Diversity Visa Lottery 2017: Connect Yourself, Protect Yourself
By Melinda Tabler-Stone, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy Ghana
Starting October 1, thousands of Ghanaians will try their luck at the Diversity Visa lottery.
Established by the U.S. Congress in 1990, the DV lottery aims to ensure that the United States continues to grow as a vibrant, diverse country. Each year, 50,000 immigrant visas are set aside for citizens from countries less represented in the American melting pot. Those who are selected and qualify can become Lawful Permanent Residents of the United States.
The DV lottery can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Unfortunately, scammers and con artists also see the lottery as an opportunity to profit off others’ hopes and dreams.
We want to give you the information you need to enter yourself in the DV lottery and protect yourself from fraud.
These are the three most important facts you should remember about the Diversity Visa lottery:
- You can enter yourself.
- Entering is absolutely free.
- We will never, ever notify you via email, mail or phone that you have been selected.
Many, many people will be happy to take your money to process your entry into the DV lottery. Maybe some of them will even promise to give you a better chance of winning. Don’t believe them. The lottery is just that — a random selection. There’s nothing anyone can do to increase your chances of being selected.
The entry form is entirely online. You can find the form, information about qualifications, and complete instructions at dvlottery.state.gov. It’s simple enough that you can do it yourself — free. Paying others for their “help” is not only a waste of your money, it could lead to misinformation in your entry that causes you to be disqualified later. Even worse, con artists could use your personal information to steal your identity.
Carefully review your information before you hit “Submit.” When entering your name, be sure it matches the name on your passport exactly. Double-check your date and place of birth, and remember to declare your spouse and children in your entry. Even a small error could result in disqualification. And remember, submitting more than one entry won’t increase your chances of winning. In fact, just the opposite: if you enter more than one time in a year, you will not qualify for a visa. Don’t risk it.
If you absolutely must have assistance to enter, please rely only on a trusted friend or family member, and be sure to keep the confirmation number you receive when you submit your entry. You’ll need it to check your status in a few months.
So you’ve entered yourself in the lottery for free, and a few months later you receive an email informing you that you’ve won a visa and must wire the visa fee immediately.
Delete!
This is a scam. In fact, even I and other U.S. citizens who work at the embassy receive these emails from time to time.
We will never, ever notify you by email that you have been selected for a visa. We will not call you. We will not text you. We will not send you a letter.
There is only one way to find out if you have been selected for further processing. When results are available on May 3, 2016, go back to dvlottery.state.gov and enter your confirmation number. You may receive an email reminding you to go to dvlottery.state.gov to check your status, but the email will not tell you if you have been selected. The website dvlottery.state.gov is the only legitimate source of information about your status.
Finally, remember that if your entry is selected, you should only pay fees for your Diversity Visa directly to the U.S. Embassy cashier at the time of your scheduled visa appointment. The U.S. government will never ask you to send payment in advance by check, money order, or wire transfer.
The Diversity Visa program sustains America’s heritage as a country of immigrants. Through each individual, we grow stronger as a whole.
If it’s your dream to be part of that heritage, submit your entry yourself, for free, at dvlottery.state.gov between October 1 and November 3, 2015.
