The State Department has posted results of the Diversity Visa lottery for fiscal year 2021.

Key points:

  • Individuals who registered for the lottery during the registration period may now check the State Department’s Entrant Status Check website to find out if they were selected.
  • Individuals are reminded that the Entrant Status Check website is the only official source where results are posted. The U.S. government does not notify individuals about their selection in the lottery.
  • Registrants must enter the confirmation number they received when they registered to view whether they have been selected, and should keep their confirmation number until at least Sept. 30, 2021. Those who are selected in the lottery may view instructions in Entrant Status Check about how to apply for immigrant visas for themselves and for eligible family members.
  • A presidential proclamation issued April 22 that temporarily suspends immigrant-visa applicants from entering the U.S. may affect the 2021 lottery winners if the proclamation is extended into the fall.

Background: The Diversity Visa program provides for 55,000 immigrant visas (green cards) to be issued to individuals from countries with low levels of immigration to the U.S. Individuals register during an annual registration period and are selected through a random lottery. The registration period for fiscal year 2021 Diversity Visas opened Oct. 2, 2019 and closed Nov. 5, 2019.

BAL Analysis: U.S. consulates around the world remain closed for routine visa services, including interviews, processing and visa issuance. Individuals who were selected in the DV lottery should anticipate delays in visa appointments as well as ongoing delays even after consulates reopen. The entry ban on immigrant applicants is likely to be extended beyond its current expiration date of June 22. If the ban is extended beyond Oct. 1, 2020, when DV appointments would normally begin, the 2021 DV lottery winners would be subject to the entry ban, but they remain eligible to apply for DV immigrant visas until Sept. 30, 2021.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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