2007 Diversity Lottery Instructions Issued

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has issued instructions for entry into the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Visa Lottery. The instructions provide that registration will begin at 12:00pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on October 5, 2005 and will end at 12:00pm EST on December 4, 2005. Entries must be submitted electronically, as has been the procedure since the 2003 visa lottery.

The lottery program is available only for natives of limited countries with relatively lower rates of U.S. immigration. Registration does not guarantee permanent residence. It only offers the opportunity for selection of one of the 50,000 visas issued annually under this program.

The Instructions for Entry and Detailed Requirements and FAQs are available on the DOS WebSite. These should be read carefully. All applications must be made through the DOS. Potential applicants need to be careful about false websites and unscrupulous individuals who try to profit by defrauding people regarding applications for the visa lottery. There is no fee charged by the DOS for registration. Therefore, while it is permissible for attorneys to charge fees to guide their clients in any immigration matter, including the lottery program, no one should be requesting money as an application fee for this program. If an application is made through a fraudulent website, the real application has not been filed and the opportunity to obtain the green card could be lost for at least one year.

Eligible individuals considering this program may want to act quickly. There is the potential that the Diversity Lottery program could be ended sometime in the future in order to use the 50,000 visa numbers available in this category for other employment-based categories.