The Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky has registered and notified the winners of the DV-2007 diversity lottery. The diversity lottery was conducted under the terms of section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and makes available *50,000 permanent resident visas annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Approximately 82,000 applicants have been registered and notified and may now make an application for an immigrant visa. Since it is likely that some of the first *50,000 persons registered will not pursue their cases to visa issuance, this larger figure should insure that all DV-2007 numbers will be used during fiscal year 2007.
Released on July 18, 2006Green Card Lottery Photo Requirement
All DV-2009 Program (Green Card Lottery) applicants are required to provide recent photograph of themselves and all co-applicants (spouse and children). You will need a computer file containing your digital photo (image) which will be submitted online with your entry form.
Photographs that do not comply with all specifications, including but not limited to recency of the photos, composition of the photos, and unacceptable backgrounds are grounds for disqualification of the entire entry. Any manipulation of photographs that alters the facial characteristics is grounds for disqualification of the entire entry.
Need Help?
We realize that it may be difficult for most people to provide digital photos, or have them adjusted to the appropriate specifications. It may be quite difficult for to do so correctly. In order to address this problem and make it easier for every applicant, USAGCLS accepts photos in all formats (digital or paper) and through all forms of delivery (mail, e-mail and digital upload). Once we receive your photos, we digitize and adjust them. Then they will be uploaded to your application. If there is a problem with your photo, we contact you by e-mail, that you provide us with during registration, and ask you for a replacement photo.
Important: Before you try to submit your photos you should check if you qualify. Once you know you qualify, you may sign up with USAGCLS and submit your photos then.
If you already have USAGCLS Registration # and Password, please click below to submit your photos.
Do you qualify for the Green Card Lottery?
1. You must be a native of a qualifying country
You must be native of a country with a low immigration rate to the U.S.A. to qualify for the Green Card Lottery. People born in countries with high U.S. immigration are excluded from this lottery. Please see the list below of countries whose natives are currently excluded from the Green Card Lottery. Please note that eligibility is determined only by the country of birth, not based on country of citizenship or current residence. This is the most common misperception.
The following countries are excluded from the lottery program (subject to change):
- China (mainland only)
- Russia
- Vietnam
- South Korea
- Philippines
- Brazi
- Peru
- Pakistan
- India
- Mexico
- Jamaica
- United Kingdom (except N.Ireland)
- Canada
- Dominican Republic
- Colombia
- Haiti
- El Salvador
- Poland
Natives from all other countries may register. If you were born in one of the non-qualifying countries you can still participate based on the country of birth of your parents.
2. Education or Work experience
You must comply to one of the following two requirements (Option 1 or Option 2 below) to qualify for the Green Card Lottery:
OPTION 1: You must have completed a foreign equivalent of U.S. high school education "High School education or its equivalent" means the successful completion of a twelve year course of elementary and secondary education in the U.S. or successful completion in another country of a formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to complete a 12 year education in the U.S.Passage of a high school equivalency examination is not sufficient. It is permissible to have completed one's education in less than twelve years or greater than twelve years if the course of study completed is equivalent to a U.S. high school education.
OPTION 2: You must have worked in one of the occupations listed HERE for at least two years.
Proof that you satisfy these requirements should NOT be submitted when entering the Green Card Lottery but will be requested by a consular officer after your name has been selected and you formally apply for your permanent residence visa. Individuals who do not match these basic requirements should not apply in this program. You need to provide proof of education, work experience and native country only if you are selected. For this reason we do not request this information in the application form.
What is the Diversity Visa (Green Card) Lottery Program?
Each year, 50,000 immigrant visas are made available through a lottery to people who come from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. None of these visas are available for people who come from countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States in the past five years.
The State Department holds the lottery every year, and randomly selects approximately 110,000 applicants from all qualified entries. The State Department selects the approximately 110,000 applications since many will not complete the visa process. However once 50,000 are issued or the fiscal year ends, the lottery is closed.
If you receive a visa through the Diversity Visa Lottery Program you will be authorized to live and work permanently in the United States. You will also be allowed to bring your spouse and any unmarried children under the age of 21 to the United States.
The next Green Card Lottery will be for fiscal year 2008. Paper applications are no longer accepted. Persons who are selected are entitled to claim immigrant visa (Green Card) that will be issued between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009.
How Do I Apply?
Follow all directions exactly. Millions of applications are rejected each year for failure to follow the directions.
You may prepare and submit your own entry, or have someone submit the entry for you. Failure to complete the form in its entirety will disqualify your entry.
Note: In the event more than one application was filed for one applicant, the applicant will be disqualified, regardless of who submitted the entry.
You will be asked to submit the following information for the Green Card Lottery:
*Full Name
*Date of Birth
*Gender
*City/Town of Birth
*Country of Birth
*Mailing Address
*Phone Number
*Email Address
*Country of Eligibility
*Your Recent Photos
*Marriage Status
*Number of Children that are unmarried and under 21 years of age
*Spouse Information
*Children Information
