DV lottery applications accepted till Dec.2

Rafik JALALDEEN

Applications to the 2009 Diversity Immigration Visa programme or so called Green Card is free and the application form can be obtained on the internet web site www.dvlottery.state.gov, US Embassy Consul Christopher Green said.

Addressing the Media on Wednesday at the American Centre Green said it is important that people are aware of the rules, regulations and pertaining to US the Green Card lottery programme.

Qualified persons may obtain and apply for the DV lottery through the internet without any fee and people should not trust other agencies and so called organisations providing assistance to acquire the DV.

He pointed out that there are so many internet web sites operating systematically all around the world on business purposes by sending e-mails to the public to apply for the DV and they are providing assistance for a fee.

“These agencies are not trustworthy and it is difficult crack down on such internet services,” Green added. The congressionally mandated DV programme is administrated on an annual basis by the Department of State and conducted under the terms of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

“The annual DV programme makes diversity immigrant visas available to persons meeting simple but strict eligibility requirements. A computer generated random lottery drawing chooses DV winners.

The visas, however, are distributed among six geographical regions with a greater number of visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration and with no visas going to nationals of countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants to the US over the period of last five years,” Green said.

The Diversity Visa programme was launched in 1990 in the United States and visas have been provided since 1991 under the DV programme. Over 10 million DV applications are received annually. Entries for the DV-2009 lottery must be submitted electronically from October 3 to December 2, 2007. Applicants may access the electronic DV entry form at www.dvlottery.state.gov during the registration period.

“Paper entries will not be accepted and no entries will be accepted after the deadline,” Green said. He emphasized several criteria and qualifications are must to apply for the DV lottery.

“Sri Lankans can apply to the DV lottery. Educational/work experience are essential, the applicant must have either high school education or its equivalent, if not should possess two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training,” he said.

He said all entries by an individual will be disqualified if more than one entry for that individual is received regardless of who submitted the entry.

State department will announce the DV lottery winners and who may immigrate to the US between May and July 2008. “Around 318 Sri Lankans won the DV lottery last year,” he added.