Understanding DV Lottery Results: Are Changes Possible?
Over 10 million main applicants, along with their dependent family members, from countries around the world participate in the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery each year.
Registration for the annual DV-Lottery usually occurs in October and the results (i.e., who was selected as a winner) are normally made available the following May.
Although it fluctuates from year to year, around 100,000 winners are randomly selected from the approximately 10 million qualified entries for the opportunity to continue the process to apply for one of the 55,000 Diversity Immigrant Visas and Permanent Resident Green Cards made available through this US immigration program each year.
Many people ask the question: Can DV Lottery results change?
Others are interested in how DV Lottery winners are selected.
This article will answer these and related questions, so continue reading to learn the essential information!
Table of Contents
How are the DV Lottery results determined?
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program uses a lottery system to randomly select by computer winners born in eligible countries with low levels of US immigration from six regions of the world:
- Africa
- Asia
- Europe
- North America
- Oceania
- South America, Central America and The Caribbean
According to the DV Lottery rules, no country is allowed to be granted over 7% of the Diversity Visas that are available to be issued in any particular fiscal year.
This random selection method is used, because a key goal of the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is to further diversify the population of the United States.
DV Lottery participants can learn if they were selected as a winner starting in early May by going to the Entrant Status Check webpage of the US State Department’s E-DV website where the DV Lottery results can be found.
USAFIS promptly contacts its customers by telephone and email when they are selected as DV Lottery winners, so they can take the next step in the US immigration process as soon as possible (i.e., to file the Form DS-260 with the KCC so the consular interview can be scheduled).
The first 55,000 DV Lottery selectees, including their dependent family members, who pass the consular interview successfully and receive a Diversity Immigrant Visa on a page of their passport, will have the opportunity to immigrate to the United States as Lawful Permanent Residents.
US Permanent Resident Green Card holders are authorized to live, study and work in the USA for an unlimited amount of time; have the option to buy a home and start a business in the US; can receive a world-class education in the United States; are allowed to travel to and from the USA; can sponsor family members for a Green Card; get Social Security benefits once they qualify; enjoy equality and freedoms protected by law; and can become an American citizen after living in the USA five years and meeting all of the criteria!
Can the Diversity Visa Lottery results change?
Many people want to know if DV Lottery results change following the initial selection of winners.
There have been times when DV Lottery winners were selected, but there were not enough people who qualified in order for all of the 55,000 Diversity Immigrant Visas to be issued for a particular year.
Consequently, a second DV Lottery draw was conducted during the same DV-Year to randomly select additional winners, so that the goal of granting 55,000 Diversity Immigrant Visas could be reached for that year.
This situation basically gave participants who were not selected in that DV Lottery a second chance to be chosen as winners.
Of course, most people have to participate more than one year before they are randomly selected as DV Lottery winners.
So, if you are not selected in the DV Lottery the first year you participate, simply apply the next year, etc.
Conclusion
The American Congress established the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program so that people born in countries with low levels of US immigration could have the opportunity to immigrate to the United States.
In order to participate in the DV Lottery, the main applicant must have (1) been born in an eligible country AND (2) completed at least 12 years of elementary and secondary education OR have two years of qualifying work experience in the past five years.
It is also important to submit your DV Lottery application and photo(s) correctly, according to the strict regulations.
Since 2001, USAFIS has helped thousands of people worldwide to participate in the DV Lottery and tens of thousands of USAFIS customers have been selected as winners.
The first step of the process is to learn if you satisfy the eligibility requirements for the DV Lottery and if you do, to properly prepare your application and photo(s) for submission during the annual registration period.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
How many DV Lottery winners are selected?
Around 100,000 DV Lottery winners are selected from over 10 million qualified entries each year for the opportunity to apply for one of the 55,000 Diversity Immigrant Visas and Green Cards authorized to be issued through this US immigration program annually.
How do they select DV Lottery winners?
DV Lottery winners are randomly selected by computer from eligible countries with low levels of US immigration from six regions of the world. No country is allowed to receive over 7% of the Diversity Visas available during a particular fiscal year.
How do you know you were not selected for the DV Lottery?
You can check whether or not you were selected as a winner of the DV Lottery by going to the Entrant Status Check webpage on the US State Department’s E-DV website and entering the required details to check the results. If you are a customer of USAFIS who participated in the DV Lottery, we can inform you about whether or not you were selected as a winner, since we submitted your application on your behalf.
Is the DV Lottery first come first serve?
The selection of DV Lottery winners is not first come, first serve, so it does not matter if you register at the start of the annual registration period, in the middle or at the end – as long as your application and photo(s) are submitted according to the DV Lottery regulations. The DV Lottery winners are selected randomly by computer from eligible countries in six geographic regions. On the other hand, the 55,000 Diversity Immigrant Visas are generally issued on a first come, first serve basis to the DV Lottery winners and their family members who complete the consular interview process successfully. It is important to note, however, that a country cannot receive more than 7% of the 55,000 Diversity Immigrant Visas available each year, so once all of the Diversity Visas have been issued for a particular country, no more will be granted for that country during that fiscal year.
Can I be denied a visa after winning the DV Lottery?
Yes, a person can be denied a visa after winning the DV Lottery for a variety of reasons. For example, if the relevant US government official determines that the main applicant does not satisfy the eligibility requirements, is inadmissible, does not have adequate financial resources to immigrate to the US, or if mistakes were made on the DV Lottery application, the visa can be denied. Furthermore, if any of the dependent family members who was listed in the DV Lottery application is deemed inadmissible, then the main applicant and the other dependent family members could also be denied a visa.
What happens if you make a mistake on the DV Lottery?
If you make a mistake on your DV Lottery application, you could be disqualified during the consular process after being selected as a winner. For example, if you fail to include a dependent child who is under 21 years of age and unmarried, you could be disqualified after winning the DV Lottery (unless the dependent child is an American citizen or US permanent resident). If you indicated that you are single, but you are actually married, you could be disqualified during the consular process. All of the information in your application must be accurate and up-to-date and all of the photos must be done according to the DV Lottery standards.
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