Addressing a group of local journalists at a press briefing last Friday, the new United States Embassy Consular Officer, Wendy Kennedy, announced the impending commencement of the 2009 diversity visa Lottery commonly referred to as the “Green Card Lottery.” According to Madam Kennedy, applicants could apply from now till the 2nd of December via the following website address: www.dvlottery.state.gov .

After applying, she continued, successful applicants would be contacted on line within a period of 5-7 months. She further informed applicants that the process is free of charge and requires individuals to apply for themselves online. Madam Kennedy however advised that the people most suited to apply are those that hold high school certificates or at least two years working experience.

When asked as to whether successful applicants would be allowed to relocate with their families, Consular Kennedy replied in the positive but added that a man could only move with one spouse even if he has two wives.

It could be recalled that the Congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) program is administered on annual basis by the Department of States. The programme, commonly referred to as “The Green Card Lottery,” makes Diversity Immigrant visa available to persons meeting the simple but strict eligible requirements. A computer generated random lottery drawing chooses selectees for diversity visa.

Meanwhile countries such as Brazil, Canada, China (mainland), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam are not eligible to apply because a total of more than 50,000 immigrants have succeeded from each of those countries over the period of the previous five years.