MAYOR GIULIANI URGES IMMIGRANTS TO PREPARE FOR VISA LOTTERY
AS STATE DEPARTMENT MOVES UP ENTRY DATES, FEDERAL AND CITY OFFICIALS EXPLAIN EASY-TO-FOLLOW RULES AND RESTRICTIONS GOVERNING FREE VISA LOTTERY TO BE CONDUCTED FROM OCTOBER 24, 1997 - NOVEMBER 24, 1997
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced that the Federal DV-99 Immigration Visa Lottery has moved up its application period to October 24, 1997 through November 24, 1997, almost four months earlier than its originally scheduled date of February 1998. The Mayor urged prospective visa lottery applicants to obtain information from the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) on how to apply.
Joining the Mayor for the announcement were DCA Commissioner José Maldonado, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Angelica Tang, Federal Trade Commission New York Regional Office Director Michael Bloom, and winners from previous visa lotteries.
From October 24 - November 24, 1997, the U.S. State Department will conduct its fourth annual Diversity Visa Lottery and award 55,000 permanent resident visas, nationwide, to immigrants from traditionally lower-immigration areas. The lottery program was established by the Immigration Act of 1990 to expand the number of countries from which new immigrants to the United State originate. Being randomly selected in the visa lottery does not guarantee a permanent resident visa, but it does make the prospective green card candidate eligible to apply for a permanent resident visa immediately.
"Past and present, New York City owes more to the energy and creativity and hard work of immigrants than any other place in the nation or in the world," Mayor Giuliani said. "We are the strongest City in the world because we are the most diverse city in the world."
The Mayor continued, "Immigrants come here to make better lives for themselves and their children. They work hard to build their families, businesses, and communities. Anyone who has ever been to Coney Island, Astoria, East Harlem, or Flatbush knows what I mean."
"Because immigrants continue to be a force for progress, New York City continues to be in a position to lead the nation toward a better and fuller understanding of immigration. That's why we are very excited once again about the Federal visa lottery, which gives 55,000 people the opportunity to become permanent residents," the Mayor said.
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.
"New York City wants its immigrants, its future permanent residents and citizens, to be on top of this process form the start," the Mayor said. "And while we can't do anything to actually increase prospective immigrants' chance in the lottery, we can make sure that they get accurate, up-to-date information and have everything they need to make the process go smoothly."
DCA Commissioner Maldonado said, "Every year, thousands of immigrants get the chance to achieve their dream of becoming legal United States residents through the annual 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 nine languages to help future Americans take advantage of this opportunity -- without being taken advantage of by con artists."
"Over the past year, the Mayor, City agencies and many others have been actively involved in changing a negative attitude toward immigrants and immigration," Executive Director Angelica Tang said. "The City's efforts to promote the Diversity Visa Lottery program affirms the value of immigration and the contributions made by immigrants from all nations around the globe. Because accurate information prevents misunderstanding, confusion, fraud and disappointment, the City's information campaign is essential. The Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs and Language Services is proud to continue our work as a bridge between the Mayor and the immigrant communities, and to acknowledge the extraordinary energy immigrants bring to New York."
"Programs such as the Diversity Visa Lottery present opportunities not only to those who fervently hope to make the United States their home; they present opportunities to unscrupulous people here and abroad who would rip them off," Director Bloom said. "Consumers should be on the alert for unscrupulous businesses and attorneys who claim that, for a fee, they can increase your chances of winning the U.S. State Department's annual visa lottery. Selection is purely random and there are no special techniques or loopholes available t increase an individual's chance of winning."
Visa Lottery Rules:
Visa Lottery applicants must now furnish a 1 ˝" X 1 ˝" 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.
- Each applicant can only submit one application. A person submitting more
than one application will automatically be disqualification.
- Applications must be submitted by mail only from October 24, 1997 to November
24, 1997. Any applications received before October 24, 1997 or after November
24, 1997 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), Columbia, Dominican Republic, El
Salvador, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, South Korea, Taiwan,
United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland), and Vietnam. Some people excluded
from countries may be eligible, if their spouses are from an eligible country.
To get a free copy of the guides, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
Consumer Affairs Visa Lottery GuidesConsumers 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 Federal Trade Commission's Regional Office at (212) 264-1207.
42 Broadway
New York, NY 10004
(Please specify the language in which you wish to receive the material)
Mayor Giuliani asked prospective lottery applicants to take note of the following hotlines for assistance:
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT HOTLINE
1-900-884-8840 (each call costs $5.10)
NEW YORK IMMIGRATION HOTLINE
(718) 899-4000
U.S. IMMIGRATION & NATURALIZATION SERVICES
(800) 375-5283
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