If you are thinking of applying to register for DV-2018, you need to know the facts.
- The registration period for DV-2018 opens at noon, Eastern Daylight Time, Tuesday, October 4, 2016, and closes at noon, Eastern Standard Time, Monday, November 7, 2016. You can only register for the program during the registration period. Be aware of people who tell you otherwise! See travel.state.gov for information.
- You can only register by using the electronic DV entry form (E-DV) at the official E-DV website: https://www.dvlottery.state.gov during the registration period.
- There is no fee to enter.
- Only one entry per person during the registration period is allowed. Entrants who submit more than one entry will be disqualified.
- All entrants must enroll with a recent photo, taken within the last six months. Entries submitted with the same photo from the last DV year (DV-2017) will be disqualified. If you wear glasses, you must remove them for the photograph.
- You will receive an online confirmation page after completing your DV entry which will have a unique confirmation number. You must print and retain this page so that you can check your entry status. You should keep this at least until September 30, 2018. The unique confirmation number helps to protect DV entrants against fraud, malfeasance, and problems with the mail. Unscrupulous visa facilitators have been known to assist entrants with their entries, retain the confirmation page, and then demand more money in exchange for information on the entry. Entrants can avoid this by ensuring they receive the unique confirmation number at the time of entry.
- Entrants must provide an email address as part of their entry. Entrants should provide a personal email address they can access easily, rather than someone else’s address or a standard company address. Entrants should be aware that the Department of State will only send an email to applicants alerting them to check their status or to say that details of their immigrant visa appointment are available on Entrant Status Check. Any email communications will not provide selectee notification, will not direct recipients to pay fees, will not provide application instructions, and will not detail visa interview dates and times. This information is ONLY available by directly accessing Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website.
What happens if you are successful?
- The confirmation number is the only way to check whether an entry has been selected and to obtain visa application and appointment information, if selected.
- Beginning May 2, 2017, DV-2018 entrants will be able to use their unique confirmation number provided at registration to check the online Entrant Status Check at state.gov to see if their entry was selected. Entrant Status Check will inform successful entrants how to apply for DVs for themselves and their eligible family members.
- Successful entrants will not receive an email! Any email claiming to notify entrants they have been selected for the DV program is not legitimate. Entrants can only access information on their application through the online Entrant Status Check.
- Those selected in the DV program may apply for immigrant visas.
- Being randomly chosen as a selectee does not guarantee that you will receive a visa. Selection merely means that you are eligible to apply for a Diversity Visa, and if your rank number becomes eligible for final processing, potentially to be issued a DV.
- Selected DV applicants who wish to apply for visas must be prepared to act promptly. Individuals who miss or reschedule their visa application appointments or come without all required documents risk that a visa number will not be available.
DV applicants must pay all application fees and costs, including those for medical examinations, for themselves and qualifying family member
