Diversity Visa

Details

Published: Thursday, 24 January 2013 10:48

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), each year, the Diversity Lottery (DV) Program makes 55,000 immigrant visas available through a lottery to people who come from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Of such visas, 5,000 are allocated for use under NACARA (the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act) beginning with DV-99. The State Department (DOS) holds the lottery every year, and randomly selects approximately 110,000 applicants from all qualified entries. The reason that DOS selects so many applications is that many will not complete the visa process.

Each year, 50,000 immigrant visas are made available through a lottery to people who come from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. None of these visas are available for people who come from countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States in the past five years. Anyone who is selected under this lottery will be given the opportunity to apply for permanent residence. If permanent residence is granted, then the individual will be authorized to live and work permanently in the United States. The recipient is also allowed to bring his/her spouse and any unmarried children under the age of 21 to the United States.

Once 55,000 are issued or the fiscal year ends, the DV program is closed.