U.S.  Diversity Visa Lottery Now Open

50,000 from around the world will win Green Card

Colombo, October 1, 2008 – The 2010 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery will be formally declared open in Washington, DC on October 2, 2008.  This program allows randomly selected applicants to immigrate to the United States on an expedited basis, provided they meet all the criteria.  A person may only enter the lottery if he or she has:  1) citizenship of a qualifying country (Sri Lanka and the Maldives both qualify); and 2) either a high school equivalent education (Six GCE O-Levels including compulsory subjects) or work experience within the past five years in a profession that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform.  Individuals wishing to participate in the visa lottery are strongly urged to apply early to avoid any possible delays.  50,000 individuals will be selected for the lottery worldwide.

For more information about the program, as well as details on the necessary qualifications, please see the US Embassy Colombo website at:  srilanka.usembassy.gov

The lottery registration period will be October 2 to December 1, 2008.  Registration for the Diversity Visa Lottery is free. The lottery will be conducted entirely by electronic means over the internet.  Paper entries will no longer be accepted.  The State Department has established a website for the submission of entries, which can be accessed at: www.dvlottery.state.gov.  Successfully registered entries will result in the display of a confirmation screen containing the applicant’s name, date of birth, country of chargeability (the country the applicant enters the lottery from), and a date and time stamp.  This confirmation screen can be printed as proof of registration in the lottery.  An applicant may only register ONCE; more than one entry will result in automatic disqualification. 

The Department of State Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky, will notify the lottery winners by mail (NOT e-mail) between May and July, 2009.  If they qualify, they will then have a one-year window in which they may immigrate to the United States. 

Important Notice
No fee is charged to enter the annual Diversity Visa program. The U.S. Government employs no outside consultants or private services to operate the visa lottery program. Any companies or intermediaries who offer assistance to prepare DV casework for applicants do so without the authority or consent of the U.S. Government.  Beware of persons or companies making claims of affiliation with the U.S. Government or promising improved odds of selection. 

A qualified entry submitted electronically directly by an applicant has an equal chance of being selected by the computer at the Kentucky Consular Center as does an entry submitted electronically through a paid intermediary who completes the entry for the applicant. Use of any outside intermediary or assistance to prepare a DV entry is entirely at the applicant's discretion.

Every entry received during the lottery registration period will have an equal random chance of being selected within its region. However, receipt of more than one entry per person will disqualify the person from registration, regardless of the source of the entry.