US Diversity Visa Lottery opens door for over 50,000 Ghanaians

The US Diversity Visa Lottery (DV Lottery) is an opportunity for more than 50,000 Ghanaians who want to immigrate to the United States of America. According to Chris Santoro, Consular Officer at the US Embassy in Accra, any country that in the last five years has more than 50,000 of its citizens already in the US through the DV Lottery is not eligible to participate next year, and so far only about 3,500 Ghanaians have won the Lottery leaving room for more than 45,000 more Ghanaians.

He cited countries like Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, EL Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti,India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories as not eligible to apply for the DV-2013 because they have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States in the previous five years.

Santoro who spoke to ghanabusinessnews.com, at the launch of the 2013 DV Lottery in Accra October 3, 2011 said since the Lottery programme started about 3500 Ghanaians have won to enter the US in the last five years.

According to a statement from the embassy, the 2013 Diversity Visa Program (DV-2013) will open at noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), Tuesday, October 4, 2011, and will close at noon, EDT, Saturday, November 5, 2011 and applicants must submit entries electronically during this registration period using the electronic DV entry form (E-DV) on its website.

For detailed information about entry requirements and instructions for the DV-2013 Diversity Visa programme, the statement said the general public can visit Travel.State.Gov.

The statement noted that paper entries will not be accepted.

The annual programme makes visas available to persons meeting the eligibility requirements.  A computer-generated, random drawing chooses selectees for Diversity Visas.  The visas are distributed among six geographic regions, with a greater number of visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration, the Embassy said.

For DV-2013, the statement said, the Department of State will once again implement an online process to notify entrants of their selection, and to provide information about the immigrant visa application and interview.

“Beginning May 1, 2012, DV-2013 entrants will be able to use their unique confirmation number provided at registration to check online through Entry Status Check to see if their entry was selected. Successful entrants will receive instructions for how to apply for immigrant visas for themselves and their eligible family members,” it said.

It adds that confirmation of visa interview appointments will also be made through Entry Status Check.

Listen to audio of interview excerpt with Chris Santoro: [audio:http://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Chris-Santoro-on-DV-Lottery.mp3|titles=Chris Santoro on DV Lottery]

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi & Ekow Quandzie