Release #374-98

Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958
Samantha I. Lugo (212) 788-9364
Shonna Keogan, DCA (212) 487-4283

"As we celebrate New York City's centennial as a united City, we are reminded of the energy, diversity and dedication of millions of immigrants who helped make this City the Capital of the World," Mayor Giuliani said.

"Those who have come here to forge a better life for their families will continue to be a driving force for progress as New York City begins its second century of life, and as we approach the new millennium. New Yorkers understand the value of immigration. And we understand the importance of the DV-2000 Visa Lottery which will give 50,000 people the opportunity to become permanent residents and to continue making contributions to this country," the Mayor added.

Joining the Mayor for the announcement were DCA Commissioner Jules Polonetsky, the Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs and Language Services Angelica Tang, and previous Diversity Visa Lottery winners Tom Quirke from Country Tiperrary, Ireland, and Mouna Elguermai from Marrakesh, Morocco.

From October 1, 1998 through October 31, 1998, the U.S. State Department will conduct its fifth annual Diversity Visa Lottery to award 50,000 permanent resident visas nationwide. The lottery program was established by the Immigration Act of 1990 to help expand the number of countries from which new immigrants to the United States originate. Being randomly selected in the Visa Lottery does not guarantee the "lottery winner" a permanent resident visa, but it does make the prospective green card candidate eligible to apply for a permanent resident visa immediately.

Mayor Giuliani also announced that the Department of Consumer Affairs will conduct an educational outreach campaign to steer prospective lottery participants away from the fraudulent practices of unscrupulous immigration service practitioners.

"It is important for prospective immigrants to know that while no one can do anything to increase their chances of being selected in the lottery, New York City will make sure that applicants have access to the critical information they need to properly enter the visa lottery," the Mayor said.

Commissioner Polonetsky said, "Every year, thousands of immigrants get the chance to achieve their dream of becoming legal United States residents through the Visa Lottery. Unfortunately, some fraudulent immigrant service providers see the lottery as a chance to prey on prospective immigrants. With our collaborative outreach campaign, we hope to get the message across that this lottery is free and easy to enter, and that we have information available in six languages to help people take advantage of this opportunity -- without being taken advantage of by con artists."

Angelica Tang, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs and Language Services said, "For many years, receiving a U. S. Green Card has been synonymous with the American Dream. Last year, the Diversity Visa Lottery Program received a total of 5.8 million applications from people around the world who long to embrace America as their new home. 2.4 million applications were disqualified for technical violations. It is therefore essential that applicants follow directions properly. But accurate information about the lottery is equally important and can be obtained free of charge from reliable sources such as our Office, DCA and other reputable immigration service providers. The only way to increase one's chance in winning the Diversity Visa Lottery is getting accurate information and following directions precisely."

The rules for the free lottery are simple. Visa Lottery applicants must furnish a 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" photograph no more than 6 months old, with their name printed on the back and taped to their lottery applications. The following lottery rules and restrictions also govern the lottery:

• Applicants must have a high school education (or its equivalent - not a GED) or two years of experience in an occupation requiring two years of training, with such experience being attained within the past five years.

• Applicants can only submit one application. More than one application will result in automatic disqualification.

• Applications should be made by mail only between October 1, 1998 and October 31, 1998. Any applications received before or after that period will be discarded.

• The Visa Lottery will be open to anyone abroad or in the United States, except for natives of Canada, China (except Hong Kong), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom and its dependent territories (except Northern Ireland), and Vietnam. Some people from excluded countries may be eligible, if their spouses are from an eligible country.

Prospective lottery applicants should take note of the following hotlines for assistance:

The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, together with the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs and Language Services have issued a special publication to explain the rules and restrictions for the upcoming Visa Lottery. The Consumer Guide to DV-2000 Visa Lottery brochure is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French, and Russian. DCA and the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs and Language Services also published Beware of Immigration Services Fraud, a brochure available in the same six languages plus Haitian Creole, Italian and Korean. To get a free copy of the guides, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

This information can also be obtained in English only by visiting the DCA website at www.ci.nyc.ny.us/consumers.

Consumers who believe they are the victims of fraud concerning the green card lottery program are urged to contact the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs at (212) 487-4444 or (718) 286-2994 or the Federal Trade Commission's Regional Office at (212) 264-1207.