The registration period for the 2013 Diversity Visa Lottery Program ended on Saturday, November 5, 2011. You can expect the results in May 2012. Do not expect the Department of State to notify your results through mail. That option has been scrapped and the only way to check your results is by visiting www.dvlottery.state.gov. Enter your confirmation number that you would have received while applying and personal information in the Entrant Status Check page. As mentioned earlier this is the ONLY option available to know about your selection for DV-2013. Beware of scammers who send emails stating that you have won the lottery. Ignore such emails.
Remember to retain your confirmation number and keep it safe as it is the only resource through which you can check. Also note that the Department of State will not provide your confirmation number if you lose it.
The Selection Process
A computer will select randomly from the valid entries based on the allocations of visas available for each region and country. Once you enter the confirmation number and if you are selected, you will be further taken to a page that will have instructions on further proceedings, including information on the fees connected with immigration to the US you need to submit. It is very important to remember that those selected OR not selected in the random selection will NOT be notified of their results by e-mail.
You cannot contact the US Embassy or Consulate to get the list of winners. If you are selected, your spouse and all unmarried children (below 21 years old) can also apply for visas to accompany or follow-to-join. Visas for DV-2013 program will be issued from October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013. Processing of entries and issuing DVs to those selected and who meet the eligibility requirements and their eligible family members should be completed by midnight, September 30, 2013. No DVs will be issued after this date. Adding to this, family members cannot obtain DVs to follow-to-join in the US after this date.
To get a DV to immigrate to the US, those selected have to satisfy ALL eligibility requirements under US law. You will be strictly informed not to proceed further if you do not satisfy the eligibility requirements. Those selected in DV-2013 who are living in the US will be able to adjust their status to permanent residence (green card) by filing Form I-485 with the USCIS after their case numbers become current in any given month. The next DV lottery program is the DV-2014 and will start accepting online entries in the year 2012 for the fiscal year 2014. You can approximately expect a month to be available for you to download the application form and to fill and submit it.