August 26, 2003

Mandatory Electronic Filing for 2005 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program

The Department of State announced on August 18, 2003, that it would change the way that applicants may petition to participate in the Diversity Visa lottery program. Starting this year, all individuals applying for U.S. immigrant visa under the diversity lottery will have to do so electronically through a specially designated Internet website. The Department will no longer accept paper entries or mail-in requests for diversity visa applicants. The Department of State is implementing the new electronic system in order to improve efficiency in the process and make it harder for individuals to submit fraudulent applications. The new applications will require new digital photographs.

The Diversity Visa Program is administered by the Department of State. Applicants from eligible countries, as determined by the Department of Homeland Security and the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, petition the Department of State for the opportunity to apply for one of 55,000 immigrant visa made available annually. This applicants are chosen by a computer-generated random lottery drawing. The visas are then distributed among six regions.

This is a very interesting and disappointing development in the lottery program as it appears that it will preclude the filing of applications from citizens of third world countries that do not have access to the internet nor to digital photographs.

For further information on the 2005 Diversity Visa Program or other recent changes to immigration procedures please contact the GT Business Immigration Group at imminfo@gtlaw.com.