Tag Archives: requirements for dv lottery

There are documents that you need as the principal applicant and documents that are needed by the derivatives for DV Interview. Some are needed by the principal applicants and will not be needed by the derivatives. Read this guide to the end and understand this.

Specific Proof Documents For Principal Applicant For DV Interview

Below are those documents needed by the principal applicant for DV interview:

Birth certificate: The original birth certificate, and the notarized one.

Passport: This passport should be valid, it should be valid beyond six months after the interview.

Marriage Certificate: This document is for those married principal applicants, they need the marriage certificate, both the original and the notarized. Some few consulates will not request of the notarized, but you need the notarized marriage certificate as a requirement.

Police Clarence Certificate: The principal applicant will need the Police Clarence Certificate. Read this guide on the Police Clarence Certificate.

There are four places from where you will need the Police Clarence Certificate.

1. The first place is the country of your birth. If you have lived in the country and you are above the 16 years of age in the country of your birth, then you need a police clearance certificate from that country, even if at the moment you’re not living in your country of birth.
2. The second place is all the past countries that you’ve lived for more than 12 months, if you are above the age of 16.
3. The third one is the country of current residence, the country in which you are living at the moment and you have lived for more than six. If you have lived for more than six months in the current country of residence, you need the police clearance certificate. This is the country in which you are not born.
4. The fourth one, this one does not depend on the time you’ve lived there. If you have ever been convicted in a country, regardless of the time that you’ve lived there, even if it is one week or one day or two weeks or one month or three months, you need to get a police clearance certificate from that country.

Academic Documents

The other document needed by the principal applicant are the academic documents. For the high school diploma, you have to notarize it. Any other academic document above high school, it’s not a must that you notarize, but for the high school, it is a must.

Second Notification Letter

The other document that the principal applicant need is the second notification letter printed in hard copy.

Confirmation Page of the DS-260 form

The other document is the confirmation page of the DS-260 form printed in hard copy. Read more on Confirmation Page of the DS-260 form here.

Court Records: The other document is the court records. If you have ever been convicted, you need the court records, notarized.

Military Document: If you’ve ever served in a military, you need those notarized documents.

There are other documents that are needed by the principal applicant, but they are not listed in the checklist, and they are very important documents.

• Translated Documents

The first one is a notarized copy of the translated documents. If the embassy you are attending your interview is in a different language from the language in your country, the language in which your documents are printed, then you need to translate the documents and they should be notarized. That applies to the principal applicants that are doing their interviews on different country that has different language system from what their documents are printed in.

• Affidavit of Support

The other one that you would need is the Affidavit of Support. The Affidavit of Support needed for the diversity visa is the Form I-134, not Form I-864.

Yes the diversity visa is an immigrant visa, but for this, the document needed is Form I-134. It is Form I-134, not I-864. The accompanying documents to the Form I-134 are:

• the tax transcript,
• form of identification for the sponsor (either the passport, the naturalization document, the driver’s license, etc) and
• the recent pay slips.

Form DS-5535

The other document required for some few embassies is the form DS-5535. This form is not a must because it is a form for additional information that you could have left when filling the DS-260 form, like the social media account, the relative information and everything. But it’s not a must in some embassies. You are free to go with it, just to be safe, if your embassy has that habit of requesting for that.

Then some few embassies in Africa as well, we require an affidavit to show that you are single, if you’re not a married main applicant. If you are a single, they require some certificate from the government registry to prove that you are single.

For the principal applicant, those were the main documents that are needed for their DV interview.

Specific Proof Documents For The Derivatives For DV Interview

On the side of the derivatives, there are documents that the principal should have, but the derivatives should not. Below is outline of what they will need:

• They will need the birth certificate, original and notarized.
• They will need the passports.
• They will need the police clearance certificate, if they are above the age of 16, and they will follow all the instructions about the police clearance certificate.
• They will have their confirmation pages printed in hard copy. As the principal applicant, you also need to print the confirmation pages for the derivatives because they will need those documents.

In Conclusion

Emphasizing on the affidavit of support, the affidavit of support is only needed by the principal applicant. The derivatives, they don’t need to have that document. Because the affidavit of support, as filled by the sponsor, it has the principal applicant and the derivatives listed in there. So only one affidavit of support for the principal applicant, and it will stand for the derivatives.

I hope you’ve gotten what is needed as per the document.

Question: My parents name are misspelled on my birth certificate, should i get a new one?

Answer: Yes if possible.

Question: Do I still need to fill affidavit of support form I-134 for the interview if I am sponsoring myself as a dv winner?

Answer: No, just get the bank statements to show your savings.

Question: If someone goes to the dv interview with the transcripts, meaning he’s still at the university, is he still required to present the notary certificate for the transcripts at the university?

Answer: No, just use your high school certificate, just simply. No difference.

Question: What if your host is one of your family members, do you need that I-134 form??

Answer: Yes, you need it and rest of documents required.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice. If you have any questions about the DV lottery, please contact an immigration professional/officer or a licensed attorney.

There have been several questions revolving around getting a spouse, about the names and how they affect the DV lottery. We have several types of affidavits that you might come across during the DV lottery process.

Types of Affidavits

Below are 4 major types of affidavits that you might come across during the DV lottery process.

• Affidavit of Name

The first one being an affidavit of name. The affidavit of name becomes important when you have issues regarding your names or the names that you use.

If you have names on one document differing from those on the other document, and those documents are critical in the DV lottery, then you need to confirm to the embassy or the relevant bodies that you are the same person with those different names, like for example, if you have two names on one document and three names, that is the two plus a different one on the other document, then you have to show them that you are the same person with those names, and you do so by acquiring an affidavit of name.

Another way: Maybe your name is incorrectly spelled on some documents, while on others it is correctly spelled. For example, you have a name that has an “I”, but on another document it has not. How do you merge the two?

For you to prove that you are the same person with those incorrectly spelled names, what you need to acquire is an affidavit of name.

Another issue is when you have changed your name. Maybe some individual along the way, they can decide to change the name because of one reason or the other. So after changing the names, then you need to prove to the consulate or the embassy or the consular officer that you changed the names. And that’s why there are different names on different documents.

Anything that makes your name differ from another one on your document, you only need to acquire an affidavit of name for that matter.

• Affidavit of Marriage

The other affidavit that we have is an affidavit of marriage. You applied for the DV lottery, but at the time of application, you had someone that you call your spouse, but you are not holding anything to prove your relationship, your union, and therefore you get selected and you are preparing to get to the interview.

In this scenario, you are supposed to get the marriage certificate, that is without a doubt. Even if you don’t have, you need to get. And how do you get? This is by getting an affidavit of marriage that you will use to prove to the relevant body of your country, that is the registrar of Marriages, and then they go ahead to issue the marriage certificate.

So that same document that you used to get this marriage certificate, the affidavit of marriage, that same document, you are needed or you are required to come with it during the interview. That is among the proof documents that will second your marriage certificate. So you go with the original marriage certificate, the certified copy, the affidavit of marriage. You go with those three documents.

Also, maybe you got the marriage certificate after getting selected, that means you need to prove on another level of your existence relationship, even before you applied for the DV lottery. What are the things to prove your union, before the application? You might use many things like the photos, bank statements, the joint accounts, many things that you did together even before this. Something to solidify that this marriage is not a fraud. It is legitimate.

So you need to go with the affidavit of marriage, the marriage certificate, both the original and the certified. And also you go with the things to prove that this is legitimate and not fraud.

• Affidavit of Support

The other affidavit that you need is an affidavit of support. You might need the affidavit of support, though it’s not needed by all embassies. But majority of the embassies will request of the affidavit of support.

It is better that you have one, if you are not sure that your embassy is one of those that don’t request. So just get it and be with it. In case you asked for it, then you provide.

What is an affidavit of support?

This is the document that you get from someone who has agreed to give you sponsorship once you land in the United States. This might be your host or someone else apart from your host, the one that agrees to give you monetary support or financial support as you start life in the new country.

It will simply prove to the consulate that you are able to sustain yourself as you begin life there, and you cannot become a public charge. By becoming a public charge, what it simply means is becoming dependent on the public or on the government for support, depending on the food stamps, for example.

So you will need the affidavit of support to prove to the consular officer that you are able to sustain yourself and you will not become dependent on the public.

• Affidavit of Birth

The other affidavit that some countries will require you to have is the affidavit of birth. For example, if you come from the East Africa, the country called Somalia, all individuals from Somalia will by default be scheduled for their interviews at the Nairobi Embassy and what the Nairobi embassy needs from the people coming from Somalia, the Somali, is an affidavit of birth, not the certificate of birth.

So you come with the certificate of birth together with the affidavit of birth. Those two documents, what they trust is the affidavit of birth. So some embassies will ask for the affidavit of birth on top of the birth certificate, especially for the foreigners, people not from the same country where the embassy is.

Those are just four types of affidavits that you might come across in the DV process.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice. If you have any questions about the DV lottery, please contact an immigration professional/officer or a licensed attorney.

DV Medical Examination: When do you apply or schedule for your medical examination? Immediately you receive your second notification letter, 2NL, you are supposed to schedule for your medical examination.

When you are processing for the diversity visa program, you have to do the visa interview. When the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), the government agents which is responsible to schedule the interview for you give you a notice of the interview at least six weeks in advance, the next process you need to do is the medical examination.

Where Do I Do My Medical Examination For DV Interview?

You (and each family member applying for a visa with you) are required to schedule a medical appointment with an authorized physician in the country where you will be interviewed.

You must complete your medical examination, along with any required vaccinations, before your scheduled visa interview date.

When your medical exam is completed, if you are given a medical exam envelope, you must bring it sealed (not opened) to your visa interview. Some physicians will send the medical exam results directly to the embassy or consulate.

Do you select which doctor to conduct your medical examination?

The answer is no. You are supposed to book an appointment with the medical center or the physician specified by the United States Embassy in your country.

Medical Examination Process and Requirements for DV Interview

Which documents are you supposed to carry with you, when attending the medical examination for the DV lottery?

• Your vaccination records

It is a major requirement for medical examination. You must have the COVID-19 vaccine before you go to the medical examination. Because in the medical examination, they are going to do the cross-look of your vaccine record.

From October first, 2021, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, released the new mandate that if you have to get the visa for immigrant visa, even non-immigrant visa, you must have the COVID-19 vaccine. So you must have the vaccine in order to go to the medical.

The vaccine, the COVID-19, was not part of the requirement previously, but it has started from October first, 2021 going forward.

The passport photos for each and every member in your application. Depending with which country you come from, the embassy may require several photos. Some embassy requests for three photos for every member, others they request five photos for every member.

Other Documents You Will Go With To The DV Medical Examination

• The appointment letter, don’t forget the appointment letter.
• The confirmation page of your DS-260. Don’t forget to carry the confirmation page of the DS-260.
• The medical documents if you are under medication currently.
• If you have ever had these contagious diseases or one of them, like for example, the tuberculosis and the syphilis and you had been treated, you should go with that certification that shows you had it and you have completely been treated.
• A valid passport for all the members in your application.

Can you be denied the visa because of a certain thing found in the medical?

The answer is yes.

The things which can cause you to be delayed to get the visa is if you have the TB, tuberculosis, you will be required to go and be treated first before you come.

That is a mandatory because in the United States, they have already eradicated the tuberculosis. So they fear people to bring the tuberculosis in the United States.

The other thing which is very big one is if you have a mental problem which can be a harmful or can cause a mass crime, disruptions, maybe can bring a mass shooting, that type of problem you might be being inadmissible to the United States.

Also, if you have excessive use of drugs, that will be able to cause you not to be admissible to the United States.

I hope the information there is useful to you.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

This guide will explain two grievous mistakes that you will do in your DV lottery application and will knock you out of the selection process. Just two that will disqualify you in the DV Lottery Selection Process.

Two Major Mistakes That Will Knock You Out Of DV Lottery Selection Process

1. Uploading wrong photo

The photo may seem a very small aspect of the DV lottery application and it is likely to be ignored. Someone can ignore the specifications. But remember, the photo is one very great mistake that will eliminate you during the selection process.

You cannot get through with an incorrect photo, with a wrong photo. What does this mean? This means that when you are doing your entry, you must be very precise. You must be very cautious with your photo.

Follow the specified instructions about the DV photo. I have discussed the specification in a former guide here.

Find out more about Photo Requirements for DV Lottery.

The photo background should be the white background or off white, and your face should be directly facing the camera. You should not be wearing anything that is unnecessary, like a cap or a scarf, apart from the religious one.

All those specifications, including the size that it should be a two-inch by two-inch photo, and it should be a 600 by 600-megapixels photo.

Those minor specifications regarding the DV photo, you should follow them to the end because uploading the wrong photo, is the very first greatest mistake that will kick you out of the selection process. You can’t go through the selection process with a wrong photo.

2. Doing the DV lottery application twice

The second great mistake that you can do and will eliminate you in the selection process is doing the application twice. If you do an application with the same information twice, you are definitely kicked out of the selection process. You can’t get through.

If you realize that you did a wrong application or you inserted a wrong information or you did mistakes during your processing, don’t dare to do a second application with the aim of correcting the mistakes. That is considered a double entry and you are kicked out of the selection process instantly.

Those are the two major mistakes that will not get you through the DV lottery selection process. Avoid them at all costs. Never commit them.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

U.S Green Card (DV) Lottery selection process: Let learn those factors that will not affect your chances of getting selected in the DV lottery process.

There are many theories, stories and notions out there that have been raised by many people about the factors that will affect you getting selected, this guide will rectify some ideas that have been put forward regarding the selection process and your chances of getting selected.

Factors that will not affect your chances of getting selected in the DV (Green Card) lottery process

Below are things people thought determined chances of Selection in DV Lottery, but do not:

• The time you take your photo

The first thing that will not affect is the time at which you take your photo.

Remember, the photo that you will use in the application must not be older than six months. But even if you took the photo one month’s time before the application, one day before the application, or two months or so, that one will not affect the selection process.

• The place in which you apply from will not affect you.

The other thing that has created theories about selection out there is the location where you were at the point of application or the country in which you were at the time of application. So long as your country was eligible, every one of you will have the same chances of getting selected, equal chances of getting selected.

If you applied while in the United States, maybe you are there on a visit visa or an academic visa, maybe you are there on a family visit and then you applied from that location, that will not guarantee you higher chances of getting selected more than other people in other countries that were qualified.

A person coming from this country and the other one from the other country and the other one from the other one, all of you have the same chances. It is not country-dependent. Not at all.

If you apply from the land of the United States, or if you apply from Ghana, or if you apply from a country in the Middle East or in Europe, the locality in which you are in at the time of application does not affect the selection process.

• The time of the day in which you apply does not affect selection.

Some people are saying that many that apply in the middle of the night (i.e the midnight) have higher chances of getting selected. No, that’s not correct. The time you apply is not what determines the selection.

In any case, in your country, midnight is not the same as that midnight of the other country’s citizen. One person from this country, the midnight might be different from another person in a different country. So we have different mid-nights in different locations.

Therefore, the time that you apply does not determine. People have applied in the noon time of their country, at 4:00 PM in their country, whichever time in their country and they have gotten selected. So the time factor is not a determinant. That one should not confuse you at all.

If you apply in the morning, if you apply at noon time or at midnight or at 6:00 PM, that one will not affect.

• The day in which you apply will never matter.

Some are saying that the time you apply affects your chances of getting selected or applying on the first day gives you higher chances of getting selected. That is not correct. Because what would you say of that person that applied on the last day and was selected and moreover, had a lower case number? What would you say of that?

So the notion that if you applied on the first day, you have higher chances of getting selected, that is a wrong notion.

DV selection is randomized and it’s just by a computer program that knows nothing about the time you entered the lottery or the day, but only the numbers that are given and then randomly selects or picks from those numbers.

So about the day that you apply, be it on the first day or the last day or the middle days, that does not matter at all.

If you apply on a Sunday, if you apply on a Monday, if you apply on a Wednesday, if you applied in the beginning of the lottery application period or on the day the lottery application period end or in the middle of the lottery application period, the day in which you apply never affects selection.

• The gadget that you use in your application will not matter.

If you use an iPhone, if you use Samsung or you use whichever brand, or if you use a computer or a laptop, whatever gadget you use never matters in the selection process.

• It will not matter if you are single or you are married.

Whether you are single or married, that will not affect your selection in the DV lottery.

• It will not matter if you have a big family or you have a small family.

If you are a family of two or you are a family of five or you are single, that one does not affect chances of getting selected.

• It will not matter how many times you’ve entered into lottery.

It does not mean that if you have tried seven times, then you have high chances of getting selected or you have tried once or twice, that one will not affect the chances of getting selected.

• It will not matter your age.

Whether you’re 30 or 45 or 20 or 18 or 21, the age that you are in does not affect or increase any chance of getting selected. Neither does it lower your chances of getting selected. It does not matter.

• The person that applies for you or the agent that applies for you.

In any case, you are supposed to do your own application. Don’t get anyone to apply for you. Any person applying for you or the agent applying for you will use the same website that you would have used to make your application.

It will not matter the person applying for you. Whether he or she is in the United States or is in whichever place, or he’s a professional or he is a quark, it will not matter the type of the person applying for you.

• The level of your education does not determine selection.

The other major thing and theory that has been put outside there is that your academic and professional achievement greatly affects your selection. No, it is not based on any life achievement, any academic prowess, any professional achievement. It is not based on that completely.

Yes the requirement for the DV entry is at least a high school diploma or a two-year work experience within the past five years. If you have your high school certificate and another person has a degree, another one has a diploma in some other country, that is an education above high school, or others have even postgraduate. Others are doctors, others are nurses, other engineers, others teachers.

A person with the PhD, a person with the masters or the degree, all of them have equal chances. One requirement is that all applicants should have attained a high school education.

If you have obtained the high school education, any other level of education higher than that does not determine the selection. It does not mean that with a PhD you have high chances of getting selected and with a degree you have some substantial chances, no.

All of you, even the high school diploma, everyone have equal chances of getting selected.

Regardless of the position or the professional achievement, all of you have the same chances of getting selected. So long as you have achieved the minimum qualification for the DV lottery application, the rest do not factor in. You are equally on the same position in terms of selection. Everyone has equal chances of getting selected.

• Social Status 

DV selection does not depend on the social status, your social status in your community or in your country. Maybe you are a very well-known politician or you are a very big person in your society. That one will not determine your selection at all. It is not based on any merit. It’s just randomized, based on the numbers that were put on those entries.

There are other things that people have created out there about DV selection process, which are not true.

I hope this guide have clearly explained the DV Lottery selection process with focus on those Factors that will not affect your chances of getting selected in the DV lottery process.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

Which Children To Add As Derivatives in DV Lottery? This guide will focus on which children to be added as derivatives during the application in the Diversity Visa Lottery Program.

In my previous post, we learned about the qualifications of a spouse who is supposed to be added as a derivative during the application in the Diversity Visa Lottery Program.

In this next guide, which is part two, we are going to learn in details on the qualifications of the children who are supposed to be added as derivatives in the application.

Therefore, we will learn about the three classes of children that are considered qualified as derivatives in the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. But first of all, all these three categories of children should fulfill the following:

• They should be under the age of 21 years old.
• They all should be unmarried and single.

Submit individual photographs of each of your children using the same technical specifications as your own photograph.

Based on the document from the travel.state.gov, as shown in sample below, in number 15, it covers about the children.

It says…..

When applying in the diversity visa lottery, you are supposed to list the number of children that you have, and you also include all these details about the children.

All unmarried and under the age of 21 years of age, regardless of whether you are living with them or intend to accompany you or follow to join you.

Which Children To Add As Derivatives in DV Lottery?

As you proceed down, you see the three categories of children that qualify as derivatives in the application.

• The first category of children include all living natural children.

This means all the children that you have given birth to or all the children that are biologically yours, they are eligible to be added as derivatives in the application.

• The second category is all living children that are legally adopted to you.

These are the children that through court procedures or legal procedures, they have been acquired by you. By the law, they belong to you. They all are eligible to be added as derivatives.

• The third category include all step-children.

These are the children of your spouse, and this spouse must be legally married to you. All the children that he or she came in to join you with, they all are qualified to be added as derivatives.

It is important to note that even if the child does not currently live with you, or even if you are no longer married to that spouse, even if you broke up, these children, they are still eligible to be added as derivatives in your diversity visa lottery application.

Married children and children who are already age 21 or older, they are not eligible. Even if your child is under the age of 21 and he or she is married, he or she is not eligible to be added as derivative.

There is another important clause from the sample above, and this is the Child Status Protection Act. What does this act do?

This act was put forth to protect all the children that attain the age of 21 years during the processing of the diversity visa. This means that when you were applying in the diversity visa lottery program, the child was not 21 years of age yet. But during the process, he or she turned 21. This act will protect that child.

Even if he or she is above 21 years during the processing, he or she is considered as under the age of 21 and is eligible for the visa.

Finally, the last clause says, a child who is already a U.S citizen or a legal permanent resident when you submit your diversity visa entry will not require to be issued a diversity visa.

This is because he or she is a citizen or she holds the green card. So he or she will not require to be issued another one.

It’s continued to say, even if you omit that child that is already in the United States in your application, you will not be penalized. So if you include him or her or you exclude him or her, it’s not a penalty.

I hope that is very clear and the information is useful. Don’t make a mistake of including any unqualified child because this will cost you the visa.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

In this guide, we will learn who qualifies to be added as your derivative when applying for the diversity visa lottery. What is the spouse Diversity Visa lottery?

First of all, we know that if you are a family man or woman, you are required to add the members of your family as your derivatives when applying for the diversity visa lottery without leaving anyone out.

Speaking of the family, here it is referring to the immediate family, that is the nuclear family, the spouse together with the children. But who qualifies to be your spouse? Or who qualifies to be your children when applying the diversity visa lottery?

The answer to this question will be divided into two parts.

In the first part, we are going to discuss on the qualifications of a person to be your spouse and as a derivative in the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. In the second part of this answer, we are going to discuss on the qualification of the children that are supposed to be added as your derivatives.

Therefore, read this guide to the end to avoid jumping into conclusions that are not valid.

Who is your spouse that qualifies to be added as a derivative?

A spouse is your legally married husband or wife. This means that you have a certifying document issued by the government showing that this is your wife or this is your husband. To be more precise, you should be having a marriage certificate issued by the Registrar of Marriages in your country.

Having known that, who does not qualify to become your spouse that you should add as a derivative when applying in the diversity visa lottery?

1. Your girlfriend or your boyfriend does not qualify as a spouse to be added as the derivative when entering the diversity visa lottery program.
2. Partnering is not allowed. That means if you are residing with a man or a woman or cohabiting with a lady or a gentleman, that lady or gentleman is not your spouse. He or she does not qualify to be added as a derivative in the Diversity Visa Lottery Program.
3. Your fiancé is not a spouse or your fiancée is not a spouse. You are not yet married, meaning you don’t have the marriage certificate. Therefore, during application and you have a fiancée, you are supposed to apply a single and not as married.

But you will continue with your plans and get married and then add him or her as your spouse in the DS-260 form, after marriage.

4. Your second wife, your third wife, or any other wife apart from your first wife, is not considered as your spouse. So if you are married to several wives, then they are not all qualified as your spouse. Only the first wife is your spouse and is the only one that you will add as the derivative when applying in the Diversity Visa lottery Program.

What if I’m married, but I don’t have that certifying document or the marriage certificate?

If you were customarily married, that means you took your wife or your husband and you went to your parents and you were given a go ahead to go and marry, and therefore you don’t have any certifying document.

Then you will be required to follow the legal procedures for you to obtain the marriage certificate before you enter the diversity visa lottery. Or in some cases, you might apply as married because you’re married, only that you don’t have the certificate. Then you follow the legal procedures and obtain a marriage certificate before you are interview date.

You apply as married because you’re married, yes. Then file for the marriage certificate and make sure you obtain the marriage certificate before you attend your diversity visa interview.

There are many cases where people who are married customarily and did not have the marriage certificate, but after entering the Diversity Visa Lottery Program, they were selected, and what they did, they went ahead and obtained the marriage certificate because without the marriage certificate, you wouldn’t be given visa. Only the marriage certificate will you prove that you are married.

If you are engaged to marry each other and you have applied as a single person because that is what is required, and then you are selected, and in the process you get married and you have your marriage certificate. You will go ahead and add your spouse in the DS-260 form.

But you must note that you must have evidence or proofs of your existing relationship or engagement before entering the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. You’ll have to provide documentation of your engagement or any proof of relationship prior your entry into the Diversity Visa Lottery.

You must have the proofs to prove that you were engaged, you had previous relationship.

Therefore, when applying in the Diversity Visa Lottery Program, ensure you don’t make these mistakes. Ensure that the spouse that you are adding is really your spouse, as we have discussed above.

I hope this information has been useful.

For the next part on the qualification of the children who are supposed to be added as derivatives in the diversity visa lottery application, check here.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

Tips for a Winning DV-2025 Lottery Application

The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery is a golden ticket to realizing the American dream for many hopeful applicants worldwide. The chance to obtain a U.S. green card is a life-changing opportunity. However, the road to success is paved with challenges, and avoiding common mistakes is key to securing your spot.

In this guide, we’ll delve into the tips and tricks for a winning DV-2025 Lottery application, steering clear of the pitfalls that often stand in the way of hopeful immigrants.

Understanding the DV-2025 Lottery:

Before we dive into the do’s and don’ts of the DV-2025 application process, it’s crucial to have a solid grasp of the program’s fundamentals:

Eligibility and Entry Requirements: To participate in the DV-2025 Lottery, you must meet the eligibility criteria outlined by the U.S. Department of State, which includes having a high school education or qualifying work experience.

Find out more about filling Education and work experience.

Timely Application: The application window is limited, usually opening in October. Mark your calendar and submit your entry within this timeframe. Applicants must submit entries for the DV-2025 program electronically.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Let’s explore the common mistakes that can undermine your chances of winning and how to steer clear of them:

Submitting Multiple Entries: Some applicants try to increase their odds by submitting multiple entries, but this is strictly prohibited and will lead to disqualification.

Inaccurate or Incomplete Information: Filling out the DV entry form with incorrect or incomplete information can lead to disqualification.

Find out more about How to Properly Fill Out the DV Lottery Application Form (DS-5501) and WIN the Green Card

Overlooking Eligibility Requirements: Failure to meet the education or work experience requirements will result in disqualification. Double-check your eligibility.

Unverified Agents and Fees: Beware of fraudulent individuals or agencies that charge fees for the DV Lottery. The application process is free, and you don’t need to pay anyone to enter.

Late Entries: Missing the application window is a common mistake. Mark your calendar and submit your entry on time.

Poor-Quality Photos: Ensure your photos meet the specified requirements in terms of size, background, and quality.

Find out more about Photo Requirements for DV Lottery.

Top Tips for a Winning Application:

Double-Check Eligibility: Verify that you meet the eligibility criteria before entering.

Find out more about eligibility country for DV Lottery.

Complete and Submit Your Entry Early: Don’t wait until the last minute. Submit your application as soon as the DV Lottery opens.

Use the Official Website: Only use the official U.S. government website (https://dvprogram.state.gov/) to enter the DV Lottery.

Ensure Accurate Information: Be meticulous in providing accurate details, especially in names, birthdates, and photos.

Find out more about Names filling on DV lottery Application and DS-260 Form

Keep Application Confirmation: After submitting your entry, retain the confirmation number provided. You will need it to check your status.

Difference between the Confirmation Number and Case Number?

Conclusion:

Winning the DV-2025 Lottery is a life-changing opportunity, and avoiding common mistakes is your first step on this incredible journey. By adhering to the eligibility requirements, submitting your application accurately and on time, and being cautious of scams, you increase your chances of securing a spot and beginning your American dream.

Good luck to all future DV-2025 Lottery applicants!

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

There are certain things that can lead to your visa denial during the interview, and among these is issue regarding the diseases. In this guide, we will go through the type of diseases or conditions that can lead to your visa denial, during DV Medical Examination.

Note: It is hard for a certain disease to cost you your diversity visa, but there are others that can really make you inadmissible to the United States.

The main type of disease that can cause you not to get your diversity visa approved are the diseases that are of public harm and these are the diseases that can become contagious and can be transmitted to other people.

Example of these diseases that are communicable include tuberculosis, syphilis, gonorrhea, and the Hansen disease (i.e leprosy).

Tuberculosis generally causes a spot or the chest spot, although there are other diseases that can cause the chest spot. Once the chest spot is detected and it has been caused by tuberculosis, what happens is that, the civil surgeons that did your examination will know what type of tuberculosis you have. You might be having the active one, which means that it can spread to other people, or you might be having the passive one.

The passive means you might be infected by TB, but there are no signs or no symptoms showing up and this is called passive. This means that it cannot be transmitted from you to the public.

Therefore, once the surgeons have known what type of TB you have, then they will recommend the necessary medication and you will have to be treated before you return for your diversity visa interview.

How will tuberculosis cost you your diversity visa?

Once TB is detected in you, there is a period that TB takes to be cured and this period varies from three months all the way to six months.

Let’s say, for example, your diversity visa interview is scheduled in the month of January. If at that moment you are diagnosed with TB, then you are put under medication and it will last from three months to six months. It means you have February, March, April, May, June and July. You can get treated and attend your interview within the fiscal year for you to receive your diversity visa.

But let’s say, for example, your interview is in July and you get diagnosed with TB, you only have roughly two months for your diversity visa fiscal year to expire, and that means even if you are put under the TB treatment, the time will lapse for the diversity visa before you get full treatment.

By so you won’t receive your diversity visa, you will have to be put under medication and get treated before you can attend your interview. If you get treated and you pass through the interview, then you will receive your visa.

The other category of diseases that can lead to your visa denial are grouped into two classes:

The first class of diseases that will cost you your diversity visa is quarantinable diseases, the diseases that can cause you to be put into quarantine.

The second class of the disease that will revoke or prevent you from receiving your diversity visa approval is the diseases that have been declared by World Health Organization (WHO) as a public emergency.

If any disease has emerged and has been declared as a public emergency, that disease can cause you to get denied your diversity visa approval.

Majorly, all those that have discussed are the different types of diseases that can lead to your visa denial or your visa cancellation.

Therefore, if you realize that you are suffering from these communicable diseases, it is the highest chance that you take the necessary measure or the necessary step to ensure that you get treated.

The earlier you do it, the better for you, before the DV lottery medical examination.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice.

Each DV applicant must meet the education/work experience requirement of the 2025 DV lottery program by having either: 

• at least a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of formal elementary and secondary education;

OR 

• two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform. The Department of State will use the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net Online database to determine qualifying work experience.

Education/Work Experience Requirement for DV Lottery

The Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program requires the principal DV applicant to have a high school education, or its equivalent, or two years of qualifying work experience as defined under provisions of U.S. law.

If you do not have either the required education or qualifying work experience, you are not eligible for a diversity visa. (Only you, as the principal applicant, must meet this requirement. Your spouse and children do not have to meet this requirement.)

You should consider not pursuing a DV application if you do not meet the qualifying education or work experience requirements explained in this guide, as you may not be eligible for a diversity visa and any fees you pay for the visa application will not be refunded.

High School Education: A high school education means successful completion of a formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to a 12-year course in the United States.  Only formal courses of study meet this requirement; equivalency certificates (such as the G.E.D.) are not acceptable.

GED is a General Educational Development program that’s an alternative to a high school diploma. People who are unable to complete high school can obtain a GED as an equivalent to a grade 12 education.

In Africa, G.E.D equivalents are the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the General Certificate of Education (GCE).

Work Experience: If you are qualifying with work experience, you must have two years of experience in the last five years, in an occupation which, by U.S. Department of Labor definitions, requires at least two years of training or experience that is designated as Job Zone 4 or 5, classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) rating of 7.0 or higher.

What occupations qualify for the DV program? 

The Department of State will use the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) O*Net OnLine database to determine qualifying work experience.  The O*Net OnLine database categorizes job experience into five “job zones.”  While the DOL website lists many occupations, not all occupations qualify for the DV program.

To qualify for a DV on the basis of your work experience, you must have, within the past five years, two years of experience in an occupation classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher.

If you do not meet the requirements for education or work experience, you will be ineligible for a DV, and your spouse and children will be ineligible for derivative DVs.

How can I find the qualifying DV occupations in the Department of Labor’s O*Net OnLine database?

When you are in O*Net OnLine, follow these steps to determine if your occupation qualifies:

1. Under “Find Occupations,” select “Job Family” from the pull down menu;
2. Browse by “Job Family,” make your selection, and click “GO”.
3. Click on the link for your specific occupation; and
4. Select the tab “Job Zone” to find the designated Job Zone number and Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) rating range.

For example, select Civil Engineers, at the bottom of the Summary Report for Civil Engineers, under the Job Zone section, you will find the designated Job Zone 4, SVP Range, 7.0 to < 8.0. Using this example, Civil Engineering is a qualifying occupation.

You should not submit an entry to the DV program unless you meet both of these requirements.

The DV-2025 entry period will run from 12:00 pm (noon), Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT4), Wednesday, October 4, 2023, until 12:00 pm (noon), Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT5), Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

Each year, millions of people submit entries. Restricting the entry period to these dates ensures selectees receive notification in a timely manner and gives both the visa applicants and the embassies and consulates time to prepare and complete cases for visa issuance.

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to enter early during the registration period. Excessive demand at end of the registration period may slow the processing system. Entries will not be accepted after noon EST on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

DISCLAIMER: This post and content is designed for general information only and is NOT legal advice. This site is not offering any Diversity Visa and is not the official site for DV Lottery program. The information presented in this post should not be construed to be formal legal advice.