important announcement – dv lottery visa program

Registration period for the 2024 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2024) has been announced!

 

The Diversity Visa Program, or “DV Lottery,” is an annual initiative administered by the Department of State. It is responsible for the issuance of 55,000 permanent residence visas (“green cards”) to individuals from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States. See below for a list of countries that are not eligible to participate in the program. The application, instructions, and additional information can be found here.

In order to qualify for the DV lottery, individuals must 1) be nationals of a qualifying country included in the current program and, 2) must also possess “at least a high school education or its equivalent” OR “two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform.”  Individuals who meet the eligibility requirements will be entered into a computerized drawing. Selection for the program will be announced via the DV lottery website starting May 8, 2022.

Registration will run from noon on October 5, 2022 and close at 12pm Eastern time on November 8, 2022. Late entries will not be accepted. Eligible entrants are encouraged to apply early, as demand for the program is high and can often lead to delays on the website.

Applicants should be aware of potential fraud attempts associated with DV Lottery. Per guidance from the Department of State:

“You may receive emails from websites that try to trick you into sending money or providing your personal information. You may be asked to pay for forms and information about immigration procedures, all of which are available free on the Department of State website, travel.state.gov, or through U.S. embassy or consulate websites. Additionally, organizations or websites may try to steal your money by charging fees for DV-related services. If you send money to one of these non-government organizations or websites, you will likely never see it again. Also, do not send personal information to these websites, as it may be used for identity fraud/theft.”

There is no charge to download or submit the Diversity Visa Lottery forms. See here for more information regarding potentially fraudulent activity.

*Natives of the following nations are not eligible to enter the DV lottery:

Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland and Hong Kong; note individuals who were born in Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.

Wildes & Weinberg, P.C. was founded in 1960 by Michael Wildes’ father, Leon Wildes, whose best-known accomplishment was his successful representation of John Lennon in his widely publicized deportation proceedings (the circumstances of which have inspired several films and documentaries). The firm specializes exclusively in the practice of U.S. immigration and nationality law, has a distinguished domestic and international clientele, and can assist with any type of immigration matter including employment and investment-based immigration, work permits, permanent residence for qualified individuals, family-based immigration, asylum applications, all temporary and permanent type visas, and U.S. citizenship.

In addition to running a highly successful immigration law practice, Michael is also currently serving his third term as Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey, is the author of Safe Haven in America: Battles to Open the Golden Door (which draws on over a quarter of a century of his practice in the immigration field), is an Adjunct Professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York, and serves as Counsel to Lincoln Center and several international/corporate law firms. Moreover, Michael is internationally renowned for his successful representation of distinguished individuals and corporate clients such as performing artists, directors, writers, models, actors/actresses, athletes, race car drivers, fine artists, art dealers, curators, musicians, photographers, stylists, and literary agents. Some of the firm’s other distinguished clients include scholar Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (z”l), as well as soccer icon Pele, Master Chef Jean-Georges and Former First Lady Melania Trump and her family.

Today the firm of Wildes & Weinberg has offices in New York City, New York, Englewood, New Jersey, Miami, Florida, and a presence in Los Angeles, California, and continues to maintain its stellar reputation in the field of U.S. Immigration & Nationality Law.

For more information on our firm please visit www.wildeslaw.com or contact Michael Wildes at michael@wildeslaw.com.