The Department of State has announced that the online registration period for the 2013 Diversity Visa Program (DV-2013) will begin on Tuesday, October 4, 2011, at noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and conclude on Saturday, November 5, 2011, at noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4).
The DV-2013 Lottery Instructions is available in English in PDF format for your convenience and required use. The English language version of the DV-2013 Lottery Instructions is the only official version. Unofficial translations in additional languages are also available.
Natives of the following countries are ineligible as they have sent over 50,000 immigrants to the United States in the past 5 years.
Ineligible Countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, India, Pakistan, Peru,, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. Individuals born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program makes available up to 55,000 diversity visas (DVs) annually. The winners are randomly selected from all entrants who meet strict eligibility requirements including 1) a high school education or its equivalent; or 2) two years of experience in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience. Winners are selected from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Additional information is available by visiting Diversity Visa Lottery Instructions webpage.
To learn more about qualifying occupations, see the Diversity Visa Instructions Frequently Asked Questions and the List of Occupations webpage.