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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 194 (Thursday, October 6, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62134-62141]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-25900]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 7637]

Bureau of Consular Affairs; Registration for the Diversity 
Immigrant (DV-2013) Visa Program

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This public notice provides information on how to apply for 
the DV-2013 Program. This notice is issued pursuant to 22 CFR 
42.33(b)(3) which implements sections 201(a)(3), 201(e), 203(c), and 
204(a)(1)(I) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, (8 
U.S.C. 1151, 1153, and 1154(a)(1)(I)).

Instructions for the 2013 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2013)

    The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is administered on an annual 
basis by the Department of State and conducted under the terms of 
Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Section 
131 of the Immigration Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-649) amended INA 203 
and provides for a class of immigrants known as ``diversity 
immigrants.'' Sections 201(e) and 203(c) of the INA provide a maximum 
of 55,000 Diversity visas (DV) each fiscal year to be made available to 
persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United 
States.
    The annual DV program makes permanent residence visas available to 
persons meeting the simple, but strict, eligibility requirements. A 
computer-generated random drawing chooses selectees for DVs. The visas 
are distributed among six geographic regions, with a greater number of 
visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration, and with no 
visas going to nationals of countries that have sent more than 50,000 
immigrants to the United States during the past five years. Within each 
region, no single country may receive more than seven percent of the 
available DVs in any one year.
    For DV-2013, natives of the following countries are not eligible to 
apply because the countries sent a total of more than 50,000 immigrants 
each to the United States in the previous five years:
    Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, 
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, 
Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, The Philippines, South Korea, United 
Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and 
Vietnam.
    Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible. 
Bangladeshi natives are excluded from DV-2013, while Polish and South 
Sudanese natives are included.

Diversity Visa Registration Period

    Entries for the DV-2013 program must be submitted electronically 
between noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), Tuesday, October 4, 
2011, and noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), Saturday, November 
5, 2011. Applicants may access the electronic DV entry form (E-DV) at 
http://www.dvlottery.state.gov during the registration period. Paper 
entries are not accepted. Applicants should not wait until the last 
week of the registration period to enter. Heavy demand may result in 
Web site delays. No entries will be accepted after noon, EDT, on 
November 5, 2011.

Requirements for Entry

    To register for the DV-2013 program, you must be a native of one of 
the listed countries. See the ``List of Countries by Region Whose 
Natives Qualify'' below. In most cases, this means the country in which 
you were born. However, there are two other ways you may be able to 
qualify. First, if you were born in a country whose natives are 
ineligible but your spouse was born in a country whose natives are 
eligible, you can claim your spouse's country of birth, provided both 
you and your spouse are listed on the selected entry, are issued visas, 
and enter the United States simultaneously. Second, if you were born in 
a country whose natives are ineligible, but neither of your parents was 
born there or resided there at the time of your birth, you may claim 
nativity in one of your parents' country of birth, if it is a country 
whose natives qualify for the DV-2013 program.
    To enter the DV program, you must meet either the program's 
education or work experience requirements. You must have either a high 
school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of 
a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education; OR, two years 
of work experience within the past five years in an occupation 
requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform. The 
U.S. Department of Labor's O*Net OnLine database at http://www.onetonline.org/ will be used to determine qualifying work 
experience. For more information about qualifying work experience, see 
Frequently Asked Question 13 below. If you cannot meet either 
of these requirements, you should not submit an entry to the DV 
program.

Procedures for Submitting an Entry to DV-2013

    The Department of State will only accept completed E-DV entry forms 
submitted electronically at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov during the 
registration period between noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), 
Tuesday, October 4, 2011, and noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4) 
Saturday, November 5, 2011.
    We will disqualify ALL entries for an individual if more than ONE 
entry is received for that individual, regardless of who submitted the 
entries. You may prepare and submit your own entry, or have someone 
submit the entry for you. A successfully registered entry will result 
in the display of a confirmation screen containing your name and a 
unique confirmation number. You should print this confirmation screen 
for your records and keep this information until at least June 30, 
2013. You will be able to check the status of your DV-2013 entry by 
returning to the Web site and entering your unique confirmation number 
and personal information. Paper entries are not accepted.
    You must submit all required photographs. If you do not, your entry 
will be disqualified. Submit recent photographs electronically with the 
E-DV entry form of: you; your spouse; each unmarried child under 21 
years of age at the time of your electronic entry, including all 
natural children as well as all legally-adopted children and 
stepchildren, even if a child no longer resides with you or you do not 
intend for a child to immigrate under the DV program. You do not need 
to submit a photo for a child who is already a U.S. citizen or Legal 
Permanent Resident.
    We will not accept group or family photographs; you must include a 
separate photograph for each family member. Failure to submit the 
required photographs for your spouse and each child listed will result 
in an incomplete entry to the E-DV system. We will not accept the entry 
and you will have to resubmit another entry. If you fail to submit the 
correct photograph of each individual, your application, along with 
those of all of your derivatives, will be disqualified at the time of 
the visa interview.
    A digital photograph (image) of you, your spouse, and each child 
must be

[[Page 62135]]

submitted online with the E-DV entry form. The image file can be 
produced either by taking a new digital photograph or by scanning a 
photographic print with a digital scanner.
    Entries are subject to disqualification and visa refusal for cases 
in which the photographs are not recent, have been manipulated, or fail 
to meet the specifications explained below.

Instructions for Submitting a Digital Photograph (Image)

    The image file must adhere to the following compositional 
specifications and technical specifications, and can be produced by 
taking a new digital image or using a digital scanner to scan a 
submitted photograph. Entrants may test their photos for suitability 
through the photo validator link on the E-DV Web site before submitting 
their entries. The photo validator provides additional technical advice 
on photo composition, along with examples of acceptable and 
unacceptable photos.

Compositional Specifications

    The submitted digital image must conform to the following 
compositional specifications or the entry will be disqualified: The 
person being photographed must directly face the camera; the person's 
head should not be tilted up, down, or to the side; the head height or 
facial region size (measured from the top of the head, including the 
hair, to the bottom of the chin) must be between 50 percent and 69 
percent of the image's total height. The eye height (measured from the 
bottom of the image to the level of the eyes) should be between 56 
percent and 69 percent of the image's height; the photograph should be 
taken with the person in front of a neutral, light-colored background; 
dark or patterned backgrounds are not acceptable; the photograph must 
be in focus; photos in which the person being photographed is wearing 
sunglasses or other items that detract from the face will not be 
accepted; photographs of applicants wearing head coverings or hats are 
only acceptable if the head covering is worn for religious beliefs, and 
even then, the head covering may not obscure any portion of the face of 
the applicant. We will not accept photographs of applicants with tribal 
or other headgear not specifically religious in nature; we will not 
accept photographs of military, airline, or other personnel wearing 
hats.
    Color photographs in 24-bit color depth are required. Photographs 
may be downloaded from a camera to a computer file, or scanned to a 
computer file. If you are using a scanner, the settings must be for 
True Color or 24-bit color mode. Color photographs must be scanned at 
this setting for the requirements of the DV program. See the additional 
scanning requirements below.

Technical Specifications

    The submitted digital photograph must conform to the following 
specifications or the system will automatically reject the E-DV entry 
form and notify the sender.
    When taking a new digital image: The image file format must be in 
the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format; it must have a 
maximum image file size of 240 KB; the minimum acceptable image 
resolution and dimensions are 600 pixels (width) x 600 pixels (height). 
Image pixel dimensions must be in a square aspect ratio (meaning the 
height must be equal to the width). The image color depth must be 24-
bit color. [Note: Color photographs are required. Black and white, 
monochrome images (2-bit color depth), 8-bit color, or 8-bit grayscale 
will not be accepted.]
    Before a photographic print is scanned, it must meet the 
compositional specifications listed above. If the photographic print 
meets the print color and compositional specifications, scan the print 
using the following scanner specifications: Scanner resolution must be 
at least 300 dots per inch (dpi); the image file format in JPEG format; 
the maximum image file size must be 240 KB; the image resolution 600 by 
600 pixels; the image color depth 24-bit color. [Note that black and 
white, monochrome, or grayscale images will not be accepted.]

Information Required for the Electronic Entry

    There is only one way to enter the DV-2013 program. You must submit 
the DS-5501, the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form (E-DV entry 
form), which is accessible only online at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov. Failure to complete the form in its entirety 
will disqualify your entry. To ensure that the form is completed 
accurately, the Department of State strongly encourages applicants to 
complete the application without the assistance of ``Visa 
Consultants,'' ``Visa Agents,'' or other individuals who offer to 
submit the forms on behalf of applicants.
    Those who submit E-DV entries will be asked to include the 
following information on the E-DV entry form:
    1. Full Name--Last/Family Name, First Name, Middle Name.
    2. Date of Birth--Day, Month, Year.
    3. Gender--Male or Female.
    4. City Where You Were Born.
    5. Country Where You Were Born--The name of the country should be 
the name currently in use for the place where you were born.
    6. Country of Eligibility or Chargeability for the DV Program--Your 
country of eligibility will normally be the same as your country of 
birth. Your country of eligibility is not related to where you live. If 
you were born in a country that is not eligible for the DV program, 
please review the instructions to see if there is another option for 
country of chargeability available for you. For additional information 
on chargeability, please review ``Frequently Asked Question 
1'' of these instructions below.
    7. Entry Photograph(s)--See the technical information on photograph 
specifications. Make sure you include photographs of your spouse and 
all your children, if applicable. See Frequently Asked Question 
3 below.
    8. Mailing Address--In Care of, Address Line 1, Address Line 2, 
City/Town, District/Country/Province/State, Postal Code/Zip Code, and 
Country.
    9. Country Where You Live Today.
    10. Phone Number (optional).
    11. E-mail Address--Provide an e-mail address to which you have 
direct access rather than using someone else's address or a standard 
company address. Notifications to those selected in the DV program are 
not sent by e-mail. Official notifications of selection will be made 
through Entrant Status Check (ESC), available from May 1, 2012, on the 
E-DV Web site http://www.dvlottery.state.gov. E-mail or mail 
notifications about your E-DV selection are not legitimate. You may 
receive follow-up e-mail communication from the Department of State 
informing you to review ESC for new information about your application.
    12. What is the highest level of education you have achieved, as of 
today? You must indicate which one of the following represents your own 
highest level of educational achievement: (1) Primary school only, (2) 
High school, no degree, (3) High school degree, (4) Vocational school, 
(5) Some university courses, (6) University degree, (7) Some graduate 
level courses, (8) Master's degree, (9) Some doctorate level courses, 
and (10) Doctorate degree.
    13. Marital Status--Unmarried, married, divorced, widowed, legally 
separated.
    14. Number of Children: Entries must include the name, date, and 
place of birth of your spouse and all natural children, as well as all 
legally adopted children and stepchildren who are unmarried and under 
the age of 21 on

[[Page 62136]]

the date of your electronic entry (do not include children who are 
already U.S. citizens or Legal Permanent Residents), even if you are no 
longer legally married to the child's parent, and even if the spouse or 
child does not currently reside with you and/or will not immigrate with 
you. Note that married children and children 21 years or older are not 
eligible derivatives for a DV; however, they may submit their own 
electronic DV entries. Additionally, U.S. law protects children from 
``aging out'' in certain circumstances. If your electronic DV entry is 
submitted before your unmarried child turns 21, and the child turns 21 
before visa issuance, he/she might be protected from aging out by the 
Child Status Protection Act and be treated as though he/she were under 
21 for visa-processing purposes. If you fail to list all eligible 
children, your application, along with all of your dependents, will be 
disqualified at the time of the visa interview. See Frequently Asked 
Question 11 below.
    15. Spouse Information--Name, Date of Birth, Gender, City/Town of 
Birth, Country of Birth, and Photograph. Failure to list your spouse 
will result in disqualification of the principal applicant, and refusal 
of all visa applications in the case at the time of the visa interview.
    16. Children Information--Name, Date of Birth, Gender, City/Town of 
Birth, Country of Birth, and Photograph. Include all children declared 
in question 14 above.

Selection of Applicants

    The Department of State will use computer software to randomly 
select individuals from among all qualified entries. Starting May 1, 
2012, entrants may enter their DV-2013 entry confirmation number into 
the Entrant Status Check (ESC) available at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov to find out whether their entries were selected 
or not. The notification information provided on the site will provide 
further instructions for selectees, including fee information. Those 
selected in the random drawing are not notified by e-mail. You must 
logon to http://www.dvlottery.state.gov and enter your confirmation 
number into the ESC to receive information regarding your entry. 
Applicants must go to http://www.dvlottery.state.gov to confirm their 
selection status and to receive further instructions. U.S. embassies 
and consulates will not be able to provide a list of successful 
entrants. Successful entrants' spouses and unmarried children under age 
21 also may apply for Diversity Visas to accompany or follow-to-join 
the principal applicant. DV-2013 visas will be issued between October 
1, 2012, and September 30, 2013. Selectees who provide information 
requested in the notification instructions will be informed of their 
visa interview appointment through the Entrant Status Check on the E-DV 
Web site four to six weeks before the scheduled interviews with U.S. 
consular officers at overseas posts. Each month, visas will be issued 
to those applicants who are ready for issuance during that month, visa-
number availability permitting. Applicants can compare their rank order 
number to the cut-off number shown for each region under the DV section 
of the Visa Bulletin (http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_1360.html). Once all of the 50,000 DVs have been issued, the 
program will end. Visa numbers could be exhausted before September 30, 
2013, since the number of selected entries is more than 50,000. 
Selected applicants who wish to receive visas must act promptly.
    Processing of entries and issuance of DVs to successful individuals 
and their eligible family members must occur by midnight, Eastern 
Daylight Time (EDT) on September 30, 2013. Under no circumstances can 
DVs be issued or adjustments approved after this date, nor can family 
members obtain DVs to follow-to-join the principal applicant in the 
United States after this date.
    In order to receive a DV to immigrate to the United States, those 
chosen in the random drawing must meet ALL eligibility requirements 
under U.S. law. These requirements may significantly increase the level 
of scrutiny required and time necessary for processing for natives of 
some countries listed in this notice, including, but not limited to, 
countries identified as state sponsors of terrorism.

Important Notice

    No fee is charged to enter the annual DV program. The U.S. 
government employs no outside consultants or private services to 
operate the DV program. Any intermediaries or others who offer 
assistance to prepare DV entries do so without the authority or consent 
of the U.S. government. Use of any outside intermediary or assistance 
to prepare a DV entry is entirely at the entrant's discretion.
    A qualified electronic entry submitted directly by an applicant has 
an equal chance of being randomly selected as does a qualified 
electronic entry received from an outside intermediary on behalf of the 
applicant. However, receipt of more than one entry per person will 
disqualify the person from registration, regardless of the source of 
the entry.

Frequently Asked Questions About E-DV Registration

 1. What do the terms ``Eligibility,'' ``Native,'' and 
``Chargeability'' mean? Are there any situations in which persons who 
were not born in a qualifying country may apply?

    Your country of eligibility will normally be the same as your 
country of birth. Your country of eligibility is not related to where 
you live. ``Native'' ordinarily means someone born in a particular 
country, regardless of the individual's current country of residence or 
nationality. For immigration purposes, ``native'' can also mean someone 
who is entitled to be ``charged'' to a country other than the one in 
which he/she was born under the provisions of Section 202(b) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act. For example, if you were born in a 
country that is not eligible for this year's DV program, you may claim 
chargeability to the country where your derivative spouse was born, but 
you will not be issued a DV-1 unless your spouse is also eligible for 
and issued a DV-2 (derivative visa), and both of you must enter the 
United States together. In a similar manner, a minor dependent child 
can be ``charged'' to a parent's country of birth.
    Finally, if you were born in a country not eligible to participate 
in this year's DV program, you can be ``charged'' to the country of 
birth of either of your parents as long as neither parent was a 
resident of the ineligible country at the time of the your birth. In 
general, you are not considered a resident of a country in which you 
were neither born nor legally naturalized if you only visited the 
country, studied in the country temporarily, or were stationed 
temporarily in the country for business or professional reasons on 
behalf of a company or government from a country other than the country 
in which you were born. If you claim alternate chargeability, you must 
indicate such information on the E-DV electronic online entry form, in 
question 6. Please be aware that listing an incorrect country 
of eligibility or chargeability (i.e., one to which you cannot 
establish a valid claim) will disqualify your entry in most situations.

2. What are the procedures for this Diversity Visa registration?

    The ESC page available on the E-DV Web site http://www.dvlottery.state.gov will be the sole means by which you will be 
notified of your selection, or that

[[Page 62137]]

you were not selected. The Department will not mail you official 
notification letters, but will instead include instructions on how to 
follow up on your selection and pursue a DV visa application on your 
confirmation page. You will also be informed of your DV visa interview 
appointment date through the ESC page. The Department of State will not 
send anyone letters by mail informing them of their interview 
appointment.
    The ESC page will be available for DV-2013 beginning May 1, 2012. 
If you applied for the previous year's DV-2012 program, you may check 
the status of your entry until June 30, 2012. All other requirements 
for DV-2013 remain the same.

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

    Signatures are not required on the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry 
Form. Recent and individual photographs of you, your spouse, and all 
children under 21 years of age (who are neither U.S. citizens nor Legal 
Permanent Residents) are required. Family or group photographs are not 
accepted. Please refer to information on the photograph requirements 
located in this notice.

4. Why do natives of certain countries not qualify for the diversity 
program?

    DVs are intended to provide an immigration opportunity for persons 
from countries other than the countries that send large numbers of 
immigrants to the United States. The law states that no DVs shall be 
provided for natives of ``high admission'' countries. The law defines 
this to mean countries from which a total of 50,000 persons in the 
Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based visa categories immigrated to the 
United States during the period of the previous five years. Each year, 
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) adds the family and 
employment immigrant admission figures for the previous five years in 
order to identify the countries whose natives will be ineligible for 
the annual diversity program. Because there is a separate determination 
made before each annual E-DV entry period, the list of countries whose 
natives are not eligible may change from one year to the next.

5. What is the numerical limit for DV-2013?

    By law, the U.S. diversity immigration program makes available a 
maximum of 55,000 permanent residence visas each year to eligible 
persons. However, the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief 
Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulates that 
beginning as early as DV-1999, and for as long as necessary, up to 
5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated DVs will be made available for 
use under the NACARA program. The actual reduction of the limit by up 
to 5,000 DVs began with DV-2000 and is likely to remain in effect 
through the DV-2013 program.

6. What are the regional diversity visa (dv) limits for DV-2013?

    The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) determines 
the DV regional limits for each year according to a formula specified 
in Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Once 
the USCIS has completed the calculations, the regional visa limits will 
be announced.

7. When will entries for the DV-2013 program be accepted?

    The DV-2013 entry period will run through the registration period 
listed above. Each year millions of people apply for the program during 
the registration period. The massive volume of entries creates an 
enormous amount of work in selecting and processing successful 
individuals. Holding the entry period from October 4, 2011, until 
November 5, 2011, will ensure that selectees are notified in a timely 
manner, and gives both the visa applicants and our embassies and 
consulates time to prepare and complete cases for visa issuance. You 
are strongly encouraged to enter early in the registration period, 
since excessive demand at the end of the registration period may slow 
the system down. We will accept no entries after noon EDT Saturday, 
November 5, 2011.

8. May persons who are in the United States apply for the program?

    Yes, you may submit an entry while in the United States or in any 
another country.

9. 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. Those 
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.

10. May a husband and a wife each submit a separate entry?

    Yes, a husband and a wife may each submit one entry if each meets 
the eligibility requirements. If either is selected, the other is 
entitled to derivative status.

11. 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 Legal 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 electronic 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 Legal 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 later 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.

12. 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

[[Page 62138]]

information in the entry is correct and complete. All entrants, 
including those not selected, will be able to check the status of their 
entry through the official DV Web site. Entrants should keep their own 
confirmation page information until at least June 30, 2013, so they may 
independently check the status of their entry.

13. 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 or have, within the 
past five years, two years of work experience in an occupation 
requiring at least two years' training or experience. A ``high school 
education or equivalent'' is defined as successful completion of a 
twelve-year course of elementary and secondary education in the United 
States or successful completion in another country of a formal course 
of elementary and secondary education comparable to a high school 
education in the United States. Only formal courses of study meet this 
requirement; correspondence programs or equivalency certificates (such 
as the G.E.D.) are not acceptable. Documentary proof of education or 
work experience must be presented to the consular officer at the time 
of the visa interview.
    What Occupations qualify for the Diversity Visa Program? To 
determine eligibility based on work experience, definitions from the 
Department of Labor's (DOL) O*Net Online Database http://www.onetonline.org/ will be used. The O*Net Online Database groups job 
experience into five ``job zones.'' While many occupations are listed 
on the DOL Web site, only certain specified occupations qualify for the 
Diversity Visa Program. To qualify for a Diversity Visa 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 Do I Find the Qualifying Occupations on the Department of Labor 
Web site? Qualifying DV Occupations are shown on the Department of 
Labor O*Net Online Database. Follow these steps to find out if your 
occupation qualifies: Select ``Find Occupations'' and then select a 
specific ``Job Family.'' For example, select Architecture and 
Engineering and click ``GO.'' Then click on the link for the specific 
Occupation. Following the same example, click Aerospace Engineers. 
After selecting a specific Occupation link, select the tab ``Job Zone'' 
to find out the designated Job Zone number and Specific Vocational 
Preparation (SVP) rating range.

14. How will successful entrants be selected?

    The Department will individually number all entries received from 
each region. After the end of the registration period, a computer 
program will randomly select entries from among all the entries 
received for each geographic region. Within each region, the first 
entry randomly selected will be the first case registered; the second 
entry selected the second registration, etc. All entries received 
during the registration period will have an equal chance of being 
selected within each region. Beginning May 1, 2012, selected entrants 
will be able to receive further instructions at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/. The Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) will 
continue to process the case until those selected to be visa applicants 
are instructed to appear for visa interviews at a U.S. consular office, 
or until those qualifying to change status in the United States apply 
at a domestic USCIS office.

    Important Note:  Notifications to those randomly selected will 
not include information about your application. Should you receive 
an e-mail or mail notification that mentions the status of your E-DV 
selection, be aware that the message is not legitimate. You may 
receive a follow-up e-mail communication from the Department of 
State informing you to review ESC for new information about your 
application. We will not ask you to send money by mail or by 
services such as Western Union, in any e-mail generated by the 
Department of State.

15. May selectees adjust their status with USCIS?

    Yes, provided they are otherwise eligible to adjust status under 
the terms of Section 245 of the INA, selected individuals who are 
physically present in the United States may apply to the USCIS for 
adjustment of status to permanent resident. Applicants must ensure that 
USCIS can complete action on their cases, including processing of any 
overseas derivatives, before September 30, 2013, since on that date 
registrations for the DV-2013 program expire. No visa numbers for the 
DV-2013 program will be available after midnight on September 30, 2013, 
under any circumstances.

16. Will entrants who are not selected be informed?

    All entrants, including those not selected, may check the status of 
their entry through the E-DV Web site and find out if their entry was 
or was not selected. Entrants should print and keep their own 
confirmation page information from the time of their entry until at 
least June 30, 2013. (Status information for the previous DV program, 
DV-2012, is available online until June 30, 2012.)

17. How many individuals will be selected?

    There are 50,000 DV visas available for DV-2013, but more than that 
number of individuals will be selected. Because it is likely that some 
of the first 50,000 persons who are selected will not qualify for visas 
or pursue their cases to visa issuance, more than 50,000 entries will 
be selected by the Department of State to ensure that all of the 
available DV visas are issued. However, this also means that there will 
not be a sufficient number of visas for all those who are initially 
selected. All applicants who are selected will be informed promptly of 
their place on the list. Interviews for the DV-2013 program will begin 
in October 2012. The Kentucky Consular Center will notify selected 
applicants via the ESC on the E-DV Program Web site, http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/, four to six weeks before the scheduled 
interviews with U.S. consular officers at overseas posts. Selectees 
will receive e-mail communications from the Department of State 
alerting them that a visa appointment has been scheduled after they 
have responded to the notification instructions on the ESC. Such e-
mails will direct selectees to check their interview appointment 
details on ESC and will not contain information on the actual 
appointment date and time. Each month visas will be issued to those 
applicants who are ready for issuance during that month, visa number 
availability permitting. Once all of the 50,000 DV visas have been 
issued, the program for the year will end. Thus, visa numbers could be 
exhausted before September 30, 2013. Selected applicants who wish to 
receive visas must be prepared to act promptly on their cases. Random 
selection by the Department of State's computer software program does 
not automatically guarantee that you will receive a visa. You must 
qualify for the visa as well.

18. Is There a minimum age for applicants to apply for the E-DV 
program?

    There is no minimum age to apply for the program, but the 
requirement of a high school education or work experience for each 
principal applicant at the time of application will effectively 
disqualify most persons who are under age 18.

[[Page 62139]]

19. Are there any fees for the E-DV program?

    There is no fee for submitting an E-DV program entry. DV applicants 
must pay all required visa fees at the time of visa application 
directly to the consular cashier at the embassy or consulate. Details 
of required diversity visa and immigration visa application fees will 
be included on the ESC.

20. Do DV applicants receive waivers of any grounds of visa 
ineligibility or receive special processing for a waiver application?

    Applicants are subject to all grounds of ineligibility for 
immigrant visas specified in the Immigration and Nationality Act. There 
are no special provisions for the waiver of any ground of visa 
ineligibility aside from those ordinarily provided in the Act, nor is 
there special processing for waiver requests. Some general waiver 
provisions for individuals with close relatives who are U.S. Citizens 
or Lawful Permanent Resident aliens may be available to DV applicants 
as well, but the time constraints in the DV program will make it 
difficult for applicants to benefit from such provisions.

21. May persons who are already registered for an immigrant visa in 
another category apply for the DV program?

    Yes, such persons may apply for the DV program.

22. How long do applicants who are selected remain entitled to apply 
for visas in the DV category?

    Persons selected in the DV-2013 program are entitled to apply for 
visa issuance only during fiscal year 2013, from October 1, 2012, 
through September 30, 2013. Applicants must obtain the DV visa or 
adjust status by the end of the fiscal year. There is no carry-over of 
DV benefits into the next year for persons who are selected but who do 
not obtain visas by September 30, 2013 (the end of the fiscal year.) 
Also, spouses and children who derive status from a DV-2013 
registration can only obtain visas in the DV category between October 
1, 2012, and September 30, 2013. Applicants who apply overseas will 
receive an appointment notification through the ESC Web site, from the 
Department of State four to six weeks before the scheduled appointment.

23. If an E-DV selectee dies, what happens to the DV case?

    The death of an individual selected in the DV program will result 
in the automatic revocation of the DV case. Any eligible spouse and/or 
children are no longer entitled to the DV visa for that entry.

24. When will E-DV online be available?

    Online entry will be available during the registration period 
beginning at noon EDT (GMT-4) on October 4, 2011, and ending at noon 
EDT (GMT-4) on November 5, 2011.

25. Will I be able to download and save the E-DV entry form to a 
Microsoft Word Program (or other suitable program) and then fill it 
out?

    No, you will not be able to save the form into another program for 
completion and submission later. The E-DV Entry Form is a Web form 
only. This makes it more ``universal'' than a proprietary word 
processor format. Additionally, it does require that the information be 
filled in and submitted while online.

26. If I don't have access to a scanner, can I send photographs to my 
relative in the United States to scan the photographs, save the 
photographs to a diskette, and then mail the diskette back to me to 
apply?

    Yes, as long as the photograph meets the photograph requirements in 
the instructions and the photograph is electronically submitted with, 
and at the same time as, the E-DV online entry is submitted. The 
applicants must already have the scanned photograph file when they 
submit the entry online. The photograph cannot be submitted separately 
from the online application. Only one online entry can be submitted per 
person. Multiple submissions will disqualify the entry for that person 
for DV-2013. The entire entry (photograph and application together) can 
be submitted electronically from the United States or from overseas.

27. Can I save the form online so that I can fill out part and then 
come back later and complete the remainder?

    No. The E-DV Entry Form is designed to be completed and submitted 
at one time. However, because the form is in two parts, and because of 
possible network interruptions and delays, the E-DV system is designed 
to permit up to sixty (60) minutes between the form's download and when 
the entry is received at the E-DV Web site. If more than sixty minutes 
elapse and the entry has not been electronically received, the 
information already received is discarded. This is done so that there 
is no possibility that a full entry could accidentally be interpreted 
as a duplicate of a previous partial entry. The DV-2013 instructions 
explain clearly and completely what information is required to fill in 
the form. Thus you can be fully prepared, making sure you have all of 
the information needed before you start completing the form online.

28. If the submitted digital images do not conform to the 
specifications, the procedures state that the system will automatically 
reject the E-DV entry form and notify the sender. does this mean I will 
be able re-submit my entry?

    Yes. Since the entry was automatically rejected, it was not 
actually considered as submitted to the E-DV Web site. It does not 
count as a submitted E-DV entry, and no confirmation notice of receipt 
is sent. If there are problems with the digital photograph sent, 
because it does not conform to the requirements, it is automatically 
rejected by the E-DV Web site. However, the amount of time it takes the 
rejection message to reach the sender is unpredictable given the nature 
of the Internet. If the problem can be fixed by the applicant, and the 
Form Part One or Two is resent within sixty (60) minutes, there is no 
problem. Otherwise, the applicant will have to restart the submission 
process. An applicant can try to submit an application as many times as 
is necessary until a complete application is received and the 
confirmation notice sent.

29. Will the electronic confirmation notice that the completed E-DV 
entry form has been received through the online system be sent 
immediately after submission?

    The response from the E-DV Web site which contains confirmation of 
the receipt of an acceptable E-DV Entry Form is sent by the E-DV Web 
site immediately. However, how long it takes the response to reach the 
sender is unpredictable because of the nature of the Internet. If many 
minutes have elapsed since pressing the `Submit' button, there is no 
harm in pressing the `Submit' button a second time. The E-DV system 
will not be confused by a situation where the `Submit' button is hit a 
second time, because you received no confirmation response. You can try 
to submit an application as many times as is necessary until a complete 
application is received and the confirmation notice sent. However, once 
you receive a confirmation notice, do not resubmit your information.

[[Page 62140]]

30. How will I know if the notification of selection that I have 
received is authentic? How can I confirm that I have in fact been 
chosen in the random DV selection?

    Keep and print your confirmation page until at least June 30, 2013. 
You will need your confirmation number to access information through 
the ESC available on the E-DV Web site http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/. 
The ESC will be the sole means by which DV-2013 entrants are notified 
of their selection, provided instructions on how to proceed with their 
application, and notified of their immigrant visa interview appointment 
date and time.
    Status information will be available from May 1, 2012. If you lose 
your confirmation information, you will not be able to check your DV 
entry status, and we will not resend the confirmation page information 
to you. Only the randomly selected individuals will be given additional 
instructions on how to pursue their DV visa application. You may verify 
non-selection through entering your confirmation number on the ESC, but 
you will receive no further instructions. We will NOT forward the 
confirmation page information to you. U.S. Embassies and Consulates 
will NOT provide a list of those selected to continue the visa process.
    Randomly selected entrants will receive notification instructions 
for the DV visa application process on the selectee confirmation page 
available through ESC on the E-DV Web site http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/. The instructions note that selected 
applicants will pay all diversity and immigrant visa fees in person 
only at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate at the time of the visa 
application. The consular cashier immediately gives the visa applicant 
a U.S. government receipt for payment. Selected applicants applying for 
an immigrant visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate should never send 
money for DV fees through the mail, Western Union, or any other 
delivery service. Selected applicants who are already present in the 
United States, and who file for adjustment of status, will receive 
separate instructions on how to mail DV fees to a U.S. bank.
    The E-DV entries are submitted on the Internet, on the official 
U.S. government E-DV Web site at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/. The 
Department of State will not send notification letters to the selected 
applicants. The U.S. government has never sent e-mails to notify 
individuals they have been selected, and there are no plans to use e-
mail for this purpose for the DV-2013 program. Selectees will only 
receive e-mail communications from the Department alerting them to 
perform an ESC. Such e-mails will direct selectees to check their 
interview appointment details on ESC and will not contain information 
on the actual appointment date and time.
    The Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs advises the 
public that only Internet sites including the ``.gov'' domain suffix 
are official government Web sites. Many other non-governmental Web 
sites (e.g., using the suffixes``.com'' or ``.org'' or ``.net'') 
provide immigration and visa related information and services. 
Regardless of the content of non-governmental Web sites, the Department 
of State does not endorse, recommend, or sponsor any information or 
material shown at these other Web sites.
    Some Web sites may try to mislead customers and members of the 
public into thinking they are official Web sites and may contact you by 
e-mail to lure you to their offers. These Web sites may attempt to 
require you to pay for services such as forms and information about 
immigration procedures, which are otherwise free on the Department of 
State's Visa Services Web site or through U.S. embassy consular 
sections' Web sites. Additionally, these other Web sites may require 
you to pay for services you will not receive (such as fees for DV 
immigration applications and visas.) Also, you should be wary of 
sending any personal information to these Web sites that might be used 
for identity fraud/theft.

31. How do I report internet fraud or unsolicited e-mail?

    If you wish to file a complaint about Internet fraud, please see 
the econsumer.gov Web site, hosted by the Federal Trade Commission, in 
cooperation with consumer protection agencies from 17 nations (http://www.econsumer.gov/english/). You may also report fraud to the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center. To file 
a complaint about unsolicited e-mail, contact the Department of Justice 
Contact Us page.

32. 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 visa are not provided any type of 
assistance such as airfare, housing assistance, or subsidies. If you 
are selected to apply for a DV visa, you will be required, to provide 
evidence that you will not become a public charge in the United States. 
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.

List of Countries By Region Whose Natives Are Eligible for DV-2013

    The lists below show the countries whose natives are eligible for 
DV-2013, grouped by geographic region. Dependent areas overseas are 
included within the region of the governing country. The countries 
whose natives are not eligible for the DV-2013 program were identified 
by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) according to 
the formula in Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. 
The countries whose natives are not eligible for this diversity program 
(because they are the principal source countries of Family-Sponsored 
and Employment-Based immigration or ``high admission'' countries) are 
noted after the respective regional lists.

Africa

Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Congo
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia, The
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria

[[Page 62141]]

Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
    Persons born in the Gaza Strip are chargeable to Egypt.

Asia

Afghanistan
Bahrain
Bhutan
Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
East Timor
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Japan
Jordan
Kuwait
Laos
Lebanon
Malaysia
Maldives
Mongolia
Nepal
North Korea
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Syria
Taiwan
Thailand
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
    Natives of the following Asian countries are not eligible for this 
year's diversity program: Bangladesh, China [mainland-born], India, 
Pakistan, South Korea, Philippines, and Vietnam. Hong Kong S.A.R. and 
Taiwan do qualify and are listed above. Macau S.A.R. also qualifies and 
is listed below. Persons born in the areas administered prior to June 
1967 by Israel, Jordan and Syria are chargeable, respectively, to 
Israel, Jordan and Syria.

Europe

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark (including components
and dependent areas overseas)
Estonia
Finland
France (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic
Macau Special Administrative Region
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Northern Ireland
Norway
Poland
Portugal (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Romania
Russia
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tajikistan
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Vatican City
    Natives of Great Britain are not eligible for this year's diversity 
program. Great Britain (United Kingdom) includes the following 
dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman 
Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena, 
and Turks and Caicos Islands. Note that for purposes of the diversity 
program only, Northern Ireland is treated separately; Northern Ireland 
does qualify and is listed among the qualifying areas.

North America

The Bahamas
    In North America, natives of Canada and Mexico are not eligible for 
this year's diversity program.

Oceania

Australia (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Fiji
Kiribati
Marshall Islands
Micronesia, Federated States of Nauru
New Zealand (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu

South America, Central America, and the Caribbean

Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Chile
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay
Venezuela
    Countries in this region whose natives are not eligible for this 
year's diversity program:
    Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, 
Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, and Peru.

    Dated: September 28, 2011.
Michael D. Kirby,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2011-25900 Filed 10-5-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-06-P
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