November 2008
Dear Client:
You, your family, friends or employees may be interested in participating in the immigration (diversity) visa "lottery" program. If you are not eligible, please pass this information on to someone who may be eligible.
This lottery is free and makes available 55,000 immigrant visas ("green cards") to "natives"* of certain countries. Eligible countries are grouped into 6 geographic categories: Asia; South & Central America including the Caribbean; Europe; Africa; Oceania; & North America.
You may complete the lottery application on your own by going to the Department of State’s lottery website, www.dvlottery.state.gov. Entries must be submitted electronically on the website between noon Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday, October 2, 2008 and noon Eastern Standard Time on Monday, December 1, 2008. No entries will be accepted after noon on December 1, 2008. Paper entries sent by mail will not be accepted. An applicant may submit his/her entry directly or instead, have someone submit it on his/her behalf. Digital photographs of the applicant and family (including spouse and each unmarried child under 21 years of age at the time of electronic entry) are required and must be submitted electronically as part of the entry. (Please carefully follow the Department of State’s instructions for photographs.) To qualify, an applicant must also have either a high school education or its equivalent, or two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience.
Each person may submit only ONE application. If more than one application per person is received, the applicant will be disqualified. However, a husband and wife may each file an application. If you were not born in one of the eligible countries, but your spouse was, both of you can apply as natives of the eligible country. Every application received between the above-stated application dates will have an equal chance of being selected.
Applicants selected in the lottery will be notified by mail between May and July of 2009. Those individuals not selected in the random drawing will not receive any notification. Visas will be issued between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010. If you are chosen in this lottery you will need to apply for your visa as soon as possible because more people are notified than there are visas.
For detailed information regarding requirements for the Diversity Visa Lottery, as well as frequently asked questions about the Lottery, please visit the Department of State’s Consular Affairs Website at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1318.html.
Very truly yours,
SIMMONS & UNGAR LLP
* "Natives" of the following countries DO NOT QUALIFY: Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born) (Hong Kong S.A.R., Macau S.A.R., and Taiwan are eligible), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Peru, Poland, South Korea, United Kingdom and dependent territories (except Northern Ireland which is eligible), and Vietnam. Please note that Russia has returned to the list of eligible countries, and Kosovo has been added to the list of eligible countries as well.
