US diversity visa lottery now open

50,000 from around the world will win Green Card:

The 2010 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery was formally opened in Washington, DC on October 2.

This programme allows randomly selected applicants to immigrate to the United States on an expedited basis, provided they meet all the criteria.

A person may only enter the lottery if he or she has (1) citizenship of a qualifying country (Sri Lanka and the Maldives both qualify); and (2) either a high school equivalent education (Six GCE O-Levels including compulsory subject) or work experience within the past five years in profession that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform.

Individuals wishing to participate in the visa lottery are strongly urged to apply early to avoid any possible delays. A total of 50,000 individuals will be selected for the lottery worldwide.

For information about the programme and qualifications, see the US Embassy Colombo website at: Sri Lanka usembassy gov.

The lottery registration period is October 2 to December 1,2008. Registration for the Diversity Visa Lottery is free. The lottery will be conducted entirely by electronic means over the internet. Paper entries will no longer be accepted. This State Department has established a website for the submission of entries, which can be accessed at:

www.dvlottery.state.gov. Successfully registered entries will result in the display of a confirmation screen containing the applicant's name, date of birth, country of chargeability (the country the applicant enters the lottery from), and a date and time stamp. This confirmation screen can be printed as proof of registration in the lottery. An applicant may only register once; more than one entry will result in automatic disqualification.

The Department of State Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky, will notify the lottery winners by mail (NOT e-mail) between May and July, 2009. If they qualify, they will then have a one-year window in which they may immigrate to the United States.

No fee is charged to enter the annual Diversity Visa programme.