1. The Department made the formal public announcement of the Diversity Visa (DV) 2018 program on September 16, 2016, in Washington, D.C. Posts may now access an English language version of the DV-2018 instructions bulletin from travel.state.gov (TSG).
2. The Immigration and Nationality Act states that no DVs shall be provided for “high admission” countries – those countries from which there were more than a total of 50,000 immigrants during the previous five years.
3. For DV-2018, there is one change to the eligible countries list: Ecuador is once again eligible this year.
The complete list of ineligible countries is: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, South Korea, the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.
These countries are ineligible for the DV-2018 program because they met the 50,000 threshold for immigrant admissions to the United States in the past five years. (Note: Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan remain eligible.)
4. The E-DV system will be open for entries beginning noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on October 4, 2016, and will close for entries at noon Eastern Standard Time (EST) on November 7, 2016.
DV program entrants are encouraged to apply early.
In the past, system delays caused by extremely heavy demand in the final days of the registration period prevented some individuals from submitting entries.
5. The Department again will use web-based tools to notify entrants of their selection and visa interview appointment as part of ongoing efforts to combat fraud perpetrated against DV entrants.
The Department will not send selectee notification or appointment letters to successful entrants by regular mail or by email.
Starting May 2, 2017 entrants may enter their DV-2018 entry confirmation number into the Entrant Status Check, available at dvlottery.state.gov, to determine whether their entry was selected. Selected individuals who respond to the notification instructions provided on the E-DV selectee confirmation page on Entrant Status Check also will receive notification of their scheduled IV appointment through Entrant Status Check. DV-2018 data will be available through Entrant Status Check until at least September 30, 2018. All entrants should keep their confirmation number until September 30, 2018, regardless of whether they are selected initially.
6. The Entrant Status Check, when available on May 2, 2017, will provide next-step instructions to selectees, and will direct each selectee to the “Instructions for Selectees” web pages, which are accessible at dvselectee.state.gov.
7. DV-2018 selectees who respond to the notification instructions on Entrant Status Check will receive an email communication alerting them of a scheduled visa appointment. These emails will not contain the actual appointment date and time, but will instead direct selectees to check their interview appointment details on Entrant Status Check.
8. Posts may translate the DV instructions bulletin locally, provided that the translation is accurate and complete (including all FAQs) and that the layout of the translated bulletin looks as much like the English version as possible.
9. Key data:
- The DV-2018 program registration period will run from noon, EDT on October 4, 2016, through noon, EST November 7, 2016.
- The Department will conduct the DV-2018 program entirely electronically, including electronic entry. We will not accept paper entries. The Department website for the submission of E-DV entries is dvlottery.state.gov.
- Registered entries that comply with form submission instructions will result in the display of a confirmation screen page that contains the entrant’s name and confirmation number, which the entrant should print. The confirmation screen page will provide information the entrant must use to check the status of his or her entry electronically through the Entrant Status Check available at dvlottery.state.gov. Only entrants who have their confirmation information will be able to check their Entrant Status and, if selected, receive application instructions and notification of their IV interview appointment. A link on the Entry Status Check page will allow entrants to retrieve their confirmation number by entering their email address, last name, and year of birth.
- Entrants may prepare and submit their own entries or have someone submit the entry for them. Whether the individual submits an entry directly, or an attorney, friend, relative, etc. provides assistance, only one entry may be submitted in the name of each individual, and the entrant remains responsible for ensuring that the information is correct and complete. All entrants, including those not selected, will be able to check the status of their entry through the Entrant Status Check available at dvlottery.state.gov.
- Neither consular sections nor KCC may release confirmation numbers to the public, nor confirm whether or not an entrant has been selected. The only means by which an entrant may confirm selection and obtain appointment information is through the Entry Status Check.
- The law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period. Entrants who submit more than one entry will be disqualified.
- Applicants must submit a recent photo taken within the last six months. Entries that include the same photo from the last DV year (DV-2017) will be disqualified.
10. Please refer to the DV-2018 Instructions at usvisas.state.gov/dv/instructions for complete program rules and answers to Frequently Asked Questions from entrants.
