Bureau of Consular Affairs; Registration for the Diversity Immigrant (DV-2012) Visa Program, 60846-60854 [2010-24688]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60846-60854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24688]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 7184]


Bureau of Consular Affairs; Registration for the Diversity 
Immigrant (DV-2012) Visa Program

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This public notice provides information on how to apply for 
the DV-2012 Program. This notice is issued pursuant to 22 CFR 
42.33(b)(3) which implements sections 201(a)(3), 201(e), 203(c) and 
204(a)(1)(I) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, (8 
U.S.C. 1151, 1153, and 1154(a)(1)(I)).

Instructions for the 2012 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2012)

    The congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is 
administered on an annual basis by the Department of State and 
conducted under the terms of Section 203(c) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (INA). Section 131 of the Immigration Act of 1990 (Pub. 
L. 101-649) amended INA 203 and provides for a class of immigrants 
known as ``diversity immigrants.'' Section 203(c) of the INA provides a 
maximum of 55,000 Diversity Visas (DV) each fiscal year to be made 
available to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to 
the United States.
    The annual DV program makes permanent residence visas available to 
persons meeting the simple, but strict, eligibility requirements. A 
computer-generated random lottery drawing chooses selectees for 
Diversity Visas. The visas are distributed among six geographic 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 United States over the period of the 
past five years. Within each region, no single country may receive more 
than seven percent of the available Diversity Visas in any one year.
    For DV-2012, natives of the following countries are not eligible to 
apply because the countries sent a total of

[[Page 60847]]

more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States in the previous five 
years:

    BRAZIL, CANADA, CHINA (mainland-born), COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN 
REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HAITI, INDIA, JAMAICA, 
MEXICO, PAKISTAN, PERU, the PHILIPPINES, POLAND, SOUTH KOREA, UNITED 
KINGDOM (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and 
VIETNAM.

    Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible. 
For DV-2012, no countries have been added or removed from the previous 
year's list of eligible countries.
    The Department of State implemented the electronic registration 
system beginning with DV-2005 in order to make the Diversity Visa 
process more efficient and secure. The Department utilizes special 
technology and other means to identify those who commit fraud for the 
purposes of illegal immigration or who submit multiple entries.

Diversity Visa Registration Period

    Entries for the DV-2012 Diversity Visa Lottery must be submitted 
electronically between noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), 
Tuesday, October 5, 2010, and noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5) 
Wednesday, November 3, 2010. Applicants may access the electronic 
Diversity Visa Entry Form (E-DV) at https://www.dvlottery.state.gov 
during the registration period. Paper entries will not be accepted. 
Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last week of 
the registration period to enter. Heavy demand may result in Web site 
delays. No entries will be accepted after noon, EST, on November 3, 
2010.

Requirements for Entry

    To enter the DV lottery, you must be a native of one of the listed 
countries. See ``List of Countries by Region Whose Natives Qualify.'' 
In most cases this means the country in which you were born. However, 
there are two other ways you may be able to qualify. First, if you were 
born in a country whose natives are ineligible but your spouse was born 
in a country whose natives are eligible; you can claim your spouse's 
country of birth, provided both you and your spouse are on the selected 
entry, are issued visas, and enter the United States simultaneously. 
Second, if you were born in a country whose natives are ineligible, but 
neither of your parents was born there or resided there at the time of 
your birth, you may claim nativity in one of your parents' country of 
birth, if it is a country whose natives qualify for the DV-2012 
program.
    To enter the lottery, you must meet either the education or work 
experience requirement of the DV program. You must have either a high 
school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of 
a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education; OR, two years 
of work experience within the past five years in an occupation 
requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform. The 
U.S. Department of Labor's O*Net OnLine database will be used to 
determine qualifying work experience. For more information about 
qualifying work experience, see Frequently Asked Question 13. 
If you cannot meet either of these requirements, you should NOT submit 
an entry to the DV program.

Procedures for Submitting an Entry to DV-2012

    The Department of State will only accept completed Electronic 
Diversity Visa (E-DV) Entry Forms submitted electronically at https://www.dvlottery.state.gov during the registration period between noon, 
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), Tuesday, October 5, 2010 and noon, 
Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5) Wednesday, November 3, 2010.
    All entries by an individual will be disqualified if more than ONE 
entry for that individual is received, regardless of who submitted the 
entry. You may prepare and submit your own entry, or have someone 
submit the entry for you.
    A successfully registered entry will result in the display of a 
confirmation screen containing your name and a unique confirmation 
number. You may print this confirmation screen for your records using 
the print function of your Web browser. You will be able to check the 
status of your DV-2012 entry by returning to the Web site and entering 
your unique confirmation number and personal information.
    Paper entries will not be accepted.
    It is very important that all required photographs be submitted. 
Your entry will be disqualified if all required photographs are not 
submitted. Recent photographs of the following people must be submitted 
electronically with the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form: You; your 
spouse; each unmarried child under 21 years of age at the time of your 
electronic entry, including all natural children as well as all 
legally-adopted children and stepchildren, even if a child no longer 
resides with you or you do not intend for a child to immigrate under 
the DV program. You do not need to submit a photo for a child who is 
already a U.S. citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident.
    Group or family photographs will not be accepted; there must be a 
separate photograph for each family member. Failure to submit the 
required photographs for your spouse and each child listed will result 
in an incomplete entry to the E-DV system. The entry will not be 
accepted and must be resubmitted. Failure to enter the correct 
photograph of each individual in the case into the E-DV system will 
result in disqualification of the principal applicant and refusal of 
all visas in the case at the time of the visa interview.
    A digital photograph (image) of you, your spouse, and each child 
must be submitted on-line with the E-DV Entry Form. The image file can 
be produced either by taking a new digital photograph or by scanning a 
photographic print with a digital scanner.
    Entries are subject to disqualification and visa refusal for cases 
in which the photographs are not recent or have been manipulated or 
fail to meet the specifications explained below.

Instructions for Submitting a Digital Photograph (Image)

    The image file must adhere to the following compositional 
specifications and technical specifications and can be produced in one 
of the following ways: taking a new digital image or using a digital 
scanner to scan a submitted photograph. Entrants may test their photos 
for suitability through the photo validator link on the e-DV Web site 
before submitting their entries. The photo validator provides 
additional technical advice on photo composition along with examples of 
acceptable and unacceptable photos.

Compositional Specifications

    The submitted digital image must conform to the following 
compositional specifications or the entry will be disqualified: The 
person being photographed must directly face the camera; the head of 
the person should not be tilted up, down, or to the side; the head 
height or facial region size (measured from the top of the head, 
including the hair, to the bottom of the chin) must be between 50% and 
69% of the image's total height. The eye height (measured from the 
bottom of the image to the level of the eyes) should be between 56% and 
69% of the image's height; the photograph should be taken with the 
person in front of a neutral, light-colored background; dark or 
patterned backgrounds are not acceptable; the photograph must be in 
focus; photos in which the person being photographed is wearing 
sunglasses or other items that detract from the face

[[Page 60848]]

will not be accepted; photographs of applicants wearing head coverings 
or hats are only acceptable if the headcovering is worn for religious 
beliefs, and even then, the head covering may not obscure any portion 
of the face of the applicant. Photographs of applicants with Tribal or 
other headgear not specifically religious in nature will not be 
accepted; photographs of military, airline, or other personnel wearing 
hats will not be accepted.
    Color photographs in 24-bit color depth are required. Photographs 
may be downloaded from a camera to a file in the computer, or they may 
be scanned to a file in the computer. If you are using a scanner, the 
settings must be for True Color or 24-bit color mode. Color photographs 
must be scanned at this setting for the requirements of the DV program. 
See the additional scanning requirements below.

Technical Specifications

    The submitted digital photograph must conform to the following 
specifications or the system will automatically reject the E-DV Entry 
Form and notify the sender.
    When taking a new digital image: the image file format must be in 
the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format; it must have a 
maximum image file size of two hundred forty kilobytes (240 KB); the 
minimum acceptable image resolution and dimensions are 600 pixels 
(width) x 600 pixels (height). Image pixel dimensions must be in a 
square aspect ratio (meaning the height must be equal to the width). 
The image color depth must be 24-bit color. [Note: Color photographs 
are required. Black and white, monochrome images (2-bit color depth), 
8-bit color or 8-bit grayscale will not be accepted.]
    Before a photographic print is scanned it must meet the 
compositional specifications listed above. If the photographic print 
meets the print color and compositional specifications, scan the print 
using the following scanner specifications: Scanner resolution must be 
at least 300 dots per inch (dpi); the image file format in Joint 
Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format; the maximum image file size 
must be two hundred forty kilobytes (240 KB); the image resolution 600 
by 600 pixels; the image color depth 24-bit color. [Note that black and 
white, monochrome, or grayscale images will not be accepted.]

Information required for the Electronic Entry

    There is only one way to enter the DV-2012 lottery. You must submit 
the DS 5501, the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form (E-DV Entry 
Form), which is accessible only online at https://www.dvlottery.state.gov. Failure to complete the form in its entirety 
will disqualify the entry. Note: To ensure that the form is completed 
accurately, the Department of State strongly encourages applicants to 
complete the application without the assistance of ``Visa 
Consultants,'' ``Visa Agents,'' or other individuals who offer to 
submit an application on behalf of applicants.
    Those who submit the E-DV entry will be asked to include the 
following information on the E-DV Entry Form.
    1. Full Name--Last/Family Name, First Name, Middle name.
    2. Date of Birth--Day, Month, Year.
    3. Gender--Male or Female.
    4. City Where You Were Born.
    5. Country Where You Were Born--The name of the country should be 
that which is currently in use for the place where you were born.
    6. Country of Eligibility or Chargeability for the DV Program--Your 
country of eligibility will normally be the same as your country of 
birth. Your country of eligibility is not related to where you live. If 
you were born in a country that is not eligible for the DV program, 
please review the instructions to see if there is another option for 
country of chargeability available for you. For additional information 
on chargeability, please review ``Frequently Asked Question 
1'' of these instructions.
    7. Entry Photograph(s)--See the technical information on photograph 
specifications. Make sure you include photographs of your spouse and 
all your children, if applicable. See: Frequently Asked Question 
3.
    8. Mailing Address--In Care Of, Address Line 1, Address Line 2, 
City/Town, District/Country/Province/State, Postal Code/Zip Code, and 
Country.
    9. Country Where You Live Today
    10. Phone Number (Optional)
    11. E-Mail Address--provide an e-mail address to which you have 
direct access rather than using someone else's address or a standard 
company address. Notifications to those selected in the random lottery 
are NOT sent by e-mail. Official notifications of selection will be 
made through Entry Status Check, available from May 1, 2011 on the E-DV 
Web site https://www.dvlottery.state.gov. Should you receive an e-mail 
notification or a mailed letter about your E-DV selection, be aware 
that the notification is not legitimate. It is only after you are 
selected, and respond to the notification instructions made available 
to you via Entry Status Check, and processing begins on your case, that 
you may receive follow-up e-mail communication from the KCC informing 
you to review Entry Status Check for new information about your 
application.
    12. What is the Highest Level of Education You Have Achieved, as of 
Today? You must indicate which one of the following represents your own 
highest level of educational achievement: (1) Primary school only, (2) 
High school, no degree, (3) High school degree, (4) Vocational school, 
(5) Some university courses, (6) University degree, (7) Some graduate 
level courses, (8) Master degree, (9) Some doctorate level courses, and 
(10) Doctorate degree.
    13. Marital Status--Unmarried, Married, Divorced, Widowed, Legally 
Separated.
    14. Number of Children: Entries must include the name, date and 
place of birth of your spouse and all natural children, as well as all 
legally-adopted children and stepchildren who are unmarried and under 
the age of 21 on the date of your electronic entry (do not include 
children who are already U.S. citizens or Legal Permanent Residents), 
even if you are no longer legally married to the child's parent, and 
even if the spouse or child does not currently reside with you and/or 
will not immigrate with you. Note that married children and children 21 
years or older are not eligible for the Diversity Visa; however, U.S. 
law protects children from ``aging out'' in certain circumstances. If 
your electronic DV entry is made before your unmarried child turns 21, 
and the child turns 21 before visa issuance, he/she may be protected 
from aging out by the Child Status Protection Act and be treated as 
though he/she were under 21 for visa-processing purposes. Failure to 
list all children who are eligible will result in disqualification of 
the principal applicant and refusal of all visas in the case at the 
time of the visa interview. See: Frequently Asked Question 11.
    15. Spouse Information--Name, Date of Birth, Gender, City/Town of 
Birth, Country of Birth, and Photograph. Failure to list your spouse 
will result in disqualification of the principal applicant and refusal 
of all visas in the case at the time of the visa interview.
    16. Children Information--Name, Date of Birth, Gender, City/Town of 
Birth, Country of Birth, and Photograph: Include all children declared 
in question 14 above.

Selection of Applicants

    The computer will randomly select individuals from among all 
qualified entries. Starting May 1, 2011, entrants may enter their DV-
2012 entry confirmation number into the Entry Status Check available at 
https://www.dvlottery.state.gov to find out

[[Page 60849]]

whether their entry was selected or not. The notification information 
provided on the site will give further instructions for selectees, 
including information on fees connected with immigration to the United 
States. Those selected in the random drawing are NOT notified by e-
mail. Applicants MUST go to https://www.dvlottery.state.gov to confirm 
their selection status and to receive further instructions. U.S. 
embassies and consulates will not be able to provide a list of 
successful entrants. Successful entrants' spouses and unmarried 
children under age 21 may also apply for visas to accompany or follow-
to-join the principal applicant. DV-2012 visas will be issued between 
October 1, 2011 and September 30, 2012. Selectees who provide 
information requested in the notification instructions will be informed 
of their visa interview appointment through the E-DV Web site's Entry 
Status Check four to six weeks before the scheduled interviews with 
U.S. consular officers at overseas posts. Each month, visas will be 
issued to those applicants who are ready for issuance during that 
month, visa-number availability permitting. Once all of the 50,000 DV 
visas have been issued, the program will end. In principle, visa 
numbers could be finished before September 2012. Selected applicants 
who wish to receive visas must be prepared to act promptly on their 
cases.
    Processing of entries and issuance of diversity visas to successful 
individuals and their eligible family members MUST occur by midnight on 
September 30, 2012. Under no circumstances can Diversity Visas be 
issued or adjustments approved after this date, nor can family members 
obtain Diversity Visas to follow-to-join the principal applicant in the 
United States after this date.
    In order to receive a Diversity Visa to immigrate to the United 
States, those chosen in the random drawing must meet ALL eligibility 
requirements under U.S. law. These requirements may significantly 
increase the level of scrutiny required and time necessary for 
processing for natives of some countries listed in this notice, 
including, but not limited to, countries identified as State sponsors 
of terrorism.

Important Notice

    No fee is charged for the electronic lottery entry in the annual DV 
program. The U.S. Government employs no outside consultants or private 
services to operate the DV program. Any intermediaries or others who 
offer assistance to prepare DV entries do so without the authority or 
consent of the U.S. Government. Use of any outside intermediary or 
assistance to prepare a DV entry is entirely at the entrant's 
discretion.
    A qualified electronic entry submitted directly by an applicant has 
an equal chance of being randomly selected by the computer at the 
Kentucky Consular Center, as does a qualified electronic entry received 
from an outside intermediary on behalf of the applicant. However, 
receipt of more than one entry per person will disqualify the person 
from registration, regardless of the source of the entry.

Frequently Asked Questions About E-DV Registration

1. What do the terms ``eligibility'', ``native'' and ``chargeability'' 
mean? Are there any situations in which persons who were not born in a 
qualifying country may apply?

    Your country of eligibility will normally be the same as your 
country of birth. Your country of eligibility is not related to where 
you live. ``Native'' ordinarily means someone born in a particular 
country, regardless of the individual's current country of residence or 
nationality. For immigration purposes ``native'' can also mean someone 
who is entitled to be ``charged'' to a country other than the one in 
which he/she was born under the provisions of Section 202(b) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act. For example, if you were born in a 
country that is not eligible for this year's DV program, you may claim 
chargeability to the country where your derivative spouse was born, but 
you will not be issued a DV-1 unless your spouse is also eligible for 
and issued a DV-2, and both of you must enter the United States 
together with the diversity visas. In a similar manner, a minor 
dependent child can be ``charged'' to a parent's country of birth.
    Finally, if you were born in a country not eligible to participate 
in this year's DV program, you can be ``charged'' to the country of 
birth of either of your parents as long as neither parent was a 
resident of the ineligible country at the time of the your birth. In 
general, people are not considered residents of a country in which they 
were not born or legally naturalized if they are only visiting the 
country, studying in the country temporarily, or stationed temporarily 
in the country for business or professional reasons on behalf of a 
company or government from a country other than the country in which 
the applicant was born. If you claim alternate chargeability, you must 
indicate such information on the E-DV electronic online entry form, in 
question 6. Please be aware that listing an incorrect country 
of eligibility or chargeability (i.e., one to which you cannot 
establish a valid claim) may disqualify your entry.

2. Are there any changes or new requirements in the application 
procedures for this Diversity Visa registration?

    Yes. The registration period for DV-2012 will be 30 days in 
duration. Photographs must now be scanned at a resolution of at least 
300 dots per inch (dpi), rather than the previous 150 dots per inch 
(dpi). All other requirements for scanning a submitted photograph are 
the same.
    Additionally, the Entry Status Check available on the E-DV Web site 
https://www.dvlottery.state.gov will be the sole means by which you will 
be notified of your selection, or that you were not selected. The KCC 
will not mail you official notification letters, but will instead 
include notification instructions on how to follow up on your selection 
and pursue a DV visa application on your confirmation page. Entry 
Status Check will also be the means by which you are informed of your 
DV visa interview appointment date. The KCC will not send anyone mailed 
letters informing them of their interview appointment.
    Entry Status Check will be available for DV-2012 beginning May 1, 
2011. If you applied for the previous year's DV-2011 program, you may 
check the status of your entry until the end of June 2011. All other 
requirements for DV-2012 remain the same.

3. Are signatures and photographs required for each family member, or 
only for the principal entrant?

    Signatures are not required on the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry 
Form. Recent and individual photographs of you, your spouse and all 
children under 21 years of age are required. Family or group 
photographs are not accepted. Refer to information on the photograph 
requirements located in this notice.

4. Why do natives of certain countries not qualify for the Diversity 
program?

    Diversity Visas are intended to provide an immigration opportunity 
for persons from countries other than the countries that send large 
numbers of immigrants to the United States. The law states that no 
Diversity Visas shall be provided for natives of ``high admission'' 
countries. The law defines this to mean countries from which a total of 
50,000 persons in the Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based visa 
categories immigrated to the United States during the period of the 
previous

[[Page 60850]]

five years. Each year, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 
(USCIS) adds the family and employment immigrant admission figures for 
the previous five years in order to identify the countries whose 
natives will be ineligible for the annual diversity lottery. Because 
there is a separate determination made before each annual E-DV entry 
period, the list of countries whose natives are not eligible may change 
from one year to the next.

5. What is the numerical limit for DV-2012?

    By law, the U.S. diversity immigration program makes available a 
maximum of 55,000 permanent residence visas each year to eligible 
persons. However, the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief 
Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulates that 
beginning as early as DV-1999, and for as long as necessary, up to 
5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas will be made 
available for use under the NACARA program. The actual reduction of the 
limit by up to 5,000 diversity visas began with DV-2000 and is likely 
to remain in effect through the DV-2012 program.

6. What are the regional Diversity Visa (DV) limits for DV-2012?

    The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) determines 
the DV regional limits for each year according to a formula specified 
in Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Once 
the USCIS has completed the calculations, the regional visa limits will 
be announced.

7. When will entries for the DV-2012 program be accepted?

    The DV-2012 entry period will run through the registration period 
listed above. Each year millions of people apply for the program during 
the registration period. The massive volume of entries creates an 
enormous amount of work in selecting and processing successful 
individuals. Holding the entry period from October 5, 2010, until 
November 3, 2010 will ensure that selectees are notified in a timely 
manner, and gives both the visa applicants and our embassies and 
consulates time to prepare and complete cases for visa issuance. You 
are strongly encouraged to enter early in the registration period. 
Excessive demand at end of the registration period may slow the system 
down. No entries whatsoever will be accepted after noon EST Wednesday, 
November 3, 2010.

8. May persons who are in the United States apply for the program?

    Yes, an applicant may be in the United States or in another 
country, and the entry may be submitted from the United States or from 
abroad.

9. Is each applicant limited to only one entry during the annual E-DV 
registration period?

    Yes, the law allows only one entry by or for each person during 
each registration period. Individuals for whom more than one entry is 
submitted will be disqualified. The Department of State will employ 
sophisticated technology and other means to identify individuals who 
submit multiple entries during the registration period. People 
submitting more than one entry will be disqualified and an electronic 
record will be permanently maintained by the Department of State. 
Individuals may apply for the program each year during the regular 
registration period.

10. May a husband and a wife each submit a separate entry?

    Yes, a husband and a wife may each submit one entry if each meets 
the eligibility requirements. If either is selected, the other is 
entitled to derivative status.

11. What family members must I include on my E-DV entry?

    On your entry you must list your spouse (husband or wife), and all 
unmarried children under 21 years of age, with the exception of 
children who are already U.S. citizens or Legal Permanent Residents. 
You must list your spouse even if you are currently separated from him/
her, unless you are legally separated (i.e. there is a written 
agreement recognized by a court or a court order). If you are legally 
separated or divorced, you do not need to list your former spouse. You 
must list ALL your children who are unmarried and under 21 years of age 
at the time of your initial electronic DV entry, whether they are your 
natural children, your spouse's children, or children you have formally 
adopted in accordance with the laws of your country, unless such child 
is already a U.S. citizen or Legal Permanent Resident. List all 
children under 21 years of age at the time of your electronic entry 
even if they no longer reside with you or you do not intend for them to 
immigrate under the DV program.
    The fact that you have listed family members on your entry does not 
mean that they later must travel with you. They may choose to remain 
behind. However, if you include an eligible dependent on your visa 
application forms that you failed to include on your original entry, 
your case will be disqualified. This only applies to those who were 
family members at the time the original application was submitted, not 
those acquired at a later date. Your spouse may still submit a separate 
entry, even though he or she is listed on your entry, as long as both 
entries include details on all dependents in your family. See question 
10 above.

12. Must I submit my own entry, or may someone act on my behalf?

    You may prepare and submit your own entry, or have someone submit 
the entry for you. Regardless of whether an entry is submitted by the 
individual directly, or assistance is provided by an attorney, friend, 
relative, etc., only one entry may be submitted in the name of each 
person and the entrant remains responsible for insuring that 
information in the entry is correct and complete. If the entry is 
selected, the notification letter will be sent only to the mailing 
address provided on the entry. All entrants, including those not 
selected, will be able to check the status of their entry through the 
official DV Web site. Entrants should keep their own confirmation page 
information so they may independently check the status of their entry.

13. What are the requirements for education or work experience?

    The law and regulations require that every entrant must have at 
least a high school education or its equivalent or have, within the 
past five years, two years of work experience in an occupation 
requiring at least two years training or experience. A ``high school 
education or equivalent'' is defined as successful completion of a 
twelve-year course of elementary and secondary education in the United 
States or successful completion in another country of a formal course 
of elementary and secondary education comparable to a high school 
education in the United States. Only formal courses of study meet this 
requirement; correspondence programs or equivalency certificates (such 
as the G.E.D.) are not acceptable. Documentary proof of education or 
work experience must be presented to the consular officer at the time 
of the visa interview.
    What Occupations qualify for the Diversity Visa Program? To 
determine eligibility based on work experience, definitions from the 
Department of Labor's (DOL) O*Net Online Database will be used. The 
O*Net Online Database groups job experience into five ``job zones.'' 
While many occupations are listed on the DOL Web site, only

[[Page 60851]]

certain specified occupations qualify for the Diversity Visa Program. 
To qualify for a Diversity Visa on the basis of your work experience, 
you must have, within the past five years, two years of experience in 
an occupation that is designated as Job Zone 4 or 5, classified in a 
Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher.
    How do I find the qualifying occupations on the Department of Labor 
Web site? Qualifying DV Occupations are shown on the Department of 
Labor O*Net Online Database. Follow these steps to find out if your 
occupation qualifies: Select ``Find Occupations'' and then select a 
specific ``Job Family.'' For example, select Architecture and 
Engineering and click ``GO.'' Then click on the link for the specific 
Occupation. Following the same example, click Aerospace Engineers. 
After selecting a specific Occupation link, select the tab ``Job Zone'' 
to find out the designated Job Zone number and Specific Vocational 
Preparation (SVP) rating range.

14. How will successful entrants be selected?

    At the Kentucky Consular Center, all entries received from each 
region will be individually numbered. After the end of the registration 
period, a computer will randomly select entries from among all the 
entries received for each geographic region. Within each region, the 
first entry randomly selected will be the first case registered; the 
second entry selected the second registration, etc. All entries 
received during the registration period will have an equal chance of 
being selected within each region. Beginning on May 1, 2011 selected 
entrants will be able to receive further instructions at https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/. The Kentucky Consular Center will continue to 
process the case until those selected to be visa applicants are 
instructed to appear for visa interviews at a U.S. consular office or 
until those qualifying to change status in the United States apply at a 
domestic USCIS office.

    Important Note: Notifications to those selected in the random 
lottery are not sent by e-mail or mail. Should you receive an e-mail 
or mail notification about your E-DV selection, be aware that the 
message is not legitimate. It is only after you are selected, and 
respond to the notification instructions made available to you via 
Entry Status Check, and processing begins on your case, that you may 
receive follow-up e-mail communication from the KCC informing you to 
review Entry Status Check for new information about your 
application. The Kentucky Consular Center will not ask you to send 
money to them by mail or by services such as Western Union.

15. May selectees adjust their status with USCIS?

    Yes, provided they are otherwise eligible to adjust status under 
the terms of Section 245 of the INA, selected individuals who are 
physically present in the United States may apply to the USCIS for 
adjustment of status to permanent resident. Applicants must ensure that 
USCIS can complete action on their cases, including processing of any 
overseas derivatives, before September 30, 2012, since on that date 
registrations for the DV-2012 program expire. No visa numbers for the 
DV-2012 program will be available after midnight on September 30, 2012 
under any circumstances.

16. Will entrants who are not selected be informed?

    All entrants, including those NOT selected, may check the status of 
their entry through the E-DV Web site and find out if their entry was 
or was not selected. Entrants should keep their own confirmation page 
information from the time of their entry until they may check the 
status of their entry online. Status information for DV-2012 will be 
available online beginning May 1, 2011. (Status information for the 
previous DV lottery, DV-2011, is available online until June 30, 2011.) 
All official notification letters are sent to the address indicated on 
the entry within five to seven months from the end of the application 
period.

17. How many individuals will be selected?

    There are 50,000 DV visas available for DV-2012, but more than that 
number of individuals will be selected. Because it is likely that some 
of the first 50,000 persons who are selected will not qualify for visas 
or pursue their cases to visa issuance, more than 50,000 entries will 
be selected by the Kentucky Consular Center to ensure that all of the 
available DV visas are issued. However, this also means that there will 
not be a sufficient number of visas for all those who are initially 
selected. All applicants who are selected will be informed promptly of 
their place on the list. Interviews for the DV-2012 program will begin 
in October 2011. The Kentucky Consular Center will notify selected 
applicants via the Electronic Diversity Visa Lottery Web site, https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/, four to six weeks before the scheduled 
interviews with U.S. consular officers at overseas posts. Selectees 
will only receive e-mail communications from the KCC alerting them that 
a visa appointment has been scheduled after they have responded to the 
notification instructions on Entry Status Check. Such e-mails will 
direct selectees to check their interview appointment details on Entry 
Status Check and will not contain information on the actual appointment 
date and time. Each month visas will be issued to those applicants who 
are ready for issuance during that month, visa number availability 
permitting. Once all of the 50,000 DV visas have been issued, the 
program for the year will end. In principle, visa numbers could be 
finished before September 2012. Selected applicants who wish to receive 
visas must be prepared to act promptly on their cases. Random selection 
by the Kentucky Consular Center computer as a selectee does not 
automatically guarantee that you will receive a visa. You must qualify 
for the visa as well.

18. Is there a minimum age for applicants to apply for the E-DV 
program?

    There is no minimum age to apply for the program, but the 
requirement of a high school education or work experience for each 
principal applicant at the time of application will effectively 
disqualify most persons who are under age 18.

19. Are there any fees for the E-DV program?

    There is no fee for submitting an electronic lottery entry. DV 
applicants must pay all required visa fees at the time of visa 
application directly to the consular cashier at the embassy or 
consulate. Details of required diversity visa and immigration visa 
application fees will be included with the instructions sent by the 
Kentucky Consular Center to applicants who are selected.

20. Do DV applicants receive waivers of any grounds of visa 
ineligibility or receive special processing for a waiver application?

    Applicants are subject to all grounds of ineligibility for 
immigrant visas specified in the Immigration and Nationality Act. There 
are no special provisions for the waiver of any ground of visa 
ineligibility aside from those ordinarily provided in the Act, nor is 
there special processing for waiver requests. Some general waiver 
provisions for people with close relatives who are American Citizens of 
Lawful Permanent Resident aliens may be available to DV applicants as 
well, but the time constraints in the DV program will make it difficult 
for applicants to benefit from such provisions.

[[Page 60852]]

21. May persons who are already registered for an immigrant visa in 
another category apply for the DV program?

    Yes, such persons may apply for the DV program.

22. How long do applicants who are selected remain entitled to apply 
for visas in the DV category?

    Persons selected in the DV-2012 lottery are entitled to apply for 
visa issuance only during fiscal year 2012, from October 1, 2011, 
through September 30, 2012. Applicants must obtain the DV visa or 
adjust status by the end of the fiscal year. There is no carry-over of 
DV benefits into the next year for persons who are selected but who do 
not obtain visas by September 30, 2012 (the end of the fiscal year). 
Also, spouses and children who derive status from a DV-2012 
registration can only obtain visas in the DV category between October 
2011 and September 2012. Applicants who apply overseas will receive an 
appointment letter from the Kentucky Consular Center four to six weeks 
before the scheduled appointment.

23. If an E-DV selectee dies, what happens to the DV case?

    The death of an individual selected in the lottery results in 
automatic revocation of the DV case. Any eligible spouse and/or 
children are no longer entitled to the DV visa, for that entry.

24. When will E-DV online be available?

    Online entry will be available during the registration period 
beginning at noon EDT (GMT-4) on October 5, 2010 and ending at noon EST 
(GMT-5) on November 3, 2010.

25. Will I be able to download and save the E-DV entry form to a 
microsoft word program (or other suitable program) and then fill it 
out?

    No, you will not be able to save the form into another program for 
completion and submission later. The E-DV Entry Form is a Web form 
only. This makes it more ``universal'' than a proprietary word 
processor format. Additionally, it does require that the information be 
filled in and submitted while online.

26. If I don't have access to a scanner, can I send photographs to my 
relative in the United States to scan the photographs, save the 
photographs to a diskette, and then mail the diskette back to me to 
apply?

    Yes, this can be done as long as the photograph meets the 
photograph requirements in the instructions and the photograph is 
electronically submitted with, and at the same time as, the E-DV online 
entry is submitted. The applicants must already have the scanned 
photograph file when they submit the entry online. The photograph 
cannot be submitted separately from the online application. Only one 
online entry can be submitted for each person. Multiple submissions 
will disqualify the entry for that person for DV-2012. The entire entry 
(photograph and application together) can be submitted electronically 
from the United States or from overseas.

27. Can I save the form online so that I can fill out part and then 
come back later and complete the remainder?

    No, this cannot be done. The E-DV Entry Form is designed to be 
completed and submitted at one time. However, because the form is in 
two parts, and because of possible network interruptions and delays, 
the E-DV system is designed to permit up to sixty (60) minutes between 
the forms download and when the entry is received at the E-DV Web site. 
If more than sixty minutes elapse and the entry has not been 
electronically received, the information already received is discarded. 
This is done so that there is no possibility that a full entry could 
accidentally be interpreted as a duplicate of a previous partial entry. 
The DV-2012 instructions explain clearly and completely what 
information is required to fill in the form. Thus you can be fully 
prepared, making sure you have all of the information needed before you 
start to complete the form online.

28. If the submitted digital images do not conform to the 
specifications, the procedures state that the system will automatically 
reject the E-DV entry form and notify the sender. does this mean I will 
be able re-submit my entry?

    Yes, the entry can be resubmitted. Since the entry was 
automatically rejected, it was not actually considered as submitted to 
the E-DV Web site. It does not count as a submitted E-DV entry, and no 
confirmation notice of receipt is sent. If there are problems with the 
digital photograph sent, because it does not conform to the 
requirements, it is automatically rejected by the E-DV Web site. 
However, the amount of time it takes the rejection message to reach the 
sender is unpredictable given the nature of the Internet. If the 
problem can be fixed by the applicant, and the Form Part One or Two is 
re-sent within sixty (60) minutes, there is no problem. Otherwise, the 
applicant will have to restart the submission process. An applicant can 
try to submit an application as many times as is necessary until a 
complete application is received and the confirmation notice sent.

29. Will the electronic confirmation notice that the completed E-DV 
ENTRY form has been received through the online system be sent 
immediately after submission?

    The response from the E-DV Web site which contains confirmation of 
the receipt of an acceptable E-DV Entry Form is sent by the E-DV Web 
site immediately. However, how long it takes the response to reach the 
sender is unpredictable due to the nature of the Internet. If many 
minutes have elapsed since pressing the `Submit' button, there is no 
harm in pressing the `Submit' button a second time. The E-DV system 
will not be confused by a situation where the `Submit' button is hit a 
second time, because no confirmation response has been received. An 
applicant can try to submit an application as many times as is 
necessary until a complete application is received and the confirmation 
notice sent. However, once you receive a confirmation notice, do not 
resubmit your information.

30. How will I know if the notification of selection that I have 
received is authentic? How can I confirm that I have in fact been 
chosen in the random DV lottery?

    Keep your confirmation page. You will need your confirmation number 
to access information through the Entry Status Check available on the 
E-DV Web site https://www.dvlottery.state.gov. Entry Status Check will 
be the sole means by which DV-2012 entrants are notified of their 
selection, provided instructions on how to proceed with their 
application, and notified of their immigrant visa interview appointment 
date and time.
    Status information will be available from May 1, 2011. If you lose 
your confirmation information, you will not be able to check your DV 
entry status by yourself, and we will not resend the confirmation page 
information to you. Only the randomly selected individuals will be 
given additional instructions on how to pursue their DV visa 
application. Persons not selected may verify the non-selection of their 
entry using their confirmation information through the official DV Web 
site, but they will not receive any additional instructions. We will 
NOT forward the confirmation page information to you. U.S. Embassies 
and Consulates will NOT provide a list of

[[Page 60853]]

those selected to continue the visa process.
    Randomly selected entrants will receive notification instructions 
for the DV visa application process on the selectee confirmation page 
available through Entry Status Check on the E-DV Web site https://www.dvlottery.state.gov. The instructions say the selected applicants 
will pay all diversity and immigrant visa fees in person only at the 
U.S. Embassy or Consulate at the time of the visa application. The 
consular cashier or consular officer immediately gives the visa 
applicant a U.S. Government receipt for payment. Selected applicants 
applying for an immigrant visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate should 
never send money for DV fees through the mail, Western Union, or any 
other delivery service. Selected applicants who are already present in 
the United States and who file for adjustment of status will receive 
separate instructions on how to mail DV fees to a US bank.
    The E-DV lottery entries are submitted on the Internet, on the 
official U.S. Government E-DV Web site at https://www.dvlottery.state.gov. The KCC will not send notification letters to 
the selected applicants. The KCC, consular offices, or the U.S. 
Government have never sent e-mails to notify individuals they have been 
selected, and there are no plans to use e-mail for this purpose for the 
DV-2012 program. Selectees will only receive e-mail communications from 
the KCC alerting them that a visa appointment has been scheduled after 
they have responded to the notification instructions on Entry Status 
Check. Such e-mails will direct selectees to check their interview 
appointment details on Entry Status Check and will not contain 
information on the actual appointment date and time.
    The Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs advises the 
public that only Internet sites including the ``.gov'' domain suffix 
are official government Web sites. Many other non-governmental Web 
sites (e.g., using the suffixes ``.com'' or ``.org'' or ``.net'') 
provide immigration and visa related information and services. 
Regardless of the content of non-governmental Web sites, the Department 
of State does not endorse, recommend, or sponsor any information or 
material shown at these other Web sites.
    Some Web sites may try to mislead customers and members of the 
public into thinking they are official Web sites and may contact you by 
e-mail to lure you to their offers. These Web sites may attempt to 
require you to pay for services such as forms and information about 
immigration procedures, which are otherwise free on the Department of 
State Visa Services Web site or through U.S. Embassy Consular Section's 
Web sites. Additionally, these other Web sites may require you to pay 
for services you will not receive (such as fees for DV immigration 
applications and visas). Also, you should be wary of sending any 
personal information to these Web sites that might be used for identity 
fraud/theft.

31. How do I report internet fraud or unsolicited e-mail?

    If you wish to file a complaint about Internet fraud, please see 
the econsumer.gov Web site, hosted by the Federal Trade Commission, in 
cooperation with consumer protection agencies from 17 nations (https://www.econsumer.gov/english/). You may also report fraud to the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center. To file 
a complaint about unsolicited e-mail, contact the Department of Justice 
Contact Us page.

32. If I am successful in obtaining a visa through the DV program, will 
the U.S. government assist with my airfare to the United States, 
provide assistance to locate housing and employment, provide 
healthcare, or provide any subsidies until I am fully settled?

    No, applicants who obtain a DV visa are not provided any type of 
assistance such as airfare, housing assistance, or subsidies. If you 
are selected to apply for a DV visa, before you can be issued a visa, 
you will be required, before you are issued a visa, to provide evidence 
that you will not become a public charge in the United States. This 
evidence may be in the form of a combination of your personal assets, 
an Affidavit of Support (Form I-134) from a relative or friend residing 
in the United States, and/or an offer of employment from an employer in 
the United States.

List of Countries by Region Whose Natives Are Eligible for DV-2012

    The lists below show the countries whose natives are eligible for 
DV-2012, grouped by geographic region. Dependent areas overseas are 
included within the region of the governing country. The countries 
whose natives are not eligible for the DV-2012 program were identified 
by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) according to 
the formula in Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. 
The countries whose natives are NOT eligible for this diversity program 
(because they are the principal source countries of Family-Sponsored 
and Employment-Based immigration or ``high admission'' countries) are 
noted after the respective regional lists.

Africa

Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Congo
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia, The
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

    Persons born in the Gaza Strip are chargeable to Egypt.

List of Countries by Region Whose Natives Are Eligible for DV-2012

Asia

Afghanistan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Bhutan

[[Page 60854]]

Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
East Timor
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Japan
Jordan
Kuwait
Laos
Lebanon
Malaysia
Maldives
Mongolia
Nepal
North Korea
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Syria
Taiwan
Thailand
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
    Natives of the following Asian countries are not eligible for this 
year's diversity program: China [mainland-born], India, Pakistan, South 
Korea, Philippines, and Vietnam. Hong Kong S.A.R and Taiwan do qualify 
and are listed above. Macau S.A.R. also qualifies and is listed below. 
Persons born in the areas administered prior to June 1967 by Israel, 
Jordan and Syria are chargeable, respectively, to Israel, Jordan and 
Syria.

List of Countries by Region Whose Natives Are Eligible for DV-2012

Europe

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Estonia
Finland
France (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic
Macau Special Administrative Region
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Northern Ireland
Norway
Portugal (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Romania
Russia
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tajikistan
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Vatican City

    Natives of the following European countries are not eligible for 
this year's diversity program: Great Britain and Poland. Great Britain 
(United Kingdom) includes the following dependent areas: Anguilla, 
Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, 
Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena, and Turks and Caicos 
Islands. Note that for purposes of the diversity program only, Northern 
Ireland is treated separately; Northern Ireland does qualify and is 
listed among the qualifying areas.

List of Countries by Region Whose Natives Are Eligible for DV-2012

North America

    The Bahamas

    In North America, natives of Canada and Mexico are not eligible for 
this year's diversity program.

Oceania

Australia (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Fiji
Kiribati
Marshall Islands
Micronesia, Federated States of
Nauru
New Zealand (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu

South America, Central America, and the Caribbean

Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Chile
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay
Venezuela
    Countries in this region whose natives are not eligible for this 
year's diversity program: Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, 
Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, and Peru.

    Dated: September 24, 2010.
Janice Jacobs,
Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2010-24688 Filed 9-30-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-06-P