The 2005 Diversity Visa Lottery will be open for entries from November 1 to December 30, 2003.
 
The Diversity Visa Lottery ("DV Lottery") is the result of congressional efforts to "diversify" the pool of new immigrants admitted to the United States each year.  Only nationals born in countries without high numbers of immigrants to the U.S. may apply.  Those individuals randomly selected will have the opportunity to apply for an immigrant visa (or "green card") either in the U.S. or through a U.S. consulate abroad.  2005 DV Lottery winners will be notified by mail between May and July 2004, and immigrant visas are granted to the first 50,000 winners (including the winner's spouse and children under age 21) to complete the green card process by midnight on September 30, 2005.  In order to actually receive a visa, lottery winners must meet all eligibility requirements under U.S. law.   

The two basic requirements for participation in the DV Lottery are that the entrant:

• is a native of an eligible country*,

• has completed a high school education or the equivalent or have two years of work experience in the past 5 years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training.

Starting this year, all DV Lottery entries must be submitted online.  Only one entry is permitted per person, and attempts to submit more than one entry will result in disqualification.  The entry form is an electronic "fill in" form, and each entrant must electronically attach one passport-style photograph.  More information about qualification requirements, the photo specifications, and the entry and selection process is posted at the Department of State's website at:  http://travel.state.gov/dv2005.html.  The online application is now available at www.dvlottery.state.gov.  Entries must be submitted between November 1 to December 30, 2003.  

* Eligibility for participation in the DV Lottery is generally based on the entrant's country of birth.  However, if you are a native of a country that is not eligible for participation in the DV Lottery (see list below), you may be able to enter based on your spouse's country of birth.  Additionally, if you were born in a country that is not eligible for this year's lottery but neither of your parents were born in that country or resided there at the time of your birth, you may be able to claim the nativity in one of your parents’ countries of birth.  This year, individuals born in the following countries are not eligible to apply (because they sent a total of more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the previous five years):  CANADA, CHINA (mainland-born), COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, EL SALVADOR, HAITI, INDIA, JAMAICA, MEXICO, PAKISTAN, PHILIPPINES, RUSSIA, 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.