2009 Press Releases

Diversity Visa Lottery Registration Begins October 2

Freetown
Date: 2 October, 2009
Contact: PAO Danna Van Brandt
Tel: 022-515-000 or 076-515-000 

Applications for the 2011 Diversity Visa (DV) Program will be accepted from October 2 to November 30, 2009.  Applicants must use the electronic DV form at www.dvlottery.state.gov. Paper applications are not accepted and will not be considered entries to the DV lottery.  Applicants are encouraged to apply early.  Heavy demand at the end of the registration period may result in website delays.  No entries will be accepted after the deadline.
The program makes available 55,000 immigrant visas annually, randomly selected among persons who meet eligibility requirements.  The Department of State will notify winning entrants by mail.  Those selected in the random drawing are NOT notified by e-mail. Please ensure that the address provided on your application is accurate and updated.  Applications sent through an agent are more susceptible to fraud.

The Department of State uses an electronic registration system to make the DV process efficient and secure. Technology is used to identify those who commit fraud or submit multiple entries.  This year, for the first time, those who submit entries may check the status of entries online to determine if their entries are selected. Successful applicants will continue to be notified by mail.  Please ensure that the mailing address provided on your application is accurate and up to date.

To enter the lottery, you must meet either the education or work experience requirements.  To qualify through educational credentials, you must have official WASSCE or GCE "O" level results with five grades of 6 or better.  To qualify through work experience, you must have worked at least two of the last five years in an occupation requiring two years of formal training, as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor.  Qualifying occupations are those rated in Job Zone 4 or Job Zone 5 at http://online.onetcenter.org. If you cannot meet either of these requirements, you should NOT submit an entry to the DV program.

The U.S. Embassy in Freetown wants to ensure that Sierra Leoneans have the information they need to make informed decisions about the Diversity Visa (DV) program. Misinformation, misunderstanding, and outright lies from dishonest businesses and individuals cost Sierra Leoneans vast amounts time and money, and even lure applicants into participating in fraud schemes, which make them ineligible for visas for the rest of their lives.

• Applicants do not need a sponsor to apply for the DV, and they do not need to be married.  Applicants who present false documents or who have married solely for the purpose of receiving a visa will be permanently ineligible to receive a U.S. visa.
  
• There is no fee to enter the DV Lottery, but visa application fees must be paid in full prior to the visa interview. 
  
• You are not required to use an agent or an attorney to apply.  Responsibility for the accuracy of all application information lies solely with the applicant, even if someone else enters the information.
  
• This year, for the first time, the entry requires your e-mail address. However, the U.S. Government does not notify DV selectees via e-mail; any e-mail you receive telling you that you have won is fraudulent.
• If the photograph in your entry does not meet the requirements, your entry will be disqualified.
• Applicants must apply only once; if it is discovered you have entered more than once, your application will be automatically disqualified.
  

Questions about the DV process can be submitted by e-mail to the Embassy’s Consular Section at consularfreetown@state.gov.

Selected frequently asked questions (FAQs)
For additional information, please see the DV-2011 instructions, available at dvlottery.state.gov

If I win the lottery, am I guaranteed a Diversity Visa?

No, applicants who are selected in the DV lottery must then appear for an interview at the United States Embassy Consular Section, pay the visa application fee, and demonstrate that they qualify for the DV through educational or work experience.  Any misrepresentation of personal details or educational or work experience will result in a refusal of the Diversity Visa without refund and a permanent ineligibility for all United States visas.

Must I submit my own entry, or may someone act on my behalf?

You may prepare and submit your own entry, or have someone submit the entry for you.  Regardless of whether an entry is submitted by the individual directly, or assistance is provided by an attorney, friend, relative, etc., only one entry may be submitted in the name of each person, and the entrant remains responsible for ensuring that information in the entry is correct and complete.  If the entry is selected, the notification letter will be sent only to the mailing address provided on the entry.  All entrants, including those not selected, will be able to check the status of their entry through the official DV website.  Entrants should keep their own confirmation page information so that they may independently check the status of their entry.

What are the requirements for education or work experience?

The law and regulations require that every entrant must have at least a high school education or its equivalent.  In Sierra Leone, this is defined as having WASSCE or GCE-O Level scores of six (6) or higher in five (5) subjects.  To qualify based on employment you must have, within the past five years, two years of work experience in an occupation requiring at least two years’ training or experience.  Proof of education or work experience must be presented to the consular officer at the time of the visa interview.

What family members must I include on my E-DV entry?

On your entry you must list your spouse (husband or wife) and all unmarried children under 21 years of age, with the exception of children who are already U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.  You must list your spouse even if you are currently separated from him/her, unless you are legally separated (i.e., there is a written agreement recognized by a court or a court order).  If you are legally separated or divorced, you do not need to list your former spouse.  You must list all your children who are unmarried and under 21 years of age at the time of your initial e-DV entry, whether they are your natural children, your spouse’s children, or children you have formally adopted in accordance with the laws of your country, unless such child is already a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.  List all children under 21 years of age at the time of your electronic entry, even if they no longer reside with you or you do not intend for them to immigrate under the DV program.  

The fact that you have listed family members on your entry does not mean that they must travel with you.  They may choose to remain behind.  However, if you include an eligible dependent on your visa application forms that you failed to include on your original entry, your case will be disqualified.  This only applies to those who were family members at the time the original application was submitted, not those acquired at a later date.  Your spouse may still submit a separate entry, even though he or she is listed on your entry, as long as both entries include details on all dependents in your family.  See question #10 above.

Are there any fees for the e-DV program?

There is no fee for submitting an electronic lottery entry.  DV applicants must pay all required visa fees at the time of visa application directly to the consular cashier at the embassy.  Details of required DV and immigration visa application fees will be included with the instructions sent by the KCC to applicants who are selected.

Are there any changes or new requirements in the application procedures for this DV registration?

Yes, you must provide an email address this year as part of your entry, it is no longer optional.  If you are selected, you will still receive an official letter from KCC by regular mail, but KCC may send other communications to you by email.  Please provide a personal email address that you can access rather than using someone else’s address or a standard company address. 

All other requirements for DV-2011 remain the same.  The entry status check will be available for DV-2011 beginning July 1, 2010.  If you applied for the DV-2010 program, you may check the status of your entry until the end of June 2010.

Are signatures and photographs required for each family member, or only for the principal entrant?

Signatures are not required on the E-DV entry form.  Recent and individual photographs of you, your spouse, and all children under 21 years of age are required.  Family or group photographs are not accepted.  Refer to information on the photograph requirements located in the DV-2011 instructions.

Is each applicant limited to only one entry during the annual e-DV registration period? 

Yes, the law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period.  Individuals for whom more than one entry is submitted will be disqualified.  The Department of State will employ sophisticated technology and other means to identify individuals who submit multiple entries during the registration period.  People submitting more than one entry will be disqualified, and an electronic record will be permanently maintained by the Department of State.  Individuals may apply for the program each year during the regular registration period.

What occupations qualify for the DV program?

To determine eligibility based on work experience, definitions from the Department of Labor’s (DOL) O*Net online database will be used.  The O*Net database groups jobs into five “job zones.”  While many occupations are listed on the DOL website, only certain specified occupations qualify for the DV program.  To qualify for a DV on the basis of your work experience, you must have, within the past five years, two years of experience in an occupation that is designated as job zone 4 or 5, classified in a specific vocational preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher.

How will successful entrants be notified?

Notifications to those selected in the random lottery are not sent by e-mail.  Official notifications of selection are sent by regular postal mail from the KCC.  Should you receive an email notification about your e-DV selection, be aware that the message is not legitimate.  It is only after you are selected, notified by an official letter sent via postal mail, and processing begins on your case, that you may receive follow-up email communication from the KCC. The KCC will not ask you to send money to them by mail or by services such as western union.   

If I am successful in obtaining a visa through the DV program, will the U.S. government assist with my airfare to the United States, provide assistance to locate housing and employment, provide healthcare, or provide any subsidies until I am fully settled?

No, applicants who obtain a DV are not provided any type of assistance such as airfare, housing assistance, or subsidies. If you are selected to apply for a DV, you will be required to provide evidence that you will not become a public charge in the United States before being issued a visa.  This evidence may be in the form of a combination of your personal assets, an affidavit of support (form I-134) from a relative or friend residing in the United States, and/or an offer of employment from an employer in the United States.