The U.S. Diversity Visa Program will open for electronic entries next Wednesday, October 3

The United States’ Diversity Visa Program will open for electronic entries on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 19:00 (Romania time). It will remain open until Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 19:00 (Romania time).

The Department accepts entries ONLY through the E-DV site. Entrants must provide an email address as part of their entry. “We strongly encourage entrants to prepare and submit their own entries from their personal e-mail address. Entrants may have someone submit the entry for them, though they should be cautious if the assistant tries to charge them a fee – remember, the online form is simple and there is NO COST to enter. Whether an individual submits an entry directly, or an attorney, friend, relative etc. provides assistance, only one entry may be submitted in the name of each individual,” reads a press release sent by the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest.

The American embassy also informed that entrants print their online confirmation page and keep it until September 30, 2020 and this confirmation number is the only way to check whether an entry has been selected and to obtain visa application and appointment information, if selected. “Entrants should not allow others to retain their confirmation page information for them, but should hold on to it themselves so they may independently check the status of their entry. Please be aware of a new requirement to submit a recent photograph (without eyeglasses) that has been taken within the last six months.  Entries submitted with the same photo from the last DV year (DV-2019) will be disqualified.”

Beginning May 7, 2019, DV-2020 entrants will be able to use their confirmation number to check the online Entrant Status Check at www.dvlottery.state.gov to see if their entry was selected. Entrant Status Check will inform successful entrants how to apply for their Diversity Visas for themselves and their eligible family members. The Department of State never uses email to notify entrants that they have been selected for the Diversity Visa. This information is available ONLY at the Entrant Status Check. Applicants are advised to not believe any email claiming they have been selected to apply for a visa under the DV program.

“These malicious emails are sent by criminal operators who seek to defraud individuals of their money or obtain their personal information. Remember that the U.S. government has never sent emails to notify the participants they have been selected, and there are no plans to do so for the DV-2020 program.  The Department of State will never ask you to send money by mail or by services such as Western Union,” reads the press release.

Complete instructions can be found on the Department of State’s public webpage at www.usvisas.state.gov/dv/instructions.

Video tutorial about the DV Immigrant Visa Program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOQlh2d2EbQ&feature=youtu.be.