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Don't Miss the December 2 Deadline for U.S. Visa Lottery

November 27, 2007

The Consular Section of the Embassy of the United States reminds those interested in applying for the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program to do so before this weekend's deadline. The application period closes on Sunday, December 2, 2007 at noon Washington, D.C. time (9:00 PM Tanzania time).

The DV program selects on a random basis 55,000 applicants, from around the world, who meet simple, but strict, eligibility requirements. Those selected can take up legal permanent residence in the United States, which allows them to live, work and study there.

Last year, only 150 Tanzanian citizens were selected in the program. The Embassy encourages all interested Tanzanians to participate free of charge in the program before Sunday. After that date, there will be no opportunity to participate in this year’s program.

The congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is administered on an annual basis by the Department of State and conducted under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Persons submitting applications during this period will be chosen during the next several months and will begin visa processing after October 1, 2008.

  • To enter the lottery, you must meet either the education or work experience requirement of the DV program.

    Education or Work Experience:     You must have EITHER a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education; OR two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform. The U.S. Department of Labor’s     O*Net OnLine database will be used to determine qualifying work experience.

    If you cannot meet these requirements, you should NOT submit an entry to the DV program.

  • All entries by an individual will be disqualified if more than ONE entry for that individual is received, regardless of who submitted the entry. You may prepare and submit your own entry, or have someone submit the entry for you.

  • Entries must include (electronically) information and photographs for the following people: applicant, applicant’s spouse, and each unmarried child under 21 years of age, including all natural children as well as all legally-adopted children and stepchildren, even if a child no longer resides with applicant or applicant does not intend for a child to immigrate under the DV program. Failure to include all family members will result in disqualification.

Applicants may access the electronic Diversity Visa entry form on our website http://tanzania.usembassy.gov or at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov during the registration period. Paper entries will not be accepted. Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last day of the registration period to enter. Heavy demand may result in website delays. No entries will be accepted after noon Washington time on December 2, 2007.