Each year 50,000 permanent resident visas (greencards) are made available, by random lottery, to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. The lottery program is called the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV), and is administered by the U.S. Department of State. Applicants from qualified countries must meet specific eligibility requirements.

The DV-2005 lottery has ended, and all winners have been notified by the Kentucky Consular Center. All lottery winners must obtain a visa before the end of the 2005 fiscal year on September 30, 2005. Winners currently in the U.S. may be eligible for an adjustment of status. Those that are not eligible, and all others, must obtain an immigrant visa at a U.S. Consulate overseas.

Instructions for the 2006 DV Lottery will be available soon on the U.S. State Department's web site at www.travel.state.gov

***  Entering the Diversity Lottery is FREE.   Many scam websites exist, and will request money to enter an applicant into the DV Lottery.   **** Any correspondence regarding a winning lottery application will come from the Kentucky Consular Center.   The Kentucky Consular Center does not require any money to be wired in order to continue on a winning application.  ***