US Green Card Lottery now open

The US. Embassy in Colombo announced yesterday that the 2012 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program, popularly known as the Green Card Lottery, will be accepting on-line applications starting on October 5,2010.

The Diversity Visa Lottery allows 50,000 randomly selected applicants from around the world 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.

In order to register for the Diversity Visa Lottery, please visit www.dvlottery.state.gov. For more information about the program, as well as detailed instructions in English, Sinhala and Tamil, please 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 will be open from October 5 to November 3,2010. Individuals wishing to participate in the visa lottery are strongly urged to apply early to avoid any possible delays.

An applicant may only register Once; more than one entry will result in automatic disqualification. Beginning May 01,2011, applicants may go online to www.dvlottery.state.gov to check the status of their application with their confirmation numbers. Winners will not be notified by either postal mail, e-mail, or telephone calls.

The results of the applicants entry and the instructions on how to obtain an appointment will only be available through the website www.delottery.state.gov. If they qualify, they will then have a one-year window in which they may immigrate to the United States.

'The US Government does not employ anyone outside of the US Government to operate the visa lottery program.

Any companies or intermediaries who offer assistance to prepare Diversity Visa applications do so without the authority or consent of the US Government warned a press release issued by the US Embassy.

Beware of persons or companies making claims of affiliation with the US Government or promising improved adds of selection. Use of any outside intermediary or assistance to prepare a DV entry is entirely at the applicant's discretion.

Every entry received during the lottery registration period will have an equally random chance of being selected within its region. However, receipt of more than one entry per person will disqualify the person from registration, regardless of the source of the entry.