2016 Diversity Visa Lottery Program Announced

September 28, 2014

The entry period for the 2016 Diversity Visa Lottery will begin on October 1, 2014 at noon EST. Entries must be submitted electronically through the DV Lottery website by November 3, 2014 at noon EST.

For 2016 there will be 50,000 diversity visas available through the lottery. To read more about the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, including eligibility requirements, please click here.

The Department of State has announced that natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply, because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years:

Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, 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.

Starting on May 5, 2015, applicants will be able to check the status of their entries by returning to the DV Lottery website and clicking on Entrant Status Check.


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