This archive report was first published on 2 October 2019.
On October 2nd, 2019, the State Department opened registration for the fiscal year Diversity Visa Program (DV-2021), also known as the Green Card Lottery.
The registration period, which began at 12pm EDT and ends on November 5th, 2019 at 12pm EST, is now underway.
According to the State Department, applicants are advised not to wait until the last week to submit their entries, as heavy demand could cause website delays.
Entries are only accepted online at dvlottery.state.gov, and applicants are required to have valid passports.
It is essential to provide accurate and complete information, as incomplete entries may be disqualified. Additionally, applicants who submit more than one entry will also be disqualified.
For DV-2021, a total of 55,000 permanent resident visas will be made available. The program aims to diversify the US immigrant population, and countries with more than 50,000 immigrants to the US over the last five years are ineligible to participate.
Notably, nationals of the following countries are not eligible to participate in the program: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.
