Riyadh Embassy Official Discusses Diversity Visa Program

USINFO Webchat transcript, November 7

Kerry Brougham, a consular official at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, answered questions in a November 7 USINFO Webchat on the diversity visa process.
To read the full-text transcript, please click here ...  

 

VISAS TO U.S.  

THE 2009 DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM (DV-2009)

 

 

 

The Embassy of the United States of America in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. Department of State are pleased to announce the annual Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2009).  The Diversity Visa program makes up to 55,000 permanent resident visas available to persons meeting the simple, but strict, eligibility requirements.  Applicants for Diversity Visas are chosen by a computer-generated random lottery drawing. 

 

Entries for the DV-2009 Diversity Visa lottery must be submitted electronically between noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT -4), Wednesday, October 3, 2007 and noon Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT -5) Sunday, December 2, 2007.  Applicants may access the electronic Diversity Visa entry form at www.dvlottery.state.gov  during the registration period. Paper entries WILL NOT be accepted. Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last week of the registration period to enter. Heavy demands may result in website delays. No entries will be accepted after noon EST on December 2, 2007.

 

Applicants will be disqualified if more than one entry for the applicant is received, regardless of who submitted the entry.

 

Applicants must meet the specific education or training requirements of a qualifying high school diploma; OR two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform.  The U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net Online database will be used to determine qualifying work experience. 

 

For DV-2009, natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply:

 

Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Peru, Poland, Russia, 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.

 

 

Applicants will be selected at random from among all qualified entries.  They will be notified by mail between May and July 2008 and will be provided instructions; including information on fees connected with immigration to the U.S.  Those selected in the random drawing are NOT notified by email. Those individuals not selected will not receive any notification.

 

 

For complete information on the DV-2009 instructions please visit the U.S Department of State website at:

 

 

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1318.html

 

 

 

Please Note: There have been instances of fraudulent websites posing as official U.S. Government sites. Some companies posing as the U.S. Government have sought money in order to "complete" lottery entry forms. There is no charge to download and complete the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form. The Department of State notifies successful Diversity Visa applicants by letter, and NOT by email.  To learn more see the Department of State Warning.