Wednesday, August 27, 1997

VISA LOTTERY COMES EARLY

The Diversity Visa Lottery Program, conducted by the US Department of State, (Green Card Lottery) is occurring five months early, beginning in October of this year rather than next February. Immigrants from all over the world (see list of exceptions) are eligible to apply if they have at least a high school education or equivalent, or if they have worked for at least two of the past five years in an occupation that requires a two years or more of training or experience. Here's how the lottery works:

1. Lottery applicants in the United States call the State Department Visa Lottery 24 hour Information Center at 1-900-884-8840 to receive application instructions. There is a flat rate $5.10 charge per call. For those within the US this is the only way to get the application instructions. Applicants living outside the US should contact the nearest American Consulate or Embassy for instructions.

2. Provide all required information and mail it only to the National Visa Center in Portsmouth, NH. There are different addresses for applicants from different continents. The addresses are given as a part of the application instructions. Please make sure to send your application to the appropriate address. Completed applications should ARRIVE at the National Visa Center no earlier than noon, October 24, 1997, and no later than noon November 24, 1997. Send only one application per person. All multiple entries or entries received before or after these dates will be disqualified. There is no fee to apply.

3. Winners will be selected by a random drawing. THERE IS NO WAY TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES IN THE DV-99 VISA LOTTERY. Winners will be notified by mail.

If you are considering applying for a visa through the DV-99 Visa Lottery program, be careful not to fall for the common Visa Lottery Scam. Many companies will try to fool you into thinking that they can either improve your chances of winning or that they are the National Visa Center. Don't lose your money and your chance at coming to America. Here are some warning signs of Green Card Lottery Fraud:

• "Our company can improve your chances of winning a lottery." - The lottery is a random drawing. Everyone's chances are exactly the same and no one can improve the odds. Some companies claim that by filing multiple applications you stand a better chance of winning a visa. Don't believe them. Multiple applications are automatically disqualified, meaning that you are guaranteed NOT TO WIN.

• "All (or most) of our clients won a visa in last year's lottery." - Any higher than normal success rate for a company can only be due to chance. No company can affect the outcome of the lottery.

• "Our specialists/counselors/experts will help you fill out the complicated application forms." - The DV-99 application, like those for previous years, is actually no larger than a post card and anyone with the minimum educational requirements can easily fill it out. You need no special training to understand the application process.

• "You need to pay us $ to cover the costs of applying." - FALSE! Application in the DV-99 lottery is FREE. There are no costs, except for the initial phone call that need only be made once. The State Department does not charge a fee to file an application.

The bottom line is, you don't need to pay anyone else to help you apply. The procedure is very simple. Just call the State Department at 1-900-884-8840 ($5.10 charge per call) and follow the directions given at that number.

If you have any questions concerning visa lottery fraud or wish to report a visa lottery company, please call NCL's National Fraud Information Center at 1-800-876-7060 or use one of our online forms. Please do not call NFIC for information on how to apply or with other application questions.

People born in the following countries are not eligible for the DV-99 program:

China (mainland and Taiwan), India, the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, Poland, the United Kingdom and dependent territories (except persons born in Northern Ireland are still eligible to apply), Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, El Salvador, Colombia and the Dominican Republic. If you were born in an ineligible country, you may still be able to qualify through your spouse, under certain circumstances.

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