2010 Diversity Visa Lottery Announced 

The Department of State (DOS) will begin to accept online applications for the 2010 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2010) at 12:00pm EDT on Thursday, October 2, 2008. Applications will continue to be accepted until 12:00pm EST on Monday, December 1, 2008. The program, which is also known as the diversity visa lottery, allows 50,000 randomly selected foreign nationals to apply for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status during Fiscal Year 2010 (October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010).

The diversity visa lottery is open only to nationals of countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. For DV-2010, it is expected that nationals of the following countries will be ineligible to apply: Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Peru, Poland, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. Persons born in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are expected to be eligible, as are applicants born in Russia and Kosovo.

Applications will be submitted through the Department of State's dedicated Web site at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov

The Web site is to be fully operational when the application period opens on October 2.

Glenn M. Cooper
Attorney at Law
Glenn M. Cooper & Associates, P.A.
150 South Pine Island Rd., Suite 105
Fort Lauderdale, FL33324

Tel: +1 (954) 382-1860
Fax:  +1 (954) 337 0140
e-mail: glenn@cooperlegal.com
Web:  www.cooperlegal.com