[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 25, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48499-48507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20796]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice: 10554]
Bureau of Consular Affairs; Registration for the Diversity
Immigrant (DV-2020) Visa Program
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This public notice provides information on how to apply for
the DV-2020 Program and is issued pursuant to the Immigration and
Nationality Act.
Program Overview
The Department of State annually administers the statutorily-
mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Section 203(c) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides for a class of
immigrants known as ``diversity immigrants,'' from countries with
historically low rates of immigration to the United States. For fiscal
year 2020, 50,000 diversity visas (DVs) will be available. There is no
cost to register for the DV Program.
Applicants who are selected in the lottery (``selectees'') must
meet simple, but strict, eligibility requirements to qualify for a
diversity visa. The Department of State determines selectees through a
randomized computer drawing. Diversity visa numbers are distributed
among six geographic regions, and no single country may receive more
than seven percent of the available DVs in any one year.
For DV-2020, 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, 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 from the previous
year.
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 for 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 were born or legally resided at
the time of your birth? If yes, you may claim the country of birth of
one of your parents--provided that one of your parents was born in a
country whose natives are eligible for the DV-2020 program. For more
details on what this means, see the Frequently Asked Questions.
Requirement #2: Each 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. For more information about qualifying work experience
for the principal DV
[[Page 48500]]
applicant, see the Frequently Asked Questions.
Do not submit an entry to the DV program unless you meet both of
these requirements.
Entry Period
Applicants must submit entries for the DV-2020 DV program
electronically at dvlottery.state.gov between noon, Eastern Daylight
Time (EDT) (GMT-4), Wednesday, October 3, 2018, and noon, Eastern
Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5), Tuesday, November 6, 2018. 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. The Department of State uses sophisticated
technology to detect multiple entries. Individuals with more than one
entry will be disqualified.
Completing Your Electronic Entry for the DV-2020 Program
Submit your Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form (E-DV Entry Form
or DS-5501), online at dvlottery.state.gov. We will not accept
incomplete entries. There is no cost to register for the DV Program.
We strongly encourage you to complete the entry form yourself,
without a ``visa consultant,'' ``visa agent,'' or other facilitator who
offers to help. If someone else helps you, you should be present when
your entry is prepared so that you can provide the correct answers to
the questions and retain the confirmation page and your unique
confirmation number.
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. See the
Frequently Asked Questions for more information about Diversity Visa
scams.
Starting May 7, 2019, 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-2020, providing instructions on how to
proceed with your application, and notifying you of your appointment
for your immigrant visa interview. Please review the Frequently Asked
Questions for more information about the selection process.
You must provide the following information to complete your E-DV
entry:
1. Name--last/family name, first name, middle name--exactly as it
appears on your passport. If you have one name, it must be entered in
the last/family name field.
2. Gender--male or female.
3. Birth date--day, month, year.
4. City where you were born.
5. Country where you were born--Use the name of the country
currently used for the place where you were born.
6. Country of eligibility for the DV Program--Your country of
eligibility will normally be the same as your country of birth. Your
country of eligibility is not related to where you live.
If you were born in a country that is not eligible, please review
the Frequently Asked Questions to see if there is another way you may
be eligible.
7. Entrant photograph(s)--Recent photographs (taken within the last
six months) of yourself, your spouse, and all your children listed on
your entry. See Submitting a Digital Photograph below for compositional
and technical specifications. You do not need to include a photograph
for a spouse or child who is already a U.S. citizen or a Lawful
Permanent Resident, but you will not be penalized if you do. DV entry
photographs must meet the same standards as U.S. visa photos. Your
entry will be disqualified or your visa refused if the entry
photographs for you and your family members do not fully meet these
specifications or have been manipulated in any way. Submitting the same
photograph that was submitted with a prior year's entry will result in
disqualification. See Submitting a Digital Photograph for more
information.
8. Mailing Address--
In Care Of
Address Line 1
Address Line 2 (optional)
City/Town
District/Country/Province/State
Postal Code/Zip Code
Country
9. Country where you live today.
10. Phone number (optional).
11. Email address--An email address to which you have direct
access, and will continue to have direct access after we notify
selectees in May of next year. If your entry is selected and you
respond to the notification of your selection through the Entrant
Status Check, you will receive follow-up email communication from the
Department of State notifying you that details of your immigrant visa
interview are available on Entrant Status Check. The Department of
State will never send you an email telling you that you have been
selected for the DV program. See the Frequently Asked Questions for
more information about the selection process.
12. Highest level of education you have achieved, as of today: (1)
Primary school only, (2) Some High School, no degree, (3) High School
degree, (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 Degree. See
the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about educational
requirements.
13. Current marital status--(1) Unmarried, (2) Married and my
spouse is NOT a U.S. citizen or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident, (3)
Married and my spouse IS a U.S. citizen or U.S. Lawful Permanent
Resident, (4) Divorced, (5) Widowed, or (6) Legally Separated. Enter
the name, date of birth, gender, city/town of birth, 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 or, listing someone who is not
your spouse, will result in disqualification of the principal applicant
and refusal of all visas in the case at the time of the visa interview.
You must list your spouse even if you currently are separated from him/
her, unless you are legally separated. Legal separation is an
arrangement under which a couple remain married but live apart,
following a court order. If you and your spouse are legally separated,
your spouse will not be able to immigrate with you through the
Diversity Visa program. You will not be penalized if you choose to
enter the name of a spouse from whom you are legally separated. If you
are not legally separated by a court order, you must include your
spouse even if you plan to be divorced before you apply for the
Diversity Visa. Failure to list your eligible spouse is grounds for
disqualification.
If your spouse is a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident, do
not list him/her in your entry. A spouse who is already a U.S. citizen
or a Lawful Permanent Resident will not require or be issued a DV visa.
Therefore, if you select ``married and my spouse IS a U.S. citizen or
U.S. LPR'' on your entry, you will not be prompted to include further
[[Page 48501]]
information on your spouse. 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 . 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 over the age of 21 are not eligible
for the DV. However, the Child Status Protection Act protects children
from ``aging out'' in certain circumstances. If you submit your DV
entry before your unmarried child turns 21, and the child turns 21
before visa issuance, it is possible that he or she may be treated as
though he or she were under 21 for visa-processing purposes.
A child who is already a U.S. citizen or a Lawful Permanent
Resident will not require or be issued a diversity visa, and you will
not be penalized for either including or omitting such family members
from your entry.
Failure to list all children who are eligible or, listing someone
who is not your child, will result in disqualification of the principal
applicant and refusal of all visas in the case at the time of the visa
interview. See the Frequently Asked Questions for more information
about family members.
See the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about
completing your Electronic Entry for the DV-2019 Program.
Selection of Applicants
Based on the allocations of available visas in each region and
country, the Department of State will randomly select individuals by
computer from among qualified entries. All DV-2020 entrants must go to
the Entrant Status Check using the unique confirmation number saved
from their DV-2020 online entry registration to find out whether their
entry has been selected in the DV program. Entrant Status Check will be
available on the E-DV website at dvlottery.state.gov starting May 7,
2019, through at least September 30, 2020.
If your entry is selected, you will be directed to a confirmation
page that will provide further instructions, including information on
fees connected with immigration to the United States. Entrant Status
Check will be the ONLY means by which the Department of State notifies
selectees of their selection for DV-2020. The Department of State will
not mail out notification letters or notify selectees by email. U.S.
embassies and consulates will not provide a list of selectees.
Individuals who have not been selected also will be notified ONLY
through Entrant Status Check. You are strongly encouraged to access
Entrant Status Check yourself and not to rely on someone else to check
and inform you.
In order to immigrate, DV selectees must be admissible to the
United States. The DS-260, Online Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration
Application, electronically, and the consular officer, in person will
ask you questions about your eligibility to immigrate, and these
questions include criminal and security related grounds.
All eligible selectees, including family members, must be issued by
September 30, 2020. Under no circumstances can the Department of State
issue DVs or approve adjustments after this date, nor can family
members obtain DVs to follow-to-join the principal applicant in the
United States after this date. See the Frequently Asked Questions for
more information about the selection process.
Submitting a Digital Photograph (Image)
You can take a new digital photograph or scan a recent (taken
within the last six months) photograph with a digital scanner, as long
as it meets all of the standards below. DV entry photos must be of the
same quantity and composition as U.S. visa photos. Do not submit a
photograph older than six months or a photograph that does not meet all
of the standards described below. Submitting the same photograph that
was submitted with a prior year's entry, a photograph that has been
manipulated, or a photograph that does not meet the specifications
below will result in disqualification.
Compositional Specifications:
In color
In focus
Sized such that the head is between 1 inch and 1\3/8\ inches
(22 mm and 35 mm) or 50% and 69% of the image's total height from the
bottom of the chin to the top of the head. View the Photo Composition
Template on travel.state.gov for more size requirement details
Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current
appearance
Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
With a neutral facial expression and both eyes open
Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis
Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious
clothing that is worn daily
Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or
hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose. Your full face
must be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on
your face
Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are
not acceptable in your photo
Do not wear Eyeglasses
If you normally wear a hearing device or similar articles,
they may be worn in your photo
Technical Specifications
You must upload your digital image as part of your entry. Your
digital image must be:
In JPEG (.jpg) file format
Equal to or less than 240 kB (kilobytes) in file size
In a square aspect ratio (height must equal width)
600 x 600 pixels in dimension
Do you want to scan an existing photo? In addition to the digital
image requirements, your existing photo must be:
2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)
Scanned at a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (12 pixels per
millimeter)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Eligibility
1. What do the terms ``NATIVE'' and ``CHARGEABILITY'' mean?
``Native'' ordinarily means someone born in a particular country,
regardless of the individual's current country of residence or
nationality. ``Native'' can also mean someone who is entitled to be
``charged'' to a country other than the one in which he/she was born
under the provisions of Section 202(b) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act.
Because there is a numerical limitation on immigrants who enter
from a country or geographic region, each individual is ``charged'' to
a country. Your chargeability'' refers to the country towards which
limitation you count. Your country of eligibility will normally be the
same as your country of birth. However, you may
[[Page 48502]]
choose your country of eligibility as the country of birth of your
spouse, or the country of birth of either of your parents if you were
born in a country in which neither parent was born and in which the
parents were not resident at the time of your birth. These are the only
three ways to select your country of chargeability.
If you claim alternate chargeability through either of the above,
you must provide an explanation on the E-DV Entry Form, in question #6.
Listing an incorrect country of eligibility or chargeability (i.e., one
to which you cannot establish a valid claim) will disqualify your
entry.
2. Can I still apply if I was not born in a qualifying country?
There are two circumstances in which you still might be eligible to
apply. First, if your derivative spouse was born in an eligible
country, you may claim chargeability to that country. As your
eligibility is based on your spouse, you will only be issued a DV-1
immigrant visa if your spouse is also eligible for and issued a DV-2
visa. Both of you must enter the United States together using your DVs.
Similarly, your minor dependent child can be ``charged'' to a parent's
country of birth.
Second, you can be ``charged'' to the country of birth of either of
your parents as long as neither of your parents was born in or a
resident of your country of birth at the time of your birth. People are
not generally considered residents of a country in which they were not
born or legally naturalized, if they were only visiting, studying in
the country temporarily, or stationed temporarily for business or
professional reasons on behalf of a company or government from a
different country other than the one in which you were born.
If you claim alternate chargeability through either of the above,
you must provide an explanation on the E-DV Entry Form, in question #6.
Listing an incorrect country of eligibility or chargeability (i.e., one
to which you cannot establish a valid claim) will disqualify your
entry.
3. Why do natives of certain countries not qualify for the DV program?
DVs are intended to provide an immigration opportunity for persons
who are not from ``high admission'' countries. The law defines ``high
admission countries'' as those from which a total of 50,000 persons in
the Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based visa categories immigrated to
the United States during the previous five years. Each year, U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) counts the family and
employment immigrant admission and adjustment of status numbers for the
previous five years to identify the countries that are considered
``high admission'' and whose natives will therefore be ineligible for
the annual diversity visa program. Because USCIS makes this calculation
annually, the list of countries whose natives are eligible or not
eligible may change from one year to the next.
4. How many DV-2019 visas will go to natives of each region and
eligible country?
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
determines the regional DV limits for each year according to a formula
specified in Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
(INA). The number of visas the Department of State eventually will
issue to natives of each country will depend on the regional limits
established, how many entrants come from each country, and how many of
the selected entrants are found eligible for the visa. No more than
seven percent of the total visas available can go to natives of any one
country.
5. What are the requirements for education or work experience?
U.S. immigration law and regulations require that every DV entrant
must have at least a high school education or its equivalent or have
two years of work experience within the past five years in an
occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience.
A ``high school education or equivalent'' is defined as successful
completion of a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education in
the United States OR the successful completion in another country of a
formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to a
high school education in the United States. Only formal courses of
study meet this requirement; correspondence programs or equivalency
certificates (such as the General Equivalency Diploma G.E.D.) are not
acceptable. You must present documentary proof of education or work
experience to the consular officer at the time of the visa interview.
If you do not meet the requirements for education or work
experience, your entry will be disqualified at the time of your visa
interview, and no visas will be issued to you or any of your family
members.
6. What occupations qualify for the DV program?
The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) O*Net OnLine database will be
used to determine qualifying work experience. The O*Net Online Database
groups job experience into five ``job zones.'' While the DOL website
lists many occupations, not all occupations qualify for the DV Program.
To qualify for a DV on the basis of your work experience, you must
have, within the past five years, two years of experience in an
occupation that is classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation
(SVP) range of 7.0 or higher.
If you do not meet the requirements for education or work
experience, your entry will be disqualified at the time of your visa
interview, and no visas will be issued to you or any of your family
members.
7. How can I find the qualifying DV occupations in the Department of
Labor's O*Net online database?
When you are in O*Net OnLine, follow these steps to find out if
your occupation qualifies:
1. Under ``Find Occupations'' select ``Job Family'' from the pull
down;
2. Browse by ``Job Family,'' make your selection, and click ``GO;''
3. Click on the link for your specific occupation.
4. Select the tab ``Job Zone'' to find the designated Job Zone
number and Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) rating range.
As an example, select Aerospace Engineers. At the bottom of the
Summary Report for Aerospace Engineers, under the Job Zone section, you
will find the designated Job Zone 4, SVP Range, 7.0 to <8.0. Using this
example, Aerospace Engineering is a qualifying occupation.
For additional information, see the Diversity Visa--List of
Occupations web page (travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1319.html).
8. Is there a minimum age to apply for the DV program?
There is no minimum age to apply, but the requirement of a high
school education or work experience for each principal applicant at the
time of application will effectively disqualify most persons who are
under age 18.
Completing Your Electronic Entry for the DV Program
9. When can I submit my entry?
The DV-2020 entry period will run from 12:00 p.m. (noon), Eastern
Daylight Time (EST) (GMT-4), Wednesday, October 3, 2018, until 12:00
p.m. (noon), Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5), Tuesday, November 6,
2018. Each year, millions of people submit entries. Holding the entry
period on these dates
[[Page 48503]]
ensures selectees receive notification in a timely manner and gives
both the visa applicants and our embassies and consulates time to
prepare and complete cases for visa issuance.
We strongly encourage you to enter early during the registration
period. Excessive demand at the end of the registration period may slow
the system down. We cannot accept entries after noon EST Tuesday,
November 6, 2018.
10. I am in the United States. Can I enter the DV program?
Yes, an entrant may apply while in the United States or another
country. An entrant may submit an entry from any location.
11. Can I only enter once during the registration period?
Yes, 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.
12. May my spouse and I each submit a separate entry?
Yes, a husband and a wife may each submit one entry if each meets
the eligibility requirements. If either spouse is selected, the other
is entitled to apply as a derivative dependent.
13. What family members must I include in my DV entry?
Spouse: If you are legally married, you must list your spouse
(husband or wife) regardless of whether or not he or she lives with you
or intends to immigrate to the United States. You must list your spouse
even if you are currently separated from him/her, unless you are
legally separated. Legal separation is an arrangement when a couple
remain married but live apart, following a court order. If you and your
spouse are legally separated, your spouse will not be able to immigrate
with you through the Diversity Visa program. You will not be penalized
if you choose to enter the name of a spouse from whom you are legally
separated. If you are not legally separated by a court order, you must
include your spouse even if you plan to be divorced before you apply
for the Diversity Visa. Failure to list your eligible spouse, or
listing someone who is not your spouse, are grounds for
disqualification.
If you are divorced or your spouse is deceased, you do not have to
list your former spouse.
The only exception to this requirement is if your spouse is already
a U.S. citizen or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident. A spouse who is
already a U.S. citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident will not require
or be issued a DV. Therefore, if you select ``married and my spouse IS
a U.S. citizen or U.S. LPR'' on your entry, you will not be able to
include further information on your spouse.
Children: You must list ALL your living children who are unmarried
and under 21 years of age at the time of your initial E-DV entry,
whether they are your natural children, your stepchildren (even if you
are now divorced from that child's parent), your spouse's children, or
children you have formally adopted in accordance with the applicable
laws. List all children under 21 years of age at the time of your
electronic entry, even if they no longer reside with you or you do not
intend for them to immigrate under the DV program. You are not required
to list children who are already U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent
Residents, though you will not be penalized if you do include them.
Parents and siblings of the entrant are ineligible to receive DV
visas as dependents, and you should not include them in your entry.
If you list family members on your entry, they are not required to
apply for a visa or to immigrate or travel with you. However, if you
fail to include an eligible dependent on your original entry or, list
someone who is not your eligible dependent, your case will be
disqualified at the time of your visa interview and no visas will be
issued to you or any of your family members. This only applies to those
who were family members at the time the original application was
submitted, not those acquired at a later date. Your spouse, if eligible
to enter, may still submit a separate entry even though he or she is
listed on your entry, as long as both entries include details on all
dependents in your family (see FAQ #12 above).
14. Must I submit my own entry, or can someone else do it for me?
We encourage you to prepare and submit your own entry, but you may
have someone submit the entry for you. Regardless of whether you submit
your own entry, or an attorney, friend, relative, or someone else
submits it on your behalf, only one entry may be submitted in your
name. You, as the entrant, are responsible for ensuring that
information in the entry is correct and complete; entries that are not
correct or complete may be disqualified. Entrants should keep their own
confirmation number so that they are able to independently check the
status of their entry using Entrant Status Check at
dvlottery.state.gov. Entrants should keep retain access to the email
account used in the E-DV submission.
15. I'm already registered for an immigrant visa in another category.
Can I still apply for the DV program?
Yes. Your DV registration will not make you ineligible for another
immigrant visa classification.
16. When will E-DV be available online?
You can enter online during the registration period beginning at
12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4) on Wednesday,
October 3, 2018, and ending at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Standard Time
(EST) (GMT-5) on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.
17. Can I download and save the E-DV entry form into a word processing
program and finish it later?
No, you will not be able to save the form into another program for
completion and submission later. The E-DV Entry Form is a Web form
only. You must fill in the information and submit it while online.
18. Can I save the form online and finish it later?
No. The E-DV Entry Form is designed to be completed and submitted
at one time. You will have 60 minutes starting from when you download
the form to complete and submit your entry through the E-DV website. If
you exceed the 60-minute limit and have not submitted your complete
entry electronically, the system discards any information already
entered. The system deletes any partial entries so that they are not
accidentally identified as duplicates of a later, complete entry. Read
the DV instructions completely before you start to complete the form
online, so that you know exactly what information you will need.
19. I don't have a scanner. Can I send photographs to someone in the
United States to scan them, save them, and mail them back to me so I
can use them in my entry?
Yes, as long as the photograph meets the requirements in the
instructions and is electronically submitted with, and at the same time
as, the E-DV online entry. You must already have the scanned photograph
file when you submit the entry online; it cannot be submitted
separately from the online application. The entire entry (photograph
and application together) can be submitted electronically from the
United States or from overseas.
[[Page 48504]]
20. If the E-DV system rejects my entry, can I resubmit my entry?
Yes, you can resubmit your entry as long as your submission is
completed by 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5) on
Tuesday, November 6, 2018. You will not be penalized for submitting a
duplicate entry if the E-DV system rejects your initial entry. Given
the unpredictable nature of the internet, you may not receive the
rejection notice immediately. You can try to submit an application as
many times as is necessary until a complete application is received and
the confirmation notice sent. Once you receive a confirmation notice,
your entry is complete, and you should NOT submit any additional
entries.
21. How soon after I submit my entry will I receive the electronic
confirmation notice?
You should receive the confirmation notice immediately, including a
confirmation number that you must record and keep. However, the
unpredictable nature of the internet can result in delays. You can hit
the ``Submit'' button as many times as is necessary until a complete
application is submitted and you receive the confirmation notice.
However, once you receive a confirmation notice, do not resubmit your
information.
22. I hit the ``Submit'' button, but did not receive a confirmation
number. If I submit another entry, will I be disqualified?
If you did not receive a confirmation number, your entry was not
recorded. You must submit another entry. It will not be counted as a
duplicate. Once you receive a confirmation number, do not resubmit your
information.
Selection
23. How do I know if I am selected?
You must use your confirmation number to access the Entrant Status
Check available on the E-DV website at dvlottery.state.gov starting May
7, 2019 through September 30, 2020. Entrant Status Check is the sole
means by which the Department of State will notify you if you are
selected, provided further instructions on your visa application, and
notify you of your immigrant visa interview appointment date and time.
The only authorized Department of State website for official online
entry in the Diversity Visa Program and Entrant Status Check is
dvlottery.state.gov.
The Department of State will NOT contact you to tell you that you
have been selected (see FAQ #24).
24. How will I know if I am not selected? Will I be notified?
You may check the status of your DV-2020 entry through the Entrant
Status Check on the E-DV website at dvlottery.state.gov starting May 7,
2019, until September 30, 2020. Keep your confirmation number until at
least September 30, 2020. (Status information for the previous year's
DV program, DV-2019, is available online from May 15, 2018, through
September 30, 2019.) If your entry is not selected, you will not
receive any additional instructions.
25. What if I lose my confirmation number?
You must have your confirmation number to access Entrant Status
Check. A tool is now available in Entrant Status Check (ESC) on the eDV
website that will allow you to retrieve your confirmation number via
the email address with which you registered by entering certain
personal information to confirm your identity.
U.S. embassies and consulates and the Kentucky Consular Center are
unable to check your selection status for you or provide your
confirmation number to you directly (other than through the ESC
retrieval tool). The Department of State is NOT able to provide a list
of those selected to continue the visa process.
26. Will I receive information from the Department of State by email or
by postal mail?
The Department of State will not send you a notification letter.
The U.S. government has never sent emails to notify individuals that
they have been selected, and there are no plans to use email for this
purpose for the DV-2020 program. If you are a selectee, you will only
receive email communications regarding your visa appointment after you
have responded to the notification instructions on Entrant Status
Check. These emails will not contain information on the actual
appointment date and time; they will simply tell you that appointment
details are available, and you must then access Entrant Status Check
for details. The Department of State may send emails reminding DV
lottery applicants to check the ESC for their status. However, such
emails will never indicate whether the lottery applicant was or was not
selected.
Only internet sites that end with the ``.gov'' domain suffix are
official U.S. government websites. Many other websites (e.g., with the
suffixes ``.com,'' ``.org,'' or ``.net'') provide immigration and visa-
related information and services. The Department of State does not
endorse, recommend, or sponsor any information or material on these
other websites.
You may receive emails from websites that try to trick you into
sending money or providing your personal information. You may be asked
to pay for forms and information about immigration procedures, all
which are available for free on the Department of State website or
through U.S. embassy or consulate websites. Additionally, organizations
or websites may try to steal your money by charging fees for DV-related
services. If you send money to one of these organizations, you will
likely never see it again. Also, do not send personal information to
these websites, as it may be used for identity fraud/theft.
These deceptive emails may come from people pretending to be
affiliated with the Kentucky Consular Center or the Department of
State. Remember, the U.S. government has never sent emails to notify
individuals that they have been selected, and will not use email to
notify selectees for the DV-2020 program. The Department of State will
never ask you to send money by mail or by services such as Western
Union.
27. How many individuals will be selected for DV-2020?
For DV-2020, 50,000 DV visas are available. Because it is likely
that some of the first 50,000 persons who are selected will not qualify
for visas or not pursue their cases to visa issuance, more than 50,000
entries will be selected to ensure that all of the available DV visas
are issued. However, this also means that there will not be a
sufficient number of visas for all those who are initially selected. To
maximize use of all available visas, the Department of State may update
Entrant Status Check to include additional selectees at any time before
the program ends on September 30, 2020.
You can check the E-DV website's Entrant Status Check to see if you
have been selected for further processing and your place on the list.
Interviews for the DV-2020 program will begin in October 2019 for
selectees who have submitted all pre-interview paperwork and other
information as requested in the notification instructions. Selectees
who provide all required information will be informed of their visa
interview appointment through the E-DV website's Entrant Status Check
four to six weeks before the scheduled interviews with U.S. consular
officers at overseas posts.
Each month, visas will be issued to those applicants who are
eligible for issuance during that month, visa-number availability
permitting. Once all of the 50,000 DV visas have been issued,
[[Page 48505]]
the program will end. Visa numbers could be finished before September
2020. Selected applicants who wish to apply for visas must be prepared
to act promptly on their cases. Being randomly chosen as a selectee
does not guarantee that you will receive a visa. Selection merely means
that you are eligible to apply for a Diversity Visa, and if your rank
number becomes eligible for final processing, you potentially may be
issued a Diversity Visa. Only 50,000 visas will be issued to such
applicants.
28. How will successful entrants be selected?
Official notifications of selection will be made through Entrant
Status Check, available starting May 7, 2019, through at least
September 30, 2020, on the E-DV website dvlottery.state.gov. The
Department of State does not send selectee notifications or letters by
regular postal mail or by email. Any email notification or mailed
letter stating that you have been selected to receive a DV does not
come from the Department of State and is not legitimate. Any email
communication you receive from the Department of State will direct you
to review Entrant Status Check for new information about your
application. The Department of State will never ask you to send money
by mail or by services such as Western Union.
All entries received from each region are individually numbered,
and at the end of the entry period, a computer will randomly select
entries from among all the entries received for each geographic region.
Within each region, the first entry randomly selected will be the first
case registered; the second entry selected will be the second case
registered, etc. All entries received within each region during the
entry period will have an equal chance of being selected. When an entry
has been selected, the entrant will receive notification of his or her
selection through the Entrant Status Check available starting May 7,
2019, on the E-DV website dvlottery.state.gov. If you are selected and
you respond to the instructions provided online via Entrant Status
Check, the Department of State's Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) will
process your case until you are instructed to appear for a visa
interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate or, if you are in the United
States, until you apply to adjust status with USCIS in the United
States.
29. I am already in the United States. If selected, may I adjust my
status with USCIS?
Yes, provided you are otherwise eligible to adjust status under the
terms of Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), you
may apply to USCIS for adjustment of status to permanent resident. You
must ensure that USCIS can complete action on your case, including
processing of any overseas spouse or children under 21 years of age,
before September 30, 2020, since on that date your eligibility for the
DV-2020 program expires. The Department of State will not approve any
visa numbers or adjustments of status for the DV-2020 program after
midnight EDT on September 30, 2020, under any circumstances.
30. If I am selected, for how long am I entitled to apply for a
diversity visa?
If you are selected in the DV-2020 program, you are entitled to
apply for visa issuance only during U.S. government fiscal year 2020,
which is from October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2020. We encourage
selectees to apply for visas as early as possible, once their lottery
rank numbers become eligible for further processing.
Without exception, all selected and eligible applicants must obtain
their visa or adjust status by the end of the fiscal year. There is no
carry-over of DV benefits into the next year for persons who are
selected but who do not obtain visas by September 30, 2020 (the end of
the fiscal year). Also, spouses and children who derive status from a
DV-2020 registration can only obtain visas in the DV category between
October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020. Applicants who apply overseas
will receive an appointment notification from the Department through
Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website four to six weeks before the
scheduled appointment.
31. If a DV selectee dies, what happens to the case?
If a DV selectee dies at any point before he or she has traveled to
the United States or adjusted status, the DV case is automatically
terminated. Any derivative spouse and/or children of the deceased
selectee will no longer be entitled to a DV visa. Any visas that were
issued to them will be revoked.
Fees
32. How much does it cost to enter the E-DV program?
There is no fee charged for submitting an electronic entry.
However, if you are selected and apply for a Diversity Visa, you must
pay all required visa application fees at the time of visa application
and interview directly to the consular cashier at the U.S. embassy or
consulate. If you are a selectee already in the United States and you
apply to USCIS to adjust status, you will pay all required application
fees directly to USCIS. If you are selected, you will receive details
of required DV and immigrant visa application fees with the
instructions provided through the E-DV website at dvlottery.state.gov.
33. How and where do I pay DV and immigrant visa fees if I am selected?
If you are a randomly selected entrant, you will receive
instructions for the DV visa application process through Entrant Status
Check at dvlottery.state.gov. You will pay all DV and immigrant visa
application fees in person only at the U.S. embassy or consulate at the
time of the visa application. The consular cashier will immediately
give you a U.S. government receipt for payment. Do not send money for
DV fees to anyone through the mail, Western Union, or any other
delivery service if you are applying for an immigrant visa at a U.S.
embassy or consulate.
If you are selected and you are already present in the United
States and plan to file for adjustment of status with USCIS, the
instructions page accessible through Entrant Status Check at
dvlottery.state.gov contains separate instructions on how to mail
adjustment of status application fees to a U.S. bank.
34. If I apply for a DV, but don't qualify to receive one, can I get a
refund of the visa fees I paid?
No. Visa application fees cannot be refunded. You must meet all
qualifications for the visa as detailed in these instructions. If a
consular officer determines you do not meet requirements for the visa,
or you are otherwise ineligible for the DV under U.S. law, the officer
cannot issue a visa and you will forfeit all fees paid.
Ineligibilities
35. As a DV applicant, can I receive a waiver of any grounds of visa
ineligibility? Does my waiver application receive any special
processing?
DV applicants are subject to all grounds of ineligibility for
immigrant visas specified in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
There are no special provisions for the waiver of any ground of visa
ineligibility aside from those ordinarily provided in the INA, nor is
there special processing for
[[Page 48506]]
waiver requests. Some general waiver provisions for people with close
relatives who are U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Resident aliens may
be available to DV applicants in some cases, but the time constraints
in the DV program may make it difficult for applicants to benefit from
such provisions.
DV Fraud Warning and Scams
36. How can I report internet fraud or unsolicited email?
Please visit the econsumer.gov website, hosted by the Federal Trade
Commission in cooperation with consumer-protection agencies from 17
nations. You may also report fraud to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) internet Crime Complaint Center. To file a
complaint about unsolicited email, use the ``Telemarking and Spam''
complaint tool on the econsumer.gov website or visit the Department of
Justice Unsolicited Commercial Email (``Spam'') web page at
www.justice.gov/doj/spam for additional information and contacts.
DV Statistics
37. How many visas will be issued in DV-2020?
By law, a maximum of 55,000 visas are available each year to
eligible persons. However, in November 1997, the U.S. Congress passed
the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA),
which stipulates that beginning as early as DV-1999, and for as long as
necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated DVs will be
made available for use under the NACARA program. The actual reduction
of the limit began with DV-2000 and will remain in effect through the
DV-2020 program, so 50,000 visas remain for the DV program described in
these instructions.
38. If I receive a visa through the DV program, will the U.S.
government pay for my airfare to the United States, help me find
housing and employment, and/or provide healthcare or any subsidies
until I am fully settled?
No. The U.S. government will not provide any of these services to
you if you receive a visa through the DV program. If you are selected
to apply for a DV, you will need to demonstrate that you will not
become a public charge in the United States before being issued a visa.
This evidence may be in the form of a combination of your personal
assets, an Affidavit of Support (Form I-134) submitted by a relative or
friend residing in the United States, an offer of employment from an
employer in the United States, or other evidence.
List of Countries/Areas by Region Whose Natives are Eligible for DV-
2020
The list below shows the countries whose natives are eligible for
DV-2020, grouped by geographic region. Dependent areas overseas are
included within the region of the governing country. USCIS identified
the countries whose natives are not eligible for the DV-2020 program
according to the formula in Section 203(c) of the INA. The countries
whose natives are not eligible for the DV program (because they are the
principal source countries of Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based
immigration or ``high-admission'' countries) are noted after the
respective regional lists.
Africa
Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cabo Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Congo
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Djibouti
Egypt *
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia, The
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
* Persons born in the areas administered prior to June 1967 by
Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt are chargeable, respectively, to
Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt. Persons born in the Gaza Strip are
chargeable to Egypt; persons born in the West Bank are chargeable to
Jordan; persons born in the Golan Heights are chargeable to Syria.
In Africa, natives of Nigeria are not eligible for this year's
diversity program.
Asia
Afghanistan
Bahrain
Bhutan
Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region **
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel *
Japan
Jordan *
Kuwait
Laos
Lebanon
Malaysia
Maldives
Mongolia
Nepal
North Korea
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Syria *
Taiwan **
Thailand
Timor-Leste
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
* Persons born in the areas administered prior to June 1967 by
Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt are chargeable, respectively, to
Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt. Persons born in the Gaza Strip are
chargeable to Egypt; persons born in the West Bank are chargeable to
Jordan; persons born in the Golan Heights are chargeable to Syria.
** For the purposes of the diversity program only, persons born in
Macau S.A.R. derive eligibility from Portugal.
Natives of the following Asia Region countries are not eligible for
this year's
[[Page 48507]]
diversity program: Bangladesh, China (mainland-born), India, Pakistan,
South Korea, Philippines, and Vietnam. Hong Kong S.A.R. (Asia region),
Macau S.A.R. (Europe region, chargeable to Portugal), and Taiwan (Asia
region) do qualify and are listed here.
Europe
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Estonia
Finland
France (including components and areas overseas)
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau Special Administrative Region**
Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Northern Ireland**
Norway (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Poland
Portugal (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Romania
Russia
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tajikistan
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Vatican City
** Macau S.A.R. does qualify and is listed above. For the purposes
of the diversity program only, persons born in Macau S.A.R. derive
eligibility from Portugal.
Natives of the following European countries are not eligible for
this year's DV program: Great Britain (United Kingdom). Great Britain
(United Kingdom) includes the following dependent areas: Anguilla,
Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, British Indian Ocean Territory, Cayman
Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, South
Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, St. Helena, and Turks and
Caicos Islands. Note that for purposes of the diversity program only,
Northern Ireland is treated separately; Northern Ireland does qualify
and is listed among the qualifying areas.
North America
The Bahamas
In North America, natives of Canada and Mexico are not eligible for
this year's diversity program.
Oceania
Australia (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Fiji
Kiribati
Marshall Islands
Micronesia, Federated States of
Nauru
New Zealand (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
South America, Central America, and the Caribbean
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Chile
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Ecuador
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay
Venezuela
Countries in this region whose natives are not eligible for this
year's diversity program: Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El
Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, and Peru.
Dated: September 18, 2018.
Carl C. Risch,
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2018-20796 Filed 9-24-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-06-P