Sign The Golden Guest Book

View The Golden Guest Book

United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE
2002 DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM (DV-2002)

Each year, the U.S. Diversity Visa program makes available permanent residence visas to persons meeting the eligibility requirements. Applicants for Diversity Visas are initially chosen through a random computer-generated lottery drawing. 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 countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available Diversity Visas in any one year.

For DV-2002, natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply, as they sent a total of more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the previous five years:

CANADA, CHINA (mainland-born and Macau), COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, EL SALVADOR, HAITI, INDIA, JAMAICA, MEXICO, PAKISTAN, PHILIPPINES, SOUTH KOREA, UNITED KINGDOM (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and VIETNAM. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan are eligible.

ENTRIES FOR THE DV-2002 DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY MUST BE RECEIVED AT THE KENTUCKY CONSULAR CENTER MAILING ADDRESS LISTED ON PAGE 3 BETWEEN NOON ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2000 AND NOON ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2000. Entries received before or after these dates will be disqualified regardless of when they are postmarked. Also, entries mailed to any address other than the Kentucky Consular Center address will be disqualified.

REQUIREMENTS

• Applicant must be a native of a qualifying country.
• Applicant must meet either the education or training requirement of the DV program.

If the applicant does not meet these requirements, he or she should NOT submit an entry to the DV program.

PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTING AN ENTRY FORM

Only ONE entry form may be submitted by or for each applicant. The applicant must personally sign the entry with his/her usual and customary signature, preferably in his/her native alphabet. The entry will be disqualified if the applicant:

• Submits more than one entry;
• Does not personally sign the entry with his or her usual and customary signature;
• Does not attach a recent photograph with his or her name printed on the back.

7. SIGNATURE. The applicant must personally sign the entry, using his/her usual and customary signature. Failure to personally sign the entry will disqualify the application.

MAILING THE ENTRY

The mailing address for all entries is the same, except for the ZIP (POSTAL) CODE. The address is:

DV-2002 Program
Kentucky Consular Center
Lexington, KY ZIP CODE (see below)
U.S.A.

Submit the entry by regular or airmail to the address matching the region of the applicant's country of nativity. Entries sent by express or priority mail, fax, hand, messenger, or any means requiring special handling will not be processed.

The envelope must be between 6 and 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) long and 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 inches (9 to 11 cm) wide. Postcards or envelopes inside express or oversized mail packets are NOT acceptable. In the upper left-hand corner of the envelope the applicant must write his/her country of nativity (see instruction 3 above), followed by the applicant's name and full return address. The applicant must provide both the country of nativity and the country of the address, even if both are the same. Failure to provide this information will disqualify the entry.

Use the correct ZIP (POSTAL) CODE for the applicant's region of nativity. The regions are divided as follows:

Africa includes all countries on the African continent and adjacent islands;

Asia extends from Israel to the northern Pacific islands, and includes Indonesia;

Europe extends from Greenland to Russia, and includes all countries of the former USSR;

North America includes the Bahamas;

Oceania includes Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and all countries and islands of the South Pacific;

South America/Central America/Caribbean extends from Central America (Guatemala) and the Caribbean nations to Chile.

The ZIP (POSTAL) CODES at the Kentucky Consular Center are:

Important Notice: There is NO initial fee, other than postage, required to enter the DV-2002 program. The use of an outside intermediary or assistance to prepare a DV-2002 entry is entirely at the applicant's discretion. Qualified entries received directly from applicants or through intermediaries have equal chances of being selected by computer. There is no advantage to mailing early, or mailing from any particular place. Every entry received during the mail-in period will have an equal random chance of being selected within its region. However, more than one entry per person will disqualify the person from registration.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DV-2002 REGISTRATION

1. WHAT DOES THE TERM "NATIVE" MEAN? ARE THERE ANY SITUATIONS IN WHICH PERSONS WHO WERE NOT BORN IN A QUALIFYING COUNTRY MAY APPLY?

"Native" ordinarily means someone born in a particular country, regardless of the individual's current country of residence or nationality.

"Native" also means someone entitled to be "charged" to a particular country under the provisions of Section 202(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Applicants for DV-2002 registration may claim chargeability to the country of birth of a spouse if the applicant will travel to the U.S. with that spouse or will follow-to-join a spouse who already has status in the U.S. 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. An applicant who claims alternate chargeability must include information to that effect on the application for registration (see number 3 of the application information items on page 2 of this Visa Bulletin), and must show the native country claimed on the upper left hand corner of the envelope in which the registration request is mailed.

2. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OR NEW REQUIREMENTS IN THE APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR THIS DIVERSITY VISA REGISTRATION?

The address for submitting DV applications has changed. Applicants must mail their entries to the Kentucky Consular Center address listed on page 2. Entries mailed to any other address will be disqualified. The information required on the entry and on the envelope in which it is sent is specified in detail earlier in this Visa Bulletin. Each entry must be personally signed by the applicant, using his or her usual and customary signature. A recent photograph of the applicant must be attached, with the applicant's name printed on the back. Please also note changes to the list of eligible DV countries at the end of this bulletin.

3. ARE SIGNATURES AND PHOTOGRAPHS REQUIRED FOR EACH FAMILY MEMBER, OR ONLY FOR THE PRINCIPAL APPLICANT?

The signature and photograph of the principal applicant only are required. No signature or photograph is needed for the spouse or children of the applicant.

4. WHY DO CERTAIN COUNTRIES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE DIVERSITY PROGRAM?

Diversity visas are intended to provide an immigration opportunity for persons from countries other than the countries which send large numbers of immigrants to the U.S. The law states that no diversity visas shall be provided for "high admission" countries. Those are countries from which during the previous five years there were more than 50,000 immigrants in the Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based visa categories. Each year, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) adds the family and employment immigrant admission figures for the previous five years, to identify the countries that must be excluded from the annual diversity lottery. Because there is a separate determination made before each lottery application period, the list of countries that do not qualify may change from one year to the next.

5. WHAT IS THE NUMERICAL LIMIT FOR DV-2002?

By law, the U.S. diversity immigration program makes available a maximum of 55,000 permanent residence visas each year to eligible persons. However, the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NCARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulates that beginning as early as DV-99, and for as long as necessary, 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NCARA program. The actual reduction of the limit to 50,000 began with DV-2000 and remains in effect for the DV-2002 program.

6. WHAT ARE THE REGIONAL DIVERSITY (DV) VISA LIMITS FOR DV-2002?

The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) determines the DV regional limits for each year according to a formula specified in Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Once the INS has completed the calculations, the DV-2002 regional visa limits will be announced.

7. WHEN ARE ENTRIES FOR THE DV PROGRAM ACCEPTED EACH YEAR?

The month-long application period will be held each fall beginning at noon on the first Monday in October. Each year millions of applicants apply for the program during the mail-in registration period. The massive volume of entries creates an enormous amount of work in selecting and processing successful applicants. Holding the application period in the fall will ensure successful applicants are notified in a more timely manner, and give both them and our embassies and consulates overseas more time to prepare and complete the entries for visa issuance.

8. MAY PERSONS WHO ARE IN THE U.S. APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM?

Yes, an applicant may be in the U.S. or in another country, and the entry may be mailed from the U.S. or from abroad.

9. IS EACH APPLICANT LIMITED TO ONLY ONE ENTRY DURING THIS DV-2002 REGISTRATION PERIOD?

Yes, the law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period; applicants who submit more than one entry will be disqualified. Applicants may be disqualified at time of selection as a winner or at the time of the visa interview if more than one entry is detected. Applicants may apply for the program each year, however, during the regular one-month registration period.

10. MAY A HUSBAND AND A WIFE EACH SUBMIT A SEPARATE ENTRY?

Yes, if otherwise qualified, a husband and a wife may each submit one entry. If either is selected, the other would be entitled to derivative status. Note: Husbands and wives may not sign for each other. Each one must sign his or her own entry.

11. WHAT FAMILY MEMBERS MUST I BE SURE TO INCLUDE ON MY ENTRY?

On your entry you must list your spouse, that is husband or wife, and all children who are unmarried and under age 21. You must list your spouse even if you are currently separated from him/her. However,if you are formally divorced, you do not need to list your former spouse. For customary marriages, the important date is the date of the original marriage ceremony, not the date on which the marriage is registered. You must list ALL your unmarried children under age 21, whether they are your natural children, your spouse's children by a previous marriage, or children you have formally adopted in accordance with the laws of your country. Even children in the above categories not currently living with you must be listed on the entry.

The fact that you have listed family members on your entry does not mean that they later must travel with you. They may choose to remain behind. However, if you include an eligible dependent on your visa application forms whom you failed to include on your original entry, your case will be disqualified. (This only applies to persons who were dependents at the time the original application was submitted, not those acquired at a later date.) Listing ineligible persons (a brother or sister, a child over 21, a child living with you but not formally adopted, etc.) on your entry will not disqualify the entry, but it will not make such persons eligible for a visa. Your spouse may still submit a separate entry, even though he or she is listed on your entry, as long as both entries include details on all dependents in your family. See question 9 above.

12. MUST EACH APPLICANT SUBMIT HIS/HER OWN ENTRY, OR MAY SOMEONE ACT ON BEHALF OF AN APPLICANT?

Applicants may prepare and submit their own entries, or have someone submit the entry for them. Regardless of whether an entry is submitted by the applicant directly, or assistance is provided by an attorney, friend, relative, etc., only one entry may be submitted in the name of each person. The applicant's original signature is required on the entry, regardless whether it is prepared and submitted by the applicant or by someone else. If the applicant does not personally sign the entry with his or her usual and customary signature, the entry will be disqualified. If the entry is selected, only one notification letter will be sent, to the address provided on the entry.

13. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR EDUCATION OR WORK EXPERIENCE?

The law and regulations require that every applicant must have at least a high school education or its equivalent or , within the past five years, have two years of work experience in an occupation requiring at least two years training or experience. A "high school education or equivalent" is defined as successful completion of a twelve-year course of elementary and secondary education in the United States or successful completion in another country of a formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to a high school education in the United States. Determination of qualifying work experience shall be based upon the most recent edition of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles published by the Employment and Training Administration of the United States Department of Labor.

Documentary proof of education or work experience should not be submitted with the lottery entry, but must be presented to the consular officer at the time of immigrant visa interview.

14. HOW WILL WINNERS BE SELECTED?

At the Kentucky Consular Center all mail received will be separated into one of six geographic regions and individually numbered. After the end of the application period, a computer will randomly select entries from among all the mail received for each geographic region. Within each region, the first letter randomly selected will be the first case registered, the second letter selected the second registration, etc. It makes no difference whether an entry is received early or late in the application period; all entries received during the mail-in period will have an equal chance of being selected within each region. When an entry has been selected, the applicant will be sent a notification letter by the Kentucky Consular Center, which will provide visa application instructions. The Kentucky Consular Center will continue to process the case until those who are selected are instructed to appear for their visa interviews at a U.S. consular office or until those able to do so apply at an INS office in the United States for change of status.

15. MAY WINNING APPLICANTS ADJUST THEIR STATUS WITH THE INS?

Yes, provided they are otherwise eligible to adjust status under the terms of Section 245 of the INA, selected applicants who are physically present in the United States may apply to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) for adjustment of status to permanent resident. Applicants must ensure that INS can COMPLETE ACTION on their cases before September 30, 2002, since on that date registrations for the Fiscal Year 2002 DV-2002 program expire.

16. WILL APPLICANTS WHO ARE NOT SELECTED BE INFORMED?

No, applicants who are not selected will receive no response to their entry. Only those who are selected will be informed. All notification letters are expected to be sent within about nine months of the end of the application period to the address indicated on the entry. Anyone who does NOT receive a letter will know that his/her application has not been selected.

17. HOW MANY APPLICANTS WILL BE SELECTED?

There are 50,000 DV visas available for Fiscal Year 2002 but more than that number of individuals will be selected. Because it is likely that some of the first 50,000 persons who are selected will not pursue their cases to visa issuance, selecting a larger number of entries should ensure use of all DV-2002 numbers, but it also risks some selected persons being left out. All applicants who are selected will be informed promptly of their place on the list. Each month visas will be issued, visa number availability permitting, to those applicants who are ready for issuance during that month. Once all of the Fiscal Year 2002 visas have been issued, the program for the year will end. In principle, visa numbers could be finished before September 2002. Selected applicants who wish to receive visas must be prepared to act promptly on their cases. Being chosen randomly in the entry selection process does not automatically guarantee you will receive a visa.

18. IS THERE A MINIMUM AGE FOR APPLICANTS TOAPPLY FOR THE DV-2002 PROGRAM?

There is no minimum age to apply for the program, but the requirement of a high school education or work experience for each principal applicant at the time of application will effectively disqualify most persons who are under age 18.

19. WILL THERE BE ANY SPECIAL FEE FOR DV-2002 CASE PROCESSING?

There is no fee for submitting an entry, and no fee should be included with the entry sent to the mailing addresses indicated above. A special DV case processing fee will be payable later by persons whose entries are actually selected and processed for DV-2002 visas. DV-2002 applicants, like other immigrant visa applicants, must also pay the regular visa fees at the time of visa issuance. Details of required fees will be included with the instructions sent by the Kentucky Consular Center to applicants who are selected.

20. ARE DV-2002 APPLICANTS SPECIALLY ENTITLED TO APPLY FOR A WAIVER OF ANY OF THE GROUNDS OF VISA INELIGIBILITY?

No. Applicants are subject to all grounds of ineligibility for immigrant visas specified in the Immigration and Nationality Act. There are no special provisions for the waiver of any ground of visa ineligibility other than those ordinarily provided in the Act.

21. MAY PERSONS WHO ARE ALREADY REGISTERED FOR AN IMMIGRANT VISA IN ANOTHER CATEGORY APPLY FOR THE DV-2002 PROGRAM?

Yes, such persons may apply for the DV-2002 program through this registration as well.

22. HOW LONG DO APPLICANTS WHO ARE SELECTED REMAIN ENTITLED TO APPLY FOR VISAS IN THE DV-2002 CATEGORY?

Persons selected in the DV-2002 lottery are entitled to apply for visa issuance only during fiscal year 2002, i.e., from October 2001 through September 2002. Applicants must obtain the DV visa or adjust status by the end of the Fiscal Year (September 30, 2002). There is no carry-over of DV benefit into another year for persons who are selected but who do not obtain visas during FY-2002. Also, spouses and children who derive status from a DV-2002 registration can only obtain visas in the DV category between October 2001 and September 2002.

LISTS OF QUALIFYING COUNTRIES BY REGION

The lists below show the countries QUALIFIED within each geographic region for this diversity program. The determination of countries within each region is based on information provided by the Geographer of the Department of State. The countries that do not qualify for the DV-2002 program were identified by the Immigration and Naturalization Service according to the formula in Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Dependent areas overseas are included within the region of the governing country. The countries that do NOT qualify for this diversity program (because they are the principal source countries of Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based immigration, or "high admission" countries) are noted in parentheses after the respective regional lists.

AFRICA

CA/VO: July 31, 2000

FOR A SAMPLE ENTRY FORM, CLICK HERE