Who Conducts the Diversity Visa Lottery?

The US Department of State conducts the Diversity Visa Lottery program every year. Through this DV program, around 55,000 permanent resident visas are issued to entrants who are selected randomly by a computer. The registration period for the lottery is normally in October, every year.

The U.S. Department of State Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky administers the program. The U.S. Department of State established the Kentucky center in 2000 to take over the program administration from the National Visa Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Remember that there is only one Kentucky Consular Center. Do not fall prey to other organizations using similar names as they are not connected to the Department of State or KCC. There is no submission fee or application fee charged for this program. There is a fee only when a winning lottery entrant applies for the Diversity visa. After winning the lottery and at the time of the visa application at a U.S. consular office in the applicant’s country, all the applicants (the DV entrant and dependents) have to pay a DV processing fee and an immigrant visa fee. Even if the visa is rejected, both these fees will not be refunded. However, when the visa is approved, you have to pay a separate visa issuance fee for each visa.

Recently there has been a surge in instances of fraudulent emails sent to DV applicants. The Department of State has created an awareness in the minds of the public about such fraudulent emails and notifications sent to the green card lottery applicants. The persons who send these fraudulent emails and letters pose themselves as the government agency and have an intention of extracting money from DV applicants. All applicants should be aware of such scams and information related to it is provided by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Applicants should know how to check the results.

The government agency has made it clear that all DV applicants will have to check their status online to know if they won or not. No notification letters will be sent. DV Entry Status Check will only be available through the Department of State site, www.dvlottery.state.gov . The Kentucky Consular Center has made it clear they will no longer mail or email winning notification letters those selected.

Winners of the lottery, if they are selected for further processing, will have to prove their eligibility for a diversity immigrant visa by completing the rest of the process. Such individuals have to fill an immigrant visa application, submit required supporting documents and forms, pay the appropriate fees, and complete a medical examination. In addition, they will be interviewed by a consular officer at the U.S. embassy or consulate to check if they qualify for a diversity visa.