Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Overview
The Diversity Visa Program aims to increase diversity in the US immigrant population by selecting immigrants from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the US. Specifically, the Department of State distributes diversity visas among six geographic regions, and no one country may be issued more than seven percent of the available diversity visas (“DVs”) in any one year.

Each year, the DV Program makes up to 55,000 DVs available for individuals from underrepresented countries, which means countries from which less than 50,000 natives immigrated to the US in the previous five years. Applicants must meet simple, but strict, eligibility requirements to qualify. Namely, in addition to being born in a country with low rates of immigration to the US, applicants must have at least a high school education or its equivalent or have two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience. Registration is free and the Department of State makes selections through a randomized computer drawing. Selected candidates can apply for an immigrant visa. They may enter the US and get a permanent resident card, also known as a Green Card, to permanently live and work. This opportunity opens the door for individuals with nonimmigrant visas and those who are not eligible for nonimmigrant visas to pursue an easier path to US permanent residency.

Update
For the first time since the program’s inception, UK-born persons will be eligible to register for the US Diversity Visa Lottery. The UK has been included in the DV-2025 Program because the number of UK immigrants to the US dropped below 50,000 over the last five years.

For fiscal year 2025, up to 55,000 diversity visas will be available. To apply, applicants must submit their entry electronically at dvprogram.state.gov during the registration period. The registration period begins on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at 12:00 PM, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and concludes on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at 12:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST). Applicants may submit only one application per person; duplicate entries will disqualify the applicant.

Visit Instructions for the 2025 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2025) for the official application instructions, and contact your Laura Devine Immigration attorney or enquiries@lauradevine.com for further guidance.