This archive report was first published on 21 September 2019.
As the Diversity Visa (DV) 2021 registration period approaches, the U.S. Department of State has introduced a new requirement for applicants: a valid, unexpired passport.
According to the State Department, the passport number, country of issuance, and expiration date will be necessary information for entrants to provide when registering for the lottery. This requirement applies only to principal entrants, not their dependents.
However, certain individuals are exempt from this requirement, including those who are stateless, nationals of a Communist-controlled country, or beneficiaries of an individual waiver approved by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State.
Unlike previous Diversity Immigration Visa registrations, where a passport was only required for winners at the green card interview stage, the new requirement aims to prevent fraudulent entries and protect applicants from exploitation.
As announced by the State Department in June of this year, the move is a response to the significant number of fraudulent entries submitted each year, with third parties often charging exorbitant fees to individuals who unknowingly submit their entries.
The DV-2021 registration period runs from October 2nd to November 5th, 2019.
