The September 2013 State Department Visa Bulletin stated that registrants looking to apply for the DV-2015 should look for the registration dates sometime in September of 2013.
The Visa Bulletin is a monthly description of available immigration visas to the United States. Family-based, employment-based and lottery program immigrants can check the backlogs of these programs in this bulletin.
The U.S. State Department is the government organization partially tasked with the distribution of immigration visas abroad.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, a related government organization, deals with immigrants already in the U.S. on issues such as Permanent Resident Cards or Green Cards.
People who are interested in using the immigration lottery to come to the United States will be able to register for the program online. There is no paper application for the program, so they must use the online registration process.
A total of 50,000 immigrant visas will be available for registrants in the Green Card Lottery.
The lottery itself selects 100,000 applicants for consideration of a visa. However, about 50,000 of those who win the lottery will not be selected to receive a visa because of problems with their visa application.
Reasons for inadmissibility for an immigration visa include:
- Insufficient funds for self-support in the U.S.
- A criminal record
- Insufficient educational or work experience background
- Improperly filed application
- Improperly submitted supporting documentation
The registration period has traditionally been held between early October and early November of a given year.
The winners of the lottery are then announced on May 1 of the year following the registration period.
Winners of the Green Card Lottery are then asked to file for their immigration visas during the months after May 1.
The State Department ceases accepting applications approximately two years after the registration period took place.