2018’s Diversity Visa Lottery Registration opens on Tuesday 3 October, with qualified applicants strongly encouraged to put in their applications for the US visas as soon as they can because system delays in the last days of registration are likely if demand is heavy. Entries need to be submitted via the internet between midday on 3 October and 3 November.
The US visa lottery is administered annually by the Department of State, giving green cards to immigrants from nations with a low immigration rate to the US. There are 50,000 Diversity Visas available this year, to be distributed between half a dozen geographic regions. Most will go to those with low immigration rates. None of the US visas will go to immigrants from countries that have sent over 50,000 immigrants to the US during the last five years.
Countries whose citizens are not eligible to apply for these US visas include Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, El Salvador, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland), Vietnam, Brazil, China, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Nigeria, Peru, and South Korea. Some citizens may still be able to apply if they have a spouse born in an eligible country.
Citizens of Macau SAR, Taiwan, and Hong Kong SAR are eligible for the visas. Successful applicants need to have either two years work experience in an accepted field during the last five years or the equivalent of a high school education.