Dear Readers:
As we do every year, we are sending out a special issue this week of Siskind’s Immigration Bulletin regarding the annual Diversity Visa Lottery. The program has been around for years and never seems to be exactly the same from one year to another. But the DV-2004 lottery that will occur this coming October does closely resemble the DV-2003 program. The country list has not changed and the procedures for entering only change modestly.
Here’s a quick summary – the lottery entry period will take place from October 7th to November 6th.
The excluded countries are the following:
- CANADA
- CHINA (mainland-born; Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible)
- COLOMBIA,
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
- EL SALVADOR
- HAITI
- INDIA
- JAMAICA
- MEXICO
- PAKISTAN
- PHILIPPINES
- SOUTH KOREA
- UNITED KINGDOM (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories
- VIETNAM
The photo sizes have become more flexible in terms of the size and the signature must now be in one’s native language. The addresses where applications are sent have also changed.
In our only article for this week’s newsletter, you will find a detailed question and answer document explaining everything you probably need to know about the lottery. If you go to our web site at www.visalaw.com/lottery_page.html, you can also find links to a sample application and sample envelope.
I also want to remind readers that SSHD can handle preparing and filing your lottery application. Just go to http://visalaw.wpengine.com/lottery_form.html.
While we firmly believe that most diligent people can enter themselves in the lottery, many people feel more comfortable seeking professional assistance. We have been requested to provide our online lottery registration service since the National Visa Center has, in past years, rejected as many as a third of applications that were not filed correctly. Many people also seek representation by our office since they reside outside the US and are concerned about the reliability of mail services or because they may be residing in an undetermined location at the time lottery winners are selected. Applications submitted by Siskind, Susser, Haas & Devine will show our law office as the notification address unless the applicant requests otherwise. We will provide you with instructions on photos and signatures after we receive your application.
Good luck to everyone who enters the lottery!
Regards,
Greg Siskind
Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided as a public service and not intended to establish an attorney client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk. The information provided in this article has not been updated since its original posting and you should not rely on it until you consult counsel to determine if the content is still valid. We keep older articles online because it helps in the understanding of the development of immigration law.