Annually, the United States government issues a maximum of 50,000 green cards through a computer-generated random lottery drawing. Applications for the DV 2013 random lottery will be accepted Tuesday, October 4, 2011 through Saturday, November 5, 2011. Paper entries will not be accepted, eligible participants may access the electronic Diversity Visa entry form (E-DV) to apply during this period.
These green cards are only available to those eligible participants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. For DV-2013, persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Taiwan, South Sudan and Poland are eligible.
Natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply because the countries sent a total of more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the previous five years: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.