US visa lottery open to public

The US government-sponsored 2019 Diversity Visa Lottery Programme (DV-2019) also known as the “Green Card Lottery” for immigrant visas is now open to the public.

The DV-2019 is the only official lottery programme for immigrant visas to the US.

Registration began at noon on October 3 and will end at noon on November 7.

The programme makes more than 50,000 immigrant visas available worldwide to persons from countries, including TT, with lower rates of immigration to the US.

The application process is free and programme requirements are simple but strict. However, the embassy said, applicants must have the equivalent of a US high school degree or work experience in a job that requires at least two years of formal training.

Applicants who apply for a diversity visa but do not have the required education or training experience will not qualify to immigrate to the US.

Applicants should check the requirements at www.dvlottery.state.gov to make sure they qualify before applying.

All applications must be submitted electronically. Applicants may apply at anytime during the registration period and are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last week of the registration period to enter as heavy demand may result in website delays. Winners of the lottery pay a fee directly to the US Embassy on the day of their visa interview. When registering for the lottery, applicants must print and save their confirmation page with their unique confirmation code in order to check the status of their entry. Applicants must take care to keep this page. The Embassy cannot replace the confirmation code.

Beginning May 1, 2018, DV-2019 entrants will be able to use their unique confirmation number to see if their entry was selected via the online Entrant Status Check on the website. Successful entrants will receive instructions on how to apply for immigrant visas for themselves and eligible family members. Confirmation of visa interview appointments will also be made through Entrant Status Check.

All entrants should keep their confirmation number until September 30, 2019, whether they are initially selected or not. Applicants will not receive notification letters by mail, e-mail or phone. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to check the website for notification of lottery selection.

Diversity Visa applicants are advised to remain vigilant for fraudulent e-mails, websites, and letters claiming to be part of the application process. These are used by scammers posing as the US Government in an attempt to extract money. Applicants are asked to report any instances of fraud related to the DV Lottery to consularpos@state.gov. Applicants are reminded that there is no fee to apply for Diversity Visas, and the US Government does not request any payments via e-mail or letter.

Detailed information about entry requirements, along with frequently asked questions about the DV-2019 Diversity Visa lottery is available at www.dvlottery.state.gov.

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