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Diversity Visa 2021 Program - Applications Open

NOTE: This blog post is over one year old. Information may be out of date.

As a nonimmigrant visa holder, one of the biggest inconveniences for you is reapplying for a new visa every couple of years. If you are planning to remain in the United States for some time, an easy way to bypass the reapplication process is to apply for the US Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. The Program, better known as the Green Card Lottery, makes visas available to person meeting simple but strict eligibility requirements. A computer-generated random lottery drawing chooses selectees for diversity visas.

The DV process opens tomorrow at 12pm Eastern Daylight Time and is open for a short time period. For Fiscal Year 2021, 55000 Diversity Visas will be available. Natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply, because more than 55000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years:

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.

Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible.

You can submit your Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form online at dvlottery.state.gov. Instructions provided by the US Department of State can be found here.

Michael Smallbone