Registration Opens for Diversity Visa 2017 Program
The 2017 diversity visa (DV) program opened for electronic registrations opened on October 1, 2015, and closes at noon, eastern time, Tuesday, November 3, 2015.
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.
The Department of State said that based on the allocations of available visas in each region and country, individuals will be randomly selected by computer from among qualified entries. DV-2017 entrants must go to Entrant Status Check using the confirmation numbers from their DV-2017 online entry registrations to find out whether they have been selected. Those who are selected will be directed to a confirmation page that will provide further instructions, including information about fees connected with immigration to the United States. The Department noted that Entrant Status Check will be the only means by which selectees are notified of their selection for DV-2017. The Department of State will not mail notification letters or email selectees.
Applicants can access the electronic DV entry form (E-DV) at the official E-DV website: http://www.dvlottery.state.gov during the registration period. DV instructions, including a video, are on the Department of State’s public website at: http://www.travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/diversity-visa/instructions.html. Entrant Status Check will be available on the E-DV website at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov starting May 3, 2016, through at least September 30, 2017.
