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    US diversity visa program – apply by Nov 30

    By Noreen Bowden | November 13, 2009

    There are just over two weeks left to apply for the annual diversity visa lottery, which gives winners a green card to move permanently to the US.

    The Diversity Visa Programme gives out 50,000 US visas to the winners among the 6 million or so global applicants who apply every year. Country eligibility is determined by the rate of immigration from those countries in the recent past. People born in Ireland or Northern Ireland are eligible to apply; those born in Britain are not.  There are usually fewer than 200 Irish winners every year, because there is so much competition from around the world.

    Those applying must also meet an educational or work experience requirement. Applicants must have either:

    • a high school or equivalent education (12 years of elementary and secondary education
    • two years of work experience in the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform.

    Undocumented immigrants currently living in the US are not eligible for the visa, and should not apply.

    The registration period began on October 2 and will continue until 5 pm Irish time on Monday, 30 November, 2009. Those planning on applying should apply right away, as high traffic affected the site’s availability in the closing days of last year’s application programme.

    The ONLY way to enter the DV-211 lottery is to submit the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry form online at www.dvlottery.state.gov. There is no entry fee.

    There are many fraudulent sites charging a fee and claiming to increase an applicant’s chance of winning. DO NOT pay a fee to any such site.

    The Crosscare Migrant Project has produced a comprehensive guide to the Diversity Visa programme.

    Related websites:

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