FY15 Diversity Visa Lottery Results Available
19 May 2014The results of the U.S. Department of State (DOS) diversity visa (DV) lottery for fiscal year 2015 (FY15) are now available. The DV lottery is a DOS program that runs on an annual basis. Eligibility for participation is limited to people from designated countries with historically lower rates of immigration to the United States. Lottery participation requires the foreign national to submit an application during a limited filing window. Randomly selected applicants become eligible to move forward to attempt to secure U.S. permanent residency. More information on this process is available in the MurthyDotCom NewsBrief, 2014 Diversity Lottery Program from Oct 2, 2012.
Online System Only Avenue to Determine Selection
The FY15 DV lottery results were made available online on May 1, 2014, and will remain available through September 30, 2015. Applicants must provide their application numbers and basic personal information to access their results. This online system is the only way to determine if one has been selected in the lottery. The DOS no longer notifies applicants by mail.
Only those who submit qualifying applications during the designated timeframe are eligible to be selected in the DV lottery. Foreign nationals must be wary of unauthorized communications from unscrupulous individuals claiming to be part of the DOS lottery program.
Winners Must Take Additional Steps After “Winning”
Selection in the DV lottery is only the first step toward obtaining permanent residence through this program. A winner of the DV lottery who resides abroad must follow the DOS instructions to pursue an application for an immigrant visa at the appropriate U.S. consulate. A DV lottery winner who is in the United States may be eligible to pursue an adjustment of status application (I-485 form) from within the U.S. in order to become a permanent resident.
The DV application process is extremely time sensitive, and there are more people selected in the lottery than there are visas allotted for the program. Once an individual has been selected, therefore, it is important to quickly and properly continue moving forward through the process, regardless of whether one is pursuing the consular processing option or adjustment of status.
New DS-260 Forms to be Used for Consular Processing
The DOS released a cable indicating that, beginning with the DV for FY15, applicants who apply through the consular processing option must submit the electronic immigrant visa and alien registration application (DS-260 form). This requirement does not apply to applicants who request adjustment of status. The DS-260 is accessible through the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC).
Conclusion
Winners of the DV lottery are a small, fortunate group of foreign nationals. Every year, the Murthy Law Firm receives inquiries and requests for assistance from some of these winners. Given the stakes involved, it is important to be careful throughout the process in order to have the best chance of success.
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