlottery.state.gov to see if their entry was selected. Entrant Status Check will inform successful entrants how to apply for DVs for themselves and their eligible family members. The Department also will confirm visa interview appointments through the Entrant Status Check.

​Announcement and FAQs are here.

As of today, the electronic Diversity Visa Lottery website is "under maintenance".

Briefly in Russian:

Из-за технических трудностей с регистрацией страны заявителей, Госдеп США аннулировал все заявки на Лотерею Грин Карт, поданные до 18 октября 2017, и объявил новый период регистрации на Лотерею грин карт на 2019 -- с 18 октября по 22 ноября 2017.

Всем заявителям обещают прислать емейл с инструкциями.

В настоящее время вебсайт Госдепа США, где осуществяется прием заявок, не работает, и откроется только 18 октября.

Это значит, что вам нужно будет подать новую заявку после 18 октября 2017, чтобы получить шанс на участие в лотерее на 2019 год. Удачи!

Registration for DV 2019 or Green Card Lottery Program for 2019 year will be open from October 3, 2017 until November 7, 2017.

Applicants must submit entries for the DV-2019 DV program electronically at dvlottery.state.gov between noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), Tuesday, October 3, 2017, and noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5), Tuesday, November 7, 2017.

Do not wait until the last week of the registration period to enter, as heavy demand may result in website delays. No late entries or paper entries will be accepted.

The law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period. The Department of State uses sophisticated technology to detect multiple entries. Individuals with more than one entry will be disqualified. 

For DV-2019, natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply:

Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.

Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible.

There are no changes in eligibility this year. 

After you submit a complete entry, you will see a confirmation screen that contains your name and a unique confirmation number. Print this confirmation screen for your records. It is extremely important that you retain your confirmation page and unique confirmation number. Without this information, you will not be able to access the online system that will inform you of the status of your entry.

You also should retain access to the email account listed in the E-DV.

Starting May 1, 2018, you will be able to check the status of your entry by returning to dvlottery.state.gov, clicking on Entrant Status Check, and entering your unique confirmation number and personal information. Entrant Status Check will be the sole means of informing you of your selection for DV-2019, providing instructions on how to proceed with your application, and notifying you of your appointment for your immigrant visa interview. 

​The rules are here.

Briefly in-Russian:

Период подачи заявок на Лотерею грин карт на 2019 год открывается 3 октября и продлится до 7 ноября 2017.

Заявки могут быть поданы только онлайн на вебсайте Госдепа США: dvlottery.state.gov .

Не разрешено подавать более одной заявки на человека, за это дисквалифицируют.

После 1 мая 2018 можно будет проверить статус своей заявки онлайн на том же вебсайте Госдепа США. Поэтому крайне важно сохранить ваш конфирмационный номер и иметь доступ к адресу электронной почты, который вы указали в своей заявке.

Помните, что никто вам не будет присылать ни писем по почте, ни по электронной почте, с сообщением о выигрыше (если вы такие письма получите, это мошенничество). Единственный способ убедиться в том, что вы победитель, это проверить свой конфирмационнй номер онлайн.

Если вам будет нужна помощь, мы будем рады помочь! Каждый год мы оказываем помощь с правильной подачей заявок в лотерею, и также победителям лотереи грин карт в получении вида на жительство в США.

Тут опубликованы правила лотереи на 2019.

On June 29, 2017, the U.S. Department of State sent out a cable, explaining how the US consulates will continue issuing (or denying) various visas to applicants from 6 predominantly Muslim countries, affected by the Executive Order's Travel Ban (Libya, Syria, Iran, Somalia, Yemen and Sudan).

People who were selected as winners in the 2017 DV Lottery or Green Card Lottery appear to be in the worst situation. Only some of them will be issued immigrant DV visas, if they can prove required "bona fide relationship" or qualify for en exemption or a waiver. The 2017 DV Lottery period will end on September 30, 2017, and the travel ban effective period of 90 days will end on or around September 29, 2017.

It's anticipated even by the US Department of State officials that the majority of the otherwise eligible applicants who paid the visa fee, attended their visa interviews will be denied a visa under 221(g) in accordance with the president's executive order and its most recent interpretation by the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Department of State.

The US DoS says in the cable: "Based on the Department’s experience with the DV program , we anticipate that very few DV applicants are likely to be exempt from the E.O.’s suspension of
entry or to qualify for a waiver."   

The full text of the U.S. Dept of State cable is here.

(SBU) Diversity Visas.

8.  (SBU) For Diversity Visa (DV) applicants already scheduled for
interviews falling after the E.O. implementation date of 8:00 p.m. EDTJune
29, 2017, post should interview the applicants.  Posts
should interview applicants following these procedures:

a.) Officers should first determine whether the applicant is eligible for the
DV, without regard to the E.O.  If the applicant is not eligible, the
application should be refused according to standard procedures.

b.) If an applicant is found otherwise eligible, the consular officer will need
to determine during the interview whether the applicant is exempt from the
E.O.’s suspension of entry provision (see paragraphs 10-13), and if not,
whether the applicant qualifies for a waiver (paragraphs 14 and 15).

c.) DV applicants who are not exempt from the E.O.’s suspension of entry
provision and who do not qualify for a waiver should be refused 221(g) and the
consular officer should request an advisory opinion from VO/L/A following
current guidance in 9 FAM 304.3-1.

Based on the Department’s experience with the DV program, we anticipate that
very few DV applicants are likely to be exempt from the E.O.’s suspension of
entry or to qualify for a waiver.  CA will notify DV applicants from the
affected nationalities with scheduled interviews of the additional criteria to
allow the potential applicants to determine whether they wish to pursue their
application.

9.  (SBU) The Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) will continue to schedule
additional DV-2017 appointments for cases in which the principal applicant is
from one of these six nationalities.  While the Department is mindful of
the requirement to issue Diversity Visas prior to the end of the Fiscal
Year on September 30, direction and
guidance to resume normal processing of visas following the 90-day suspension
will be sent septel.

Executive order's suspension (or travel ban) to be enforced only against foreign
nationals who lack a “bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the
United States.” 

What does it take, for example, to establish that a DV visa applicant has required "bona fide relationsip" with a family member in the United States?
 
"11.  (SBU) “Close family” is defined as a parent (including
parent-in-law), spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law,
daughter-in-law, sibling, whether whole or half.  This includes step
relationships.  “Close family” does not include grandparents,
grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-laws and
sisters-in-law, fiancés, and any other “extended” family members."

See more here.

Substantive updates made to DOS Department of State policy on Diversity immigrant visas (Green Card Lottery visas or green cards), including the definition of “native,” procedures for DV selection and treatment of derivative family members.

See 9 FAM 502.6 here.

https://fam.state.gov/FAM/09FAM/09FAM050206.html

9 FAM 502.6
DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT VISAS
(CT:VISA-175;   09-13-2016)
(Office of Origin:  CA/VO/L/R)

9 FAM 502.6-1  RELATED STATUTORY AND REGULATORY AUTHORITIES
9 FAM 502.6-1(A)  Immigration and Nationality Act
(CT:VISA-1;   11-18-2015)
INA 202(b) (8 U.S.C. 1152(b)); INA 203 (8 U.S.C. 1153); INA 204(a)(1)(I)(ii) (8 U.S.C. 1154(a)(1)(I)(ii)); INA 212(a)(5) (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(5)); INA 212(a)(6)(C) (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(6)(C)); INA 212(e) (8 U.S.C. 1182(e)); INA 213(a) (8 U.S.C. 1183(a)); INA 221(g) (8 U.S.C. 1201).
9 FAM 502.6-1(B)  Code of Federal Regulations
(CT:VISA-1;   11-18-2015)
22 CFR 40.205; 22 CFR 42.33.
9 FAM 502.6-1(C)  Public Law
(CT:VISA-1;   11-18-2015)
Section 131 of the Immigration Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-649); the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA - Public Law 105-100); Section 1 of Public Law 105-360; Section 636 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-208); the Assistance for International Malaria Control Act (Public Law 106-570); USA PATRIOT Act (Public Law 107-56).
9 FAM 502.6-2  DIVERSITY IMMIGRANTS OVERVIEW
(CT:VISA-175;   09-13-2016)
a. Section 131 of the Immigration Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-649) amended INA 203 to provide for a new class of immigrants known as “diversity immigrants” (DV immigrants).  The amendment established an annual numerical limitation of 55,000 DV immigrants effective for fiscal year 1995 and thereafter.  Aliens who are natives of countries determined by the Attorney General (now Secretary of Homeland Security) through application of a mathematical formula specified in INA 203(c)(1)(A) to be “low admission” countries may qualify for immigration under this limitation.  INA 203(c)(1) requires a separate entry for each participating alien for each fiscal year.
b. INA 203(c)(1)(A) requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to determine the actual number of immigrant admissions from each foreign country for the previous five year period.  The formula identifies both high and low admission regions and high and low admission foreign states.  A greater share of the available visa numbers goes to low admission regions.  High admission states are excluded from the program.
c.  In November 1997, Congress passed Public Law 105-100, the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA). With NACARA, Congress stipulated that beginning with the 1999 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, and as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas can be made available for use under the NACARA program.
9 FAM 502.6-3  DIVERSITY VISA ELIGIBILITY
(CT:VISA-175;   09-13-2016)
a. Requirements for Diversity Immigrant Program:  To qualify under INA 203(c) as a diversity immigrant, the following requirements must be met:
(1)  The alien must be a native of, or be chargeable to, a country eligible for that year's DV program (see 9 FAM 502.6-3 paragraph b); and
(2)  The alien must have at least a high school education or equivalent (see 9 FAM 502.6-3 paragraph c); or
(3)  The alien must have, within five years of the date of application for a diversity immigrant visa under INA 203(c), at least two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience (see 9 FAM 502.6-3 paragraph d).
b. Qualifying Diversity Visa Countries
(1)  Formula for Identifying Qualifying Diversity Countries:
(a)  The Secretary of Homeland Security is required to determine total admissions of preference and immediate relative (IR) immigrants over the most recent five-year period for which statistics are available, worldwide total, by region, and by individual foreign state.  Using these figures, the Secretary of Homeland Security is to identify both high admission regions and high admission foreign states.  A high admissions region is a region whose admission total is greater than one-sixth of the worldwide total. A foreign state whose admissions total is greater than 50,000 is a high admission foreign state.
(b)  Using available estimates, the Secretary of Homeland Security must then determine the population of each of the six regions (excluding the population of any high admission foreign state) and use those totals to determine the apportionment of the 55,000 worldwide DV limitations. Quotas for the six regions will be established.  Natives of these regions compete for that portion of the total established for that region. Any unused portion of a regional quota is distributed proportionally among the other regions.  High admission states are excluded entirely from the apportionment.  No one country’s nationals may receive more than 7% of the available visas in any one year.
(2)  Qualifying Countries:  Natives of high admission counties are not eligible to register for the DV program unless they qualify based on chargeability to a DV program country.  The Department of Homeland Security will determine annually the list of ineligible countries.  The list is subject to change annually.
(3)  Native:  Native means a person born in a DV program county.  An individual may be able to participate in the DV program because of specific family ties or personal situations by "charging" to another country.  See 9 FAM 502.6-4 paragraph a(2) for additional information on chargeability.
c.  High School Education or Equivalent: 
(1)  You must adjudicate the applicant’s qualifications under this requirement.  In order to enter or apply for the DV program, the alien need not prove that this requirement is met.  The applicant must, however, meet this requirement by the end of the fiscal year in which selected and present evidence of completion to be found eligible for a visa.  If the applicant does not meet the requirement at the time of the interview, you should refuse the case 5A.  If the applicant presents evidence of completion of high school before the end of the fiscal year, and visas are still available for the region, you may overcome the refusal and issue the visa.
(2)  The Department’s Interpretation of the Term “at Least a High School Education or its Equivalent” Means Successful Completion of at least a:
(a)  Twelve-year course of elementary and secondary study in the United States; or
(b)  Formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to completion of 12 years elementary or secondary education in the United States.  Because a United States high school education is sufficient in itself to qualify a student to apply for college admission, in order for a foreign education to be equivalent to a United States education, it should be sufficient to allow a student to apply for college admission without further education.  Vocational degrees that are not considered a basis for further academic study will not be considered equivalent to United States high school education.
(3)  Education Requirements:  We interpret the phrase “at least a high school education or its equivalent” to apply only to formal courses of study. Equivalency certificates (such as the G.E.D.) are not acceptable.  To qualify, an alien must have completed a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education in the United States or a comparable course of study in another country.  Evidence might consist of a certificate of completion equivalent to a United States diploma, school transcripts, or other evidence issued by the person or organization responsible for maintaining such records, which specify the completed course of study.
(4)  Education Evaluation:
(a)  Each post needs to determine what course of study is equivalent to a high school education or its equivalent in the host country.  Previously, posts were provided with a guidebook that provided information on high school equivalency country by country.  That guidebook ("Foreign Education Credentials Required”) is no longer in print and is not available in updated format.  You should not rely on it for your evaluation of high school credentials.  You should make use of the resources found in your Public Diplomacy (PD) section to determine comparable courses of study in the host country that would meet the definition of a high school education or its equivalent.  Contacts in the host country’s Ministry of Education may also be of help.  If you have questions about certificates and diplomas, you should consult with your public diplomacy section, including Education USA advisors and locally engaged staff, as they are valuable resources in evaluating local education systems.  PD personnel advise prospective students and evaluate their educational backgrounds and have experience with and knowledge of local schools.  To determine the authenticity of any particular document, you will need to work with your Fraud Prevention staff to develop expertise in making that determination.  Interviewing officers may wish to consult with other posts when in doubt about the authenticity of educational certificates from countries outside their consular district.
(b)  A DV refusal must be based on evidence that the alien did not in fact obtain the required degree and not on your assessment of the alien's knowledge level.  You may not administer an exam, either oral or written, to test an applicant’s basic knowledge in order to determine whether they have the equivalent of a U.S. high school education.  You may not refuse a DV applicant solely on the basis of your analysis of the applicant's basic knowledge.  Doubts about the applicant’s claimed educational level raised by your interview, however, may lead you to investigate the authenticity of the educational credentials claimed by the DV applicant.
d. Work Experience:
(1)  No Labor Certification:  The labor certification requirement of INA 212(a)(5) does not apply to applicants applying as DV immigrants. Applicants, however, who do not meet the education requirement, must meet the work experience requirement of two years of experience in an occupation which requires at least two years training or experience within the five-year period immediately prior to application, or be able to meet the requirement prior to the end of the fiscal year in which the applicant was selected.  If the applicant does not meet this requirement at the time of the interview, you should refuse the case 5A. If the requirement is met before the end of the fiscal year and visas are still available for the region, you may overcome the refusal and issue the visa.
(2)  Work Experience Evaluation:  If an applicant does not have the equivalent of a high school education, you must evaluate their work experience.  You must use the Department of Labor’s O*Net OnLine database to determine qualifying work experience (see paragraph (3) below.)  All applicants qualifying for a DV on the basis of their work experience must, within the past five years, have two years of experience in an occupation that is classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher.
(3)  Using O*Net Online to Determine Work Experience:
(a)  Instructions for Determining the Applicant's Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) Rating:
(i)     Log on to the Department of Labor’s O*Net OnLine website;
(ii)    Click on the “Find Occupations” link;
(iii)    On the “Find Occupations” screen, enter occupational title, such as, “mason, “painter,” “hairdresser,” etc., and click on the “Go” button.  A search results page appears with a list of various occupation titles that relate to whatever job title was entered. Click on the link in the “Occupation” column for the title that seems appropriate for the DV applicant's job experience;
(iv)   A brief description for the job title will appear followed by more detailed data covering the following areas: tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, work activities, work context, job zone, interests, work values, related occupations, and wages and employment.
(b)  What SVP Range Qualifies an Applicant's Job Experience for the DV Program?  The O*Net Online database groups job experience into five "job zones."  Zone 4 includes all occupations for which more than two years experience on the job is required.  An occupation in Job Zone 4 has an SVP range of 7.0 to < 8.0 (7.0 to less than 8.0) and will qualify an applicant for the DV program.  Thus, all applicants qualifying for a DV on the basis of their work experience must, within the past five years, have two years of experience in an occupation that is classified in a SVP range of 7.0 or higher (i.e., an occupation in Job Zone 4).
e. Principal Registrants Under Age 18:  Although there is no minimum age for submission of an entry, the requirement for a high school education or work experience will effectively disqualify most persons under age 18.
9 FAM 502.6-4  DIVERSITY VISA PROCESSING
(CT:VISA-175;   09-13-2016)
a. Diversity Visa Chargeability, Numerical Control:
(1)  DV Numerical Control:  The Department will have centralized control of the DV numerical limitation. (See 9 FAM 503.4.)
(2)  DV Chargeability:  As stated in the regulatory definition, the normal rules of chargeability apply to INA 203(c) immigrants.  Many applicants may seek beneficial treatment from the rules of cross chargeability, as in the following examples:
(a)  A spouse or child born in a country that is not among those for which DVs are available (a non-qualifying country) may use the principal registrant’s chargeability when they are accompanying or following-to-join;
(b)  A child born in a non-qualifying country in which neither parent was born nor resident at the time of the child’s birth, may claim the birthplace of either parent;
(c)  A principal registrant born in a non-qualifying country and the spouse who was born in a qualifying country may be issued DVs, provided the relationship was established prior to submitting the entry.  In such instances, however, both applicants are considered principal applicants for the purpose of cross-chargeability and must be issued visas and apply for admission to the United States simultaneously.
(d)  A principal registrant born in a country that is among those for which DVs are available may derive a more favorable foreign state of chargeability from an accompanying alien spouse.  For example, a principal applicant from a DV eligible country from a high-admission region may claim a more favorable chargeability from a spouse, who is from a DV eligible country from a low-admission region, provided the relationship was established prior to submitting the DV entry.  In such instances, however, both applicants are considered principal applicants for the purpose of cross-chargeability and must be issued visas and apply for admission to the United States simultaneously.
(3)  Errors in Choice of Country of Chargeability:  If the entrant chooses the wrong country of chargeability at the time of the initial entry, the error will generally be disqualifying.  However, if a DV applicant chooses a country of chargeability on the DV entry form that is within the same geographic region (one of the six) as the correct country of chargeability, and you determine that the applicant gained no benefit from his or her error, and there are no fraud concerns, you may continue processing the application using the correct country of chargeability in IVO.  Post may need to obtain additional DV number(s) for the correct country of chargeability from the Immigrant Visa Control and Reporting Division (CA/VO/DO/I), as necessary, via a VISAS FROG message (see 9 FAM 604.2-1).
b. Diversity Visa Entries and Applications:
(1)  Diversity Visa Entries – Overview:
(a)  General Instructions for DV Entries:
(i)     Each year, the Department of State will publish rules for the next fiscal year's DV program in the Federal Register.  Rules for a DV program in any fiscal year stipulate what information must be included on the DV electronic entry form, such as name, photo requirement, etc., as well as other requirements for the program and the DV lottery registration website.  This electronic entry form is considered the petition required by 22 CFR 42.33 and INA 203(c).
(ii)    We will establish a period for the submission of DV entries of at least 30 days each fiscal year in which the lottery will be conducted.  To ensure wide dissemination of the information both abroad and in the United States, we will provide timely notice of the program’s rules and the exact dates of the registration period through publication in the Federal Register and by other methods.
(b)  Number of DV Entries:
(i)     Only one entry by or for each person is allowed during each registration period.  Submission of more than one entry disqualifies the applicant fromselection.  Registrants may be disqualified at any time if more than one entry is discovered.  Registrants may prepare and submit their own entries, or have someone submit the entry for them.
(ii)    Spouses, if both are qualified, may each submit one entry.  If either is selected, the other is entitled to derivative status.
(c)  Meeting DV Submission Requirements:  Only those entries which meet the eligibility requirements specified in 22 CFR 42.33(a)(1) and the petition requirements specified in 22 CFR 42.33(b)(1-2), and which are received during the time period specified by the Department for each fiscal year, will be considered for selection for immigrant visa processing under INA 203(c).  Entries lacking the required information or photos will be rejected by the registration website or disqualified at a later date during processing by KCC or at post.
(2)  Submitting DV Entries: 
(a)  Place of Registration:  To be accepted for DV selection, entries must be submitted electronically during the specified registration period at the Department’s designated website.
(b)  Photos:  Photo specifications are detailed in the annual DV Bulletin and also posted at the Department’s “travel.state.gov‟ website.  The Department will disqualify entries lacking the required photos or including invalid photos.  You must review the entry photo at the time of adjudication.  If you determine that the photo on the entry is not that of the applicant, you may pursue a refusal under INA 212(a)(6)(C).  The entry photograph may be viewed through the CCD under the “Immigrant & Diversity” section, “DVIS Applicant” report or on the eDV button on the IVO system.
(c)  Derivatives:
(i)     Except as specified in paragraph ii below, entries must include the name, photograph, date and place of birth of the applicant’s spouse and all natural children, as well as all legally-adopted and stepchildren, who are unmarried and under the age of 21 as of the date of the initial entry.  All derivatives must be included even if the registrant is no longer legally married to the child’s parent, and even if the spouse or child does not currently reside with the registrant and/or will not immigrate with such applicant.  Married children and children 21 years or older cannot qualify for the diversity visa on the basis of a parent's application.  Entries lacking all of the required information may be disqualified at any time prior to selection, after selection, or during the visa application process.  Visa applications lacking all required information will be refused.
(ii)    By regulation, registrants are not required to include spouses and children who are already U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) on the entry.  A failure to include on the entry spouses and children who are in fact U.S. citizens or LPRs cannot be used as grounds for denial.
(iii)    You must deny the applications of applicants who failed to list on their initial entries a spouse or all children who were required to be listed.  This does not include a spouse or child who was acquired subsequent to submission of qualifying DV entry.  The spouse of a principal alien, if acquired after the initial entry and prior to the principal alien’s admission, or the child of a principal alien, if the child was born after entry or is the issue of a marriage which took place after entry and prior to the principal alien’s admission to the United States, although not named on an application, is entitled to derivative DV status.
(iv)   If post believes a case merits issuance despite apparent failure to comply with this instruction, post can submit the case for an advisory opinion to the Advisory Opinions Division (CA/VO/L/A).
(3)  Diversity Visa Application Validity:
 (a) Under INA 204(a)(1)(I)(ii)(II), persons selected as DV immigrants are entitled to apply for visa issuance only during the fiscal year for which the entrywas submitted.  The application is valid until midnight of the last day of the fiscal year for which the petition was submitted.  There is no carry-over of benefit into another year for persons who do not receive a visa during the fiscal year for which they registered.  Following-to-join derivative visas must be issued during the same fiscal year as that of the principal beneficiary.
(b)  Death of Principal Registrant:  The death of the principal registrant must result in the automatic revocation of the application.  Thereafter, derivative beneficiaries are no longer entitled to the DV classification.
c.  KCC and DV Ranking:
(1)  KCC Role:
(a)  Selected DV entries are processed at KCC.  KCC processes approximately 125,000 registrants (both principals and dependents) each year.  KCC will notify posts of the number of registrants from their DV-processing area who were selected, broken down by country of residence.  The Department will maintain a computer-generated master list of selected registrants. The list is not publicly released. 
(b)  KCC will hold the case until those selected are entitled to make a formal application for visa issuance at a U.S. consular office abroad, or an adjustment of status with DHS in the United States.
(2)  DV Selection and Ranking:
(a)  Entries received during the designated registration period for the DV program will be separated into one of six geographic regions.  At the end of the registration period, a computer will randomly select numbers.  All entries successfully received during the registration period will have an equal chance of selection within the respective region.
(b)  The selected entries for each region will have a rank order number consisting of two letters followed by eight digits, i.e., AF00000925.  Within each region, the first entry randomly selected will have a rank order number 00000001, the second entry selected will be 00000002, etc.  The letter codes are:
AF
Africa

AS
Asia

OC
Oceania

EU
Europe

NA
North America

SA
South America, Central America and the Caribbean

(c)  Each month visa numbers will be allocated to applicants who are within the applicable rank cut-off for that month and have been reported documentarily qualified.  Applicants are considered documentarily qualified when KCC confirms that the applicant has properly completed and submitted the DS-260.
d. Processing Diversity Visa Cases:
(1)  Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants: 
(a)  If a case is selected for additional processing, the entrant will be notified electronically via Entrant Status Check, and instructed to complete Form DS-260, Online Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration.
(b)  Each visa applicant must follow the electronic instructions and electronically submit Form DS-260 to KCC.  As soon as KCC has reviewed the DS-260 and made any required updates to the electronic DVIS record, the applicant will be considered documentarily qualified.  In order to avoid potential delay in the scheduling of DV applicants, KCC does not collect any additional information or forms.  KCC may ask applicants to update Form DS-260 if information is missing but will not delay scheduling if waiting for a response.
(2)  Immigrant Visa Appointment Package:  KCC will schedule an appointment for a documentarily qualified applicant when his or her regional lottery rank number is about to become current.  KCC will notify scheduled applicants by e-mail that they should log into the Entrant Status Check website to obtain their appointment letters and further instructions.  When scheduled applicants log into the ESC, they will be referred to the pre-interview instructions on the Diversity Visa Process website.  On that website, applicants will be able to review post-specific instructions, and any additional required forms.
(3)  Creation of Immigrant Visa File:  KCC will review each DS-260 submission as they are received, and will update the electronic record in DVIS as required.  In cases where a potentially disqualifying factor has been identified at KCC during case creation, a remark will be entered at the top of the DS-260 for the interviewing consular officer's information.  KCC has no adjudicatory role, and so cannot determine an applicant's eligibility or qualification for the visa.  Remarks are intended as additional information for officers to review as part of the adjudication process.
e. Diversity Visa Fee:  There is no fee for submitting the initial entry for the DV program.  However, those registrants who are selected and apply for DV immigrant visas will be required to pay a DV Lottery Fee  at the time of the formal interview.
(1)  Collection of Fee:  Section 636 of Public Law 104-208, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, authorized the Department to collect a fee for the processing of DV immigrant visas.  The DV Lottery Fee incorporates the standard IV processing fees, including the IV Application Fee and the IV Security Surcharge, and is specified in the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services. Posts must collect the DV Lottery Fee at the time of the applicant’s formal interview.
(2)  Processing Cases to Conclusion:  We can appreciate posts' efforts to prescreen applications allowing unqualified applicants to withdraw their applications to avoid paying the required fees.  Nevertheless, like all other visa applications, it is important to process such cases to conclusion and not to simply allow the candidate to withdraw the application.  Instances have arisen where DV winners who were advised not to make an application at a post abroad have then entered the United States and requested adjustment of status processing at DHS.
f.  Diversity Visa Ineligibility Grounds:
(1)  Applicants who establish that they qualify for DV immigrant visa classification are subject to all grounds of ineligibility specified in the Immigration and Nationality Act other than the labor certification requirements.  There are no special provisions for a waiver of any ground of visa ineligibility other than those ordinarily provided in the INA.
(2)  Refusals for Unqualified Applicants:  Any applicant for a DV visa who fails to establish that they possess the requisite qualifications, including a valid entry for participation in the DV program, is ineligible under INA 212(a)(5)(A)(i).  It is not appropriate to refuse a DV applicant under INA 212(a)(5)(A)(i) when a fraud investigation is needed before determining whether an applicant is qualified for a DV (e.g., if you suspect that the DV applicant does not possess the requisite education or work experience or if you suspect that the DV derivative applicant does not possess the requisite relationship to the DV principal applicant).  In those cases, you must refuse the application under INA 221(g) pending the outcome of a fraud investigation.
(3)  INA 221(g) Refusals:
(a)  Interviewing officers should verbally stress the importance of submitting the requested information, preferably within the same month.  When applicable, officers should advise applicants that failure to return promptly may mean that visa numbers will no longer be available and the applicant may miss the opportunity to obtain a visa.
(b)  Posts must prepare a stamp to be placed on refusal letters to DV applicants refused under 221(g), with the following message:
Attention:  Under no circumstances can a visa be issued or an adjustment of status occur in your case after September 30, ____. 
Very important:  Because of the limited number of visas that may be issued under this program, visas may cease to be available even before this date.  This is especially true the closer to September 30 an application or re-application is made.
(c)  Cases that are in INA 221(g) refusal status at the end of the fiscal year may be left in that status. You do not need to enter an additional refusal (such as INA 212(a)(5)(A)(i)) to close the case.
(4)  Public Charge:  While many categories of immigrants must submit the legally binding Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act, the DV category is not one of them.  You can consult 9 FAM 302.8-2(B)(12)-(14) for standards of processing public charge issues in immigrant visa cases that do not involve the I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act.
(5)  Waivers:  Unlike applicants eligible for immigrant visas under other programs involving random selection, there are no special provisions for a waiver of any ineligibility grounds for DV applicants. The regular ineligibility waiver provisions of the INA, including INA 212(e), still apply.
g. Following-to-Join Applicants:  DV applicants are informed in the electronic notification of how to adjust status to lawful permanent residence in the United States.  A principal applicant who has adjusted status may file Form I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition with USCIS requesting DHS send the Form I-824, upon its adjudication, to consular posts as verification of his or her LPR status.  Upon receipt of this information, posts must send any derivative family members instructions for accessing the Form DS-260, Online Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, and the Packets for Immigrant Visa Processing (see 9 FAM 504.4-2(A)(2)) for completion.  Post must notify the KCC of the adjustment of the principal applicant so that the electronic case can be modified and transmitted to post to allow visa issuance to the derivative family members.  Proof of the principal applicant’s adjustment of status must be provided to the KCC.  Posts can then process these cases to conclusion, obtaining additional DV numbers from the Immigrant Visa Control and Reporting Division (CA/VO/DO/I,) as necessary, via VISAS FROG messages (see 9 FAM 601.7-6).  Spouses and children who derive status from a DV application can only obtain visas in the DV category during the same Fiscal Year in which the principal applicant was admitted or adjusted status.  Applicants cannot follow-to-join after the end of the Fiscal Year.
h. Transfer of DV Cases:
(1)  Posts are to follow normal IV case transfer procedures when a DV applicant asks that his or her case be transferred to a different post for processing. (See 9 FAM 504.4-9.)
(2)  DV cases should not be returned to KCC for forwarding to another post as this delay may disadvantage the applicant, resulting in loss of opportunity for the visa interview and visa issuance if there is retrogression in the rank-order number.
​

DV-2017 Program: Online Registration DV 2017 Program begins on Thursday, October 1, 2015 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and concludes on Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-4).

DV-2017 lottery entries can be submitted online at only one official US Department of State website.

On September 30th 2015, US Department of State published the official DV-2017 Program Instructions in English - DV-2017 Program Instructions in PDF format. The English language version of the DV-2017 Program Instructions is the only official version. 

Unofficial translations in additional languages will be added as they become available.

Note: If you do not see instructions in your native language, please see the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website to find out whether your country may have additional Diversity Visa information.

You can find official US Department of State DV-2017 lottery instructions here: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/diversity-visa/instructions.html

For DV-2017, natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply, because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States 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. 

Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible. 



I would like to highlight several important requirements:

12. Highest level of education you have achieved, as of today: (1) Primary school only, (2) Some high school, no diploma, (3) High school diploma, (4) Vocational school, (5) Some university courses, (6) University degree, (7) Some graduate-level courses, (8) Master’s degree, (9) Some doctoral level courses, and (10) Doctorate. See the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about educational requirements. 

13. Current marital status – Unmarried, married and my spouse is NOT a U.S. citizen or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR), married and my spouse IS a U.S. citizen or U.S. LPR, divorced, widowed, or legally separated. Enter the name, date of birth, gender, city/town of birth, and country of birth of your spouse, and a photograph of your spouse meeting the same technical specifications as your photo. Failure to list your eligible spouse will result in your disqualification as the Diversity Visa principal applicant and refusal of all visa applications in your case at the time of the visa interview. You must list your spouse even if you plan to be divorced before you apply for a visa. A spouse who is already a U.S. citizen or LPR will not require or be issued a visa, though you will not be penalized if you list them on your entry form. See the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about family members. 

14. Number of children – List the name, date of birth, gender, city/town of birth, and country of birth for all living unmarried children under 21 years of age, regardless of whether they are living with you or intend to accompany or follow to join you, should you immigrate to the United States. Submit individual photographs of each of your children using the same technical specifications as your own photograph. 

Be sure to include:  
*all living natural children;  
*all living children legally adopted by you; and,  
*all living step-children who are unmarried and under the age of 21 on the date of your electronic entry, even if you are no longer legally married to the child’s parent, and even if the child does not currently reside with you and/or will not immigrate with you. 

Married children and children who are already aged 21 or older when you submit your entry are not eligible for the DV program. However, the Child Status Protection Act protects children from “aging out” in certain circumstances. If your DV entry is made before your unmarried child turns 21, and the child turns 21 before visa issuance, he/she may be treated as though he/she were under 21 for visa-processing purposes. 

A child who is already a U.S. citizen or LPR is not eligible for a Diversity Visa; you will not be penalized for either including or omitting such family members from your entry. Failure to list all children who are eligible will result in disqualification of the principal applicant and refusal of all visa applications in the case at the time of the visa interview. 

After May 01, 2016, you will be able to check your status online at another US Department of State website to see if you have been selected a winner.

We would be glad to help you to submit your DV-2017 entries properly and timely. After submitting an entry, we always save and forward to our clients confirmation pages. Please email us first and we will forward to you our brief instructions.

In Russian:

Сегодня Госдеп США наконец-то опубликовал официальные инструкции для подачи заявок в Лотерею Грин Карт на 2017 год. Прием заявок осуществляется онлайн только на одном официальном вебсайте Госдепа США.

Подача заявок через какие-то другие вебсайты не допускается. Таких "неофициальных, но выглядящих вполне легитимно" вебсайтов множество, и они выдают себя за организации как-то связанные с Госдепом, и прикрываются официальными эмблемами США, но это обычное мошенничество.

Если вам помогает адвокат или другой профессионал правильно подать заявку в лотерею, после подачи заявки они должны предоставить вам конфирмационный номер, а еще лучше сохранить и выслать по электронной почте саму конфирмационную страницу с номером и вашей биографической информацией. 

In Russian: 

Российская газета "Новые Известия" опубликовала дельную статью про опасность "бесплатных юридических консультаций". Журналисты проинтервьюировали некоторых моих московских партнеров и коллег. 

Как известно, бесплатный сыр бывает только в мышеловке. Ты получаешь то, за что заплатил.

Хороший компетентный и этический адвокат НЕ будет предоставлять консультацию (давать юридический совет) бесплатно. В оказании юридических услуг самое главное - это получить правильный совет и знать что делать и как поступить.  

Среди "юридических фирм" и "иммиграционных консультантов" попадается немало мошенников или недобросовестных и малограмотных "специалистов". Особенно много вебсайтов на интернете, которые в поисковике выходят в самом начале как реклама (так как вебсайт платит за такое выгодное размещение) и нелицензированных "иммиграционных консультантов" или "нотариусов", которые предлагают "первую" консультацию бесплатно и готовы перезвонить потенциальному клиенту в течение 5 минут. Что следует дальше, об этом люди не задумываются. А им навязывается контракт на завышенную сумму, с ненужными сервисами или предлагаются ненужные или вредные для дела действия (которые дорого стоят). После предоставления бесплатной консультации, такому специалисту ведь нужно как-то заработать на клиенте (на которого было потрачено время) -- если уж не брать оплату за консультацию, то ее используют как ловушку для доверчивых граждан, готовых повестись на обман.

Следует иметь в виду, что хороший опытный адвокат не будет и не имеет права давать "гарантии" успеха или гарантии выигрыша вашего дела. Опытный адвокат ценит свое и ваше время, и для того, чтобы проконсультировать клиента ей/ему нужно изучить ваши обстоятельства и проанализировать возможные варианты и осложнения перед тем как давать платный (ни в коем случае не бесплатный совет). 

Хорошая статья обо всем этом в Новых Известиях, с консультациями моих Московских партнеров и коллег.

On November 20, 2014, the President announced a series of executive actions. However, not all of these initiatives have been implemented, and USCIS is not accepting any DAPA or expanded DACA applications at this time. 

Beware of anyone who offers to help you submit an application or a request for any of these actions before they are available. You could become a victim of an immigration scam. 

If you need legal advice on immigration matters, make sure that the person you rely on is an attorney who is authorized to give you legal advice. Only an attorney or an accredited representative working for a Board of Immigration Appeals-recognized organization can give you legal advice. An immigration attorney can be licensed in any state because immigration law is federal law. It's important to consult an experienced and knowledgeable attorney before submitting any immigration applications.

The Internet, newspapers, radio, community bulletin boards and local businesses storefronts are filled with advertisements offering immigration help. Not all of this information is from attorneys and accredited representatives. There is a lot of information that comes from organizations and individuals who are not authorized to give you legal advice, such as “notarios” and other unauthorized representatives. The wrong help can hurt. Here is some important information that can help you avoid common immigration scams.

Here are some examples of common immigration scams:

**Telephone Scams**.

Do not fall victim to telephone scammers posing as USCIS personnel or other government officials. In most instances, scammers will:

• request personal information (Social Security number, Passport number, or A-number);
• identify false problems with your immigration record; and
• ask for payment to correct the records.

If a scammer calls you, say “No, thank you” and hang up. These phone calls are being made by immigration scammers attempting to take your money and your credit card information. USCIS will not call you to ask for any form of payment over the phone. Don’t give payment over the phone to anyone who claims to be a USCIS official.

If you have been a victim of this telephone scam, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Learn more about telephone scams and telephone scammers’ techniques by visiting Federal Trade Commission-Telemarketing-Scams. 

**"Notario Publico"**.

In many Latin American countries, the term “notario publico” (for “notary public”) stands for something very different than what it means in the United States. In many Spanish-speaking nations, “notarios” are powerful attorneys with special legal credentials. In the U.S., however, notary publics are people appointed by state governments to witness the signing of important documents and administer oaths. "Notarios publico,” are not authorized to provide you with any legal services related to immigration.

Please see the National Notary Association website "What is a Notary Public" for more information.

**Local Businesses who are not law firms and not attorneys or lawyers**.

Some businesses in your community “guarantee” they can get you benefits such as a:

• Visa
• Green Card
• Employment Authorization Document

These businesses sometimes charge you a higher fee to file the application than even a licensed attorney (but will tell you that attorneys charge more "for the same work"). They claim they can do this faster than if you applied directly with USCIS. These claims are false. 

**Dot-com websites - operated by non-attorneys or people not authorized to give legal advice**.

Some websites offering step-by-step guidance on completing a USCIS application or petition will claim to be affiliated with USCIS. Many of these websites are scammers or fraudsters, often taking money for blank forms or minimal assistance without attorney supervision.

USCIS has its own official website: www.uscis.gov with:

• Free downloadable forms
• Form Instructions
• Information on filing fees and processing times

Do not pay for blank USCIS forms either in person or over the Internet. You can download forms for free at www.uscis.gov.

Do not pay to a non-attorney (not a lawyer) for help with immigration paperwork, applications, affidavit. Oftentimes, they give you wrong advice and can potentially damage your chances of ever becoming a permanent resident (getting a green card).

**Green Card Lottery or DV Lottery scams**.

Once a year in fall, the Department of State (DOS) makes 50,000 diversity visas (DVs) available via random selection to persons meeting strict eligibility requirements and who come from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. During this time or often around the year, it is common for immigration scammers to advertise in emails or websites that reference either the:

• DV lottery
• Visa lottery
• Green Card lottery

These emails and websites often claim that they can make it easier to enter the annual Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Some scammers even identify you as a DV lottery “winner” and ask for significant amount of money "helping get a visa". These emails and websites are fraudulent. 

The only way to apply for the DV lottery is through an official government application process (Department of State website, and only when it's open, during an application period which is usually in October-November only). DOS does not send emails to applicants. 

On or after May 1st, you can visit the Department of State website to verify if you are actually a winner in the DV lottery. 

If need help, consult a licensed attorney (not one of the "green card lottery" websites).

**INS doesn't exist. It's been replaced by DHS and USCIS**.

To this day, some local businesses, websites, "notarios"  and individuals make reference to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). This agency no longer exists! 

If someone refers to USCIS as "INS", it's a sign that they are not an attorney, but rather someone unqualified with little knowledge in immigration matters.

INS was dismantled on March 1, 2003, and most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly formed Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the component that grants immigration benefits. The other two components are U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

All official correspondence regarding your immigration case will come from USCIS. USCIS will communicate with you and your attorney by mail, by mailing you notices, approved work permit and green card through USPS (postal service).

If you need a legal assistance, we will be glad to help. Our contact information is here.

Read here. 

Applicants from all over the world who registered for the DV-2016 program were selected at random from 11,391,134 qualified entries (17,573,350 with derivatives) received during the application period that ran from noon, Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 until noon, Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, November 3, 2014. 

The visas have been apportioned among six geographic regions with a maximum of seven percent available to persons born in any single country. 

The Kentucky Consular Center registered and notified the winners of the DV-2016 diversity lottery. Approximately 91,563 applicants have been registered and notified and may now make an application for an immigrant visa (so called"selectees" or "winners"). Some of the first *50,000 persons registered will not pursue their cases to visa issuance, this larger number (91,563 selectees) should insure that all DV-2016 numbers will be used during fiscal year 2016 (October 1, 2015 until September 30, 2016).

During the visa interview, principal applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or show two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience within the past five years. Those selected will need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly. Applicants should follow the instructions in their notification letter and must fully complete the information requested. 

Registrants living legally in the United States who wish to apply for adjustment of status instead of consular processing of their visas, must apply through USCIS Department of Homeland Security (** Please note that you have to be eligible for adjustment of status. Therefore, if you were selected as a winner in the Green Card lottery and you live in the United States, it's advisable to consult an experienced attorney before applying for your green card). 

Once the total *50,000 visa numbers have been used, the program for fiscal year 2016 will end. Selected applicants (aka "selectees" or "winners") who do not receive visas by September 30, 2016 will derive no further benefit from their DV-2016 registration. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2016 principal applicants are only entitled to derivative diversity visa status until September 30, 2016.

Section 203(c) of the INA provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit additional immigration opportunities for persons from countries with low admissions during the previous five years. The NACARA stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program. This resulted in reduction of the DV-2015 annual limit to 50,000. DV visas are divided among six geographic regions.  No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.

P.S. Our office would be happy to assist you with your DV visa application or adjustment of status should you be selected as a winner. Please email us to schedule a phone or Skype consultation. Please remember that a visa must be issued prior to September 30th of the current fiscal year (09-30-2016 for DV-2016 winners). No visas will be issued after this date. If selected as a winner you should act fast and submit your applications and required documents in a timely matter. Assistance of a qualified and experienced immigration attorney would be of great help to many. 

The following is the statistical breakdown by foreign-state chargeability of those registered for the DV-2016 program: 

AFRICA

ALGERIA  1,952

ETHIOPIA  4,000

NIGER  102

ANGOLA  108

GABON  32

RWANDA  412

BENIN  914

GAMBIA, THE  67

SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE  2

BOTSWANA  4

GHANA  3,179

SENEGAL  427

BURKINA FASO  199

GUINEA  1,818

SEYCHELLES  0

BURUNDI  208

GUINEA-BISSAU  4

SIERRA LEONE  2,141

CABO VERDE  6

KENYA  2,729

SOMALIA  272

CAMEROON  3,047

LESOTHO  5

SOUTH AFRICA  535

CENTRAL AFRICAN REP.  23

LIBERIA  4,430

SOUTH SUDAN  17

CHAD  40

LIBYA  240

SUDAN  3,216

COMOROS  3

MADAGASCAR  75

SWAZILAND  7

CONGO  124

MALAWI  17

TANZANIA  93

CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE  4,475

MALI  114

TOGO  1,241

COTE D’IVOIRE  1,129

MAURITANIA  15

TUNISIA  227

DJIBOUTI  92

MAURITIUS  41

UGANDA  453

EGYPT  4,024

MOROCCO  1,993

ZAMBIA  57

EQUATORIAL GUINEA  0

MOZAMBIQUE  11

ZIMBABWE  152

ERITREA  544

NAMIBIA  18

ASIA

AFGHANISTAN  406

JAPAN  302

QATAR  42

BAHRAIN  13

JORDAN  349

SAUDI ARABIA  267

BHUTAN  22

NORTH KOREA  0

SINGAPORE  39

BRUNEI  1 

KUWAIT  143

SRI LANKA  704

BURMA  236

LAOS  1

SYRIA  460

CAMBODIA  1,229

LEBANON  225

TAIWAN  297

HONG KONG SPECIAL
ADMIN. REGION  151

MALAYSIA  95

THAILAND  73

INDONESIA  126

MALDIVES  3

TIMOR-LESTE  0

IRAN  4,501

MONGOLIA  185

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES  103

IRAQ  330

NEPAL  3,801

YEMEN  724

ISRAEL  162

OMAN  12

EUROPE

ALBANIA  1,931

GREECE  93

NORWAY  35

ANDORRA  0

HUNGARY  186

POLAND  629

ARMENIA  1,277

ICELAND  3

PORTUGAL  58

AUSTRIA  50

IRELAND  89

  Macau  23

AZERBAIJAN  380

ITALY  410

ROMANIA  626 

BELARUS  811

KAZAKHSTAN  376

RUSSIA  2,200

BELGIUM  47

KOSOVO  244

SAN MARINO  0

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA  92

KYRGYZSTAN  209

SERBIA  283

BULGARIA  865

LATVIA  73

SLOVAKIA  70

CROATIA  67

LIECHTENSTEIN  0

SLOVENIA  33

CYPRUS  28

LITHUANIA  153

SPAIN  193

CZECH REPUBLIC  74

LUXEMBOURG  0

SWEDEN  108

DENMARK  35

MACEDONIA  258

SWITZERLAND  122

ESTONIA  40

MALTA  0

TAJIKISTAN  337

FINLAND  57

MOLDOVA  1,854

TURKEY  1,795

FRANCE  510

MONACO  0

TURKMENISTAN  124

  French Polynesia  1

MONTENEGRO  8

UKRAINE  4,507

  Saint Martin  1

NETHERLANDS  81

UZBEKISTAN  4,300

  Wallis and Futuna  1

  Aruba  4

VATICAN CITY  0

GEORGIA  571

  Curacao  2

GERMANY  678

NORTHERN IRELAND  9

NORTH AMERICA

BAHAMAS, THE  16

OCEANIA

AUSTRALIA  832

NAURU  12

SAMOA  5

  Cocos Islands  1

NEW ZEALAND  208

SOLOMON ISLANDS  0

FIJI  393

  Cook Islands  4

TONGA  26

KIRIBATI  4

PALAU  4

TUVALU  0

MARSHALL ISLANDS  0

PAPUA NEW GUINEA  3

VANUATU  5

MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF  3

SOUTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA, AND THE CARIBBEAN

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA  0

DOMINICA  6

SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS  2

ARGENTINA  68

GRENADA  7

SAINT LUCIA  5

BARBADOS  0

GUATEMALA  31

SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES  7

BELIZE  0

GUYANA  14

SURINAME  3

BOLIVIA  49

HONDURAS  73

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO  51

CHILE  17

NICARAGUA  58

URUGUAY  21

COSTA RICA  50

PANAMA  5

VENEZUELA  1,038

CUBA  1,488

PARAGUAY  7

P.S. Natives of the following countries were not eligible to participate in DV-2016: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born, excluding Hong Kong S.A.R., Macau S.A.R., and Taiwan), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. 

Our office would be happy to assist you with your DV visa application or adjustment of status should you be selected as a winner. Please email us to schedule a phone or Skype consultation. Please remember that a visa must be issued prior to September 30th of the current fiscal year (09-30-2016 for DV-2016 winners). No visas will be issued after this date. If selected as a winner you should act fast and submit your applications and required documents in a timely matter. Assistance of a qualified and experienced immigration attorney would be of great help to many. 

Did you apply for the 2016 DV lottery? It's time to find your DV-2016 confirmation number! 

Starting May 5, 2015, y ou can check your DV-2016 Green Card Lottery entry status at dvlottery.state.gov .

Please keep in mind that Entrant Status Check online is the ONLY means by which you will be notified of your selection for further processing in the Diversity Visa lottery. You will never be notified or requested to pay fees by mail, email, phone -- ONLY through online status check. 

If you have misplaced your DV lottery confirmation number, you can use the retrieval tool in Entrant Status Check to recover it at https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/

If you have been selected as a WINNER and need help with the visa application process (if you are outside of the United States and will apply at the US embassy or consulate in your country) or with adjustment of status (if you are residing in the United States and eligible for adjustment of status), you are welcome to contact our office for advice or legal assistance. We would be glad to help!