US State Department to start accepting diversity visa applications from 4 October for FY 2018

The United States State Department has announced that starting from 4 October it will accept applications for the FY 2018 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, also known as the DV (diversity visa) lottery. Selected and approved applicants would be eligible to apply for a green card commencing 1 October 2018.

Every year, 50,000 immigrant visa applications are randomly picked up by the State Department through a lottery system from a pool of overseas applicants belonging to certain countries, which have seen low levels of immigration to the US. The diversity visa applications for FY2018 will be accepted between 4 October and 7 November.

Applicants chosen in the lottery need to fulfil certain requirements in order to be eligible to apply for a green card.

According to Mondaq, applicants need to have been born in countries with very low immigration rates to America.

Citizens of countries such as mainland China, India, Haiti, Canada, Bangladesh, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, El Salvador, Vietnam Jamaica, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, United Kingdom (excepting Northern Ireland), Mexico and South Korea are not eligible to apply for a DV for FY 2018.

Meanwhile, Ecuador nationals, who were earlier not eligible for DV, can now apply for the same. Individual born in an ineligible country, however, can apply for a DV through his/her spouse or parent, if either of those was born in an eligible nation.

All DV applicants should have had a minimum of high school education or its equivalent or a work experience of two years in a position that requires minimum two years of training or education or experience. The State Department is urging applicants to shun dithering to apply since huge demand in their application system and the other technical errors may lead to delays. Starting from 2 May 2017, applicants would be able to find out if they have been selected in the lottery.

If you want to migrate to the US, contact Y-Axis to avail guidance and assistance to file for a visa from one of its 19 offices located in eight major cities of India.