Press Releases
U.S. GREEN CARD LOTTERY NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS!
50,000 from around the world will win Green Cards
Colombo, October 2, 2009: The U.S. Embassy in Colombo is pleased to announce that the 2011 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program, popularly known as the Green Card Lottery, will be accepting on-line applications starting on October 2, 2009. The Diversity Visa Lottery allows 50,000 randomly selected applicants an opportunity to legally live and work or study in the United States each year, so long as they are selected and are born in a qualifying country (Sri Lanka and the Maldives both qualify) and that they meet either an educational or work experience qualification.
In order to register for the Diversity Visa Lottery, please visit www.dvlottery.state.gov. For more information about the program, as well as detailed instructions in English, Sinhala and Tamil, please see the US Embassy Colombo’s website at: http://srilanka.usembassy.gov/visas/diversity-visa-lottery-program.html. Registration for the Diversity Visa Lottery is completely free. The lottery registration period will be open from October 2 to November 30, 2009. Individuals wishing to participate in the visa lottery are strongly urged to apply early to avoid any possible delays. An applicant may only register ONCE; more than one entry will result in automatic disqualification.
The Department of State Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky, will notify the lottery winners by mail between May and July, 2010. In addition, entrants can also check online at www.dvlottery.state.gov starting about July 2010 to see if they are winners. At no time will a winner ever be contacted by email or telephone informing them that they are a winner of the lottery. If they qualify, they will then have a one-year window in which they may immigrate to the United States.
Important Notice
The U.S. Government does not employ anyone outside of the U.S. Government to operate the visa lottery program. Any companies or intermediaries who offer assistance to prepare Diversity Visa applications do so without the authority or consent of the U.S. Government. Beware of persons or companies making claims of affiliation with the U.S. Government or promising improved odds of selection. Use of any outside intermediary or assistance to prepare a DV entry is entirely at the applicant's discretion. Every entry received during the lottery registration period will have an equal random chance of being selected within its region. However, receipt of more than one entry per person will disqualify the person from registration, regardless of the source of the entry.