US Green Card Lottery open for applications

The US Embassy in Colombo yesterday announced that the 2011 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program popularly known as the Green Card Lottery began accepting on-line applications from yesterday.

The Diversity Visa Lottery allows 50,000 randomly selected applicants an opportunity to legally live and work or study in the United States each year, so long as they are selected and are born in a qualifying country (Sri Lanka and the Maldives both qualify) and that they meet either an educational or work experience qualification. Visit www.dvlottery.state.gov. to register for the Diversity Visa Lottery.

For more information see the US Embassy Colombo's website at srilanka.usembassy.gov/visas/diversity-visa-lottery-program.html. Registration for the Diversity Visa Lottery is completely free.

The lottery registration period is open from October 2 to November 30. Individuals wishing to participate in the visa lottery are urged to apply early to avoid any possible delays. An applicant may only register once.

The Department of State Kentucky Consular Centre in Williamsburg, Kentucky, will notify the lottery winners by mail between May and July 2010.

Entrants can also check online at www.dvlottery.state.gov starting about July 2010 to see if they are winners.