The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery Registration for the next cycle of this popular program opens Tuesday, October 2, 2012. Entries must be submitted electronically at the Diversity Visa Lottery website, between noon on Tuesday, October 2, 2012, and noon on Saturday, November 3, 2012, Eastern Standard Time. Qualified applicants are strongly encouraged to register as early as possible. Heavy demand may result in system delays in the final days of the registration period.

The DV Lottery is administered annually by the DOS, and provides for a maximum of 55,000 immigrant visas (green cards) each year to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. For the upcoming cycle, 50,000 DVs will be available. The visas are distributed among six geographic regions, with a greater number of visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration, and with no visas going to natives of countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years.

Natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. Natives of Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible. New this year: natives of Guatemala are now eligible for selection.

In addition, successful registrants 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 job.

All DV Lottery entrants will be required to visit the E-DV Entrant Status Check website to find out whether or not their entry has been selected in the DV Lottery. Selectees will be notified of their selection through the Entry Status Check available starting May 1, 2013. Selectees will be directed to a confirmation page that will provide further instructions, including information on fees connected with immigration to the United States. Selectees will be able to apply for permanent residence in fiscal year 2014, which is October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014. The E-DV Entry Status Check website will be the only means by which selectees will be notified of their selection for the DV Lottery.

If you require additional information, please contact the Immigration Group at Proskauer.