IMMIGRATION MATTERS: The Diversity Visa Lottery for 2003 (09/30/01)

IMMIGRATION MATTERS: The Diversity Visa Lottery for 2003

Below is a statement delivered by Richard Boucher, spokesman for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2003), followed by questions and answers regarding the program.

The mail-in period for the next Diversity Visa lottery (DV-2003) will be held between noon on October 1, 2001, and noon on October 31, 2001. Those who choose to enter the DV-2003 lottery should obtain a copy of the instructions in the "Visa Bulletin," which may be found at the Bureau of Consular Affairs website: http://travel.state.gov.

Section 203(c) of the Immigration Act of 1990 makes available up to 55,000 permanent resident immigrant visas each year by random selection through a Diversity Visa lottery (DV-2003). The visas are distributed among six geographic regions with a greater number of visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration, and no visas going to citizens of countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years. Within each region, no one country may receive more than 7 percent of the available Diversity Visas in any one year.

There is no specific format for the entry, but it is important to provide all the information requested. Entries for the DV-2003 Diversity Visa Lottery must be received at one of the Kentucky Consular Center mailing addresses during the mail-in period. Entries sent to the wrong address or received before or after this period will be disqualified regardless of when they are postmarked. Please note several important changes in requirements and eligibility described below.

Q: How are the visas being apportioned?

A: The visas will be apportioned among six geographic regions. A greater number of visas will go to those regions that have lower immigration rates and no visas may be issued to countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States during the previous five years. No one country can receive more than 7 percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.

Information about visa allotments for each region is determined by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) each year according to a formula specified in Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NCARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulates that up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NCARA program. The reduction of the limit of available visas to 50,000 began with DV-2000 and remains in effect for the DV-2003 program.

The term "country" in this notice includes countries, economies and other jurisdictions explicitly listed.

The six geographic regions are:

Africa: All countries on the continent of Africa and adjacent islands are eligible.
Asia: All countries are eligible except China (mainland-born), India, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, and Vietnam. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible.
Europe: All countries are eligible except Great Britain (United Kingdom) and its dependent territories. (Northern Ireland is eligible.)
North America: The Bahamas is the only eligible country in the region this year. (Canada is not eligible for the DV lottery.)
Oceania: All countries in the region are eligible, including Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the countries and islands in the South Pacific.
South America, Central America and the Caribbean: All countries in the region are eligible except Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico.

Q: Have the requirements changed since last year's registration?

A: The address for submitting DV applications has changed. Applicants must mail their entries to one of the six Kentucky Consular Center regional addresses listed below. The entry must be submitted by regular or airmail to the address matching the region of the applicant's country of nativity. Entries sent by express or priority mail, second-day airmail, fax, hand, messenger, or any means requiring special handling will be disqualified.

Entries mailed to any address other than the Kentucky Consular Center addresses shown below will be disqualified.

Africa:
DV-2003 Program
Kentucky Consular Center
1001 Visa Crest
Migrate, KY 41901-1000, U.S.A.

Asia: DV-2003 Program
Kentucky Consular Center
2002 Visa Crest
Migrate, KY 41902-2000, U.S.A.

Europe:
DV-2003 Program
Kentucky Consular Center
3003 Visa Crest
Migrate, KY 41903-3000, U.S.A.

SouthAmerica/Central America/Caribbean:
DV-2003 Program
Kentucky Consular Center
4004 Visa Crest
Migrate, KY 41904-4000, U.S.A.

Oceania:
DV-2003 Program
Kentucky Consular Center
5005 Visa Crest
Migrate, KY 41l305-5000, U.S.A

North America:
DV-2003 Program
Kentucky Consular Center
6006 Visa Crest
Migrate, KY 41906-6000, U.S.A.

The eligibility of the applicant and the information required on the entry and on the envelope in which it is sent is specified in detail in the Visa Bulletin. Each entry must be personally signed by the applicant. Please note that photographs of the applicant and all his/her dependents are now required, and the photos must conform to the specifications listed in the Visa Bulletin. Also note that qualifying work experience will be defined by the Department of Labor's O*Net online database: http://www.onetcenter.org.

Q: What are the requirements to enter?

A: The applicant must be a native of a qualifying country. However, if a person was born in an ineligible country but his or her spouse was born in an eligible country, such a person can claim the spouse's country of birth, provided both the applicant and spouse are issued visas and enter the U.S. simultaneously. Also, if a person was born in an ineligible country, but neither of his or her parents was born or resided there at the time of the birth, such a person may be able to claim one of the parent's countries of birth.

In addition, applicants must have either a high school education or its equivalent, or two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience. If the applicant does not meet these requirements, he or she should not submit an entry for the DV program.

There is no initial application fee or special application form to enter. The entry must be typed or clearly printed in the English alphabet on a sheet of plain paper and must include:

The applicant's full name, with the last name underlined.
The applicant's date and place of birth.
The applicant's native country if it differs from the country of birth.
Name, date and place of birth of the applicant's spouse and children, including legally adopted and stepchildren, who are under age 21 (all minor, unmarried children must be listed on the principal applicant's entry, even if the applicant is no longer legally married to the child's parent, and even if they do not wish to immigrate). The entry will be disqualified if all children are not listed.
Recent photograph of the applicant, the applicant's spouse and all children. Entry will be disqualified if photos of all family members are not included.
The applicant's full mailing address and, if possible, a telephone number.
The applicant's signature, using his or her usual and customary signature in the native language. Any entry that is not personally signed by the applicant will be disqualified.

This information must be sent by regular mail or airmail to one of the six Migrate, Ky., postal addresses. Entries must be received during the mail-in period for DV-2003 - between noon on October 1, 2001 and noon on October 31, 2001. Applicants must use the correct address designated for their native region. The entry must be mailed in a standard letter or business-size envelope with the applicant's native country, full name and complete mailing address typed or clearly printed in the English alphabet in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope. Postcards are not acceptable.

Husbands and wives may each submit an entry, if both qualify. If either were selected the other would be entitled to derivative status. Note: Husbands and wives may not sign for each other; each applicant must sign his or her own entry.

Only one entry for each applicant may be submitted during the registration period. Any entry sent by express or priority mail, fax, hand, messenger or any means requiring receipts or special handling will not be processed. Duplicate or multiple entries will disqualify an individual from registration for this program. Any entry received before or after the specified registration dates regardless of when it is postmarked and any entry sent to an address other than one of those indicated will be disqualified. All mail received during the registration period and meeting the above requirements will be individually numbered, and successful entrants will be selected at random by computer regardless of time of receipt during the specified mail-in period.

Please note: Failure to carefully follow all of these instructions will disqualify the entry.

Q: What does the term "native" mean? Is there any situation in which a person who was not born in a qualifying country may apply?

A: In most cases, "native" normally means someone born in a particular country, regardless of the individual's current country of residence or nationality. However, if a person was born in an ineligible country but his/her spouse was born in an eligible country, such person can claim the spouse's country of birth providing both the applicant and spouse are issued visas and enter the U.S. simultaneously. A minor dependent child can be charged to the country of birth of a parent; and an applicant born in a country of which neither parent was a native or a resident at the time of his/her birth may be charged to the country of birth of either parent. If the applicant is claiming nativity in a country other than his/her place of birth, this must be clearly indicated on the entry, and must show the native country claimed on the upper left-hand corner of the envelope in which the registration request is mailed.

Q: Where can one receive instructions to enter the lottery?

A: Interested persons may call (202) 331-7199, which describes the various means to obtain further details on entering the DV-2003 program. Applicants overseas may contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for instructions on the DV lottery. DV information is also available in the Visa Bulletin on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov or via the Consular Affairs automated fax at (202) 647-3000 (code 1550). Calls to the automated fax service must be made from a fax machine using the receiver or voice option of the caller's fax equipment. Applicants may also e-mail [email protected] for copies of the instructions on the DV lottery.

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