INTERNATIONAL
STUDENT SERVICES

The Diversity Visa Lottery Program is administered by the Department of State. Applicants from eligible countries petition the Department of State for the opportunity to apply for one of 50,000 immigrant visa made available annually. Only those selected at random and notified by the Department of State will then be eligible to apply for an immigrant visa.

Each year, approximately 6 million people worldwide register to participate in the program. Previously, all registrations were submitted by mail. Starting this year, all persons registering for an opportunity to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa under the diversity lottery will have to do so electronically through a designated Internet website. Paper entries or mail-in requests will no longer be accepted. The new electronic system is being implemented in order to improve efficiency in the diversity visa petition process and make the process less prone to fraud. However, some fraudulent websites claim that they will enter you in the lottery for a nominal fee so follow instructions from the state department.

For information regarding eligibility and instructions for applying, please go to the following website:

http://travel.state.gov/dv2005.html