Since October 1994, there has been an annual permanent lottery program in place ( Diversity Visa Lottery Program ). Lottery visas are distributed among six geographical regions. A greater proportion of visas goes to those regions with lower immigration rates in the U.S. The regions are:

Africa : All countries on the continent of Africa and adjacent islands.

Asia : From Israel to all North Pacific Islands, including Indonesia. India and Pakistan do not qualify for this visa.

Europe : From Greenland to Russia - includes all countries of the former Soviet Union.

North America : Tends to include only one qualified country, The Bahamas.

Oceania : Includes Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and all countries and islands in the South Pacific.

South America : Includes Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean countries.

Individuals born in countries that have significant numbers of immigrants to the United States are considered "high admission" and are not eligible for the program. "High admission" countries are defined as those from which the United States has received 50,000 or more immigrants during the last five years in the immediate relative, or family, or employment preference categories.

Requirements : In addition to being born in a qualifying country, applicants must have either a high school education or its equivalent, or within the past five years have two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience.

Only one entry for each applicant may be submitted during the registration period. Duplicate or multiple entries will disqualify individuals from registration for this program.

Entries received before or after the specified registration dates, regardless of postmark, and entries sent to an address other than one indicated in the Department of State's instructions are all void. All entries received during the registration period will be individually numbered. Entries will be randomly selected by computer, regardless of the time of receipt. Only successful registrants will be notified by mail at the address listed on their entry.

No outside service can improve an applicant's chance of being chosen or guarantee an entry will win and any service that claims it can, is promising something it cannot deliver. Outside agencies can only help in the proper filing of the application - paying attention to the details involved.

Persons who think they have been defrauded by a United States based company / consultant in connection with the Diversity Visa Lottery may wish to contact their local consumer affairs office or the National Fraud Information Center at 1-800-876-7060.