The diversity lottery 2010 makes available 50,000 permanent resident (or GreenCard) visas annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. The 60-day application period started on October 2′ 2008 and ends on noon December 1 2008. Approximately up to 10 million online applications are expected from six geographic regions with a maximum of seven percent available to persons born in any single country.

Countries excluded from DV-2010 lottery visas are — Natives of the following Asian countries are not eligible for this year’s diversity program: China (mainland-born), India, Pakistan, South Korea, Philippines, and Vietnam. Hong Kong S.A.R and Taiwan do qualify and are listed above. Macau S.A.R. also qualifies and is listed below (Europe).

Once the applicants get a lottery visa then at the visa interview a proof of high school education and two years of work experience in the past five years are required for person to qualify and get a GC through DV program.

In DV-2009 lottery Bangladesh got 6,023 PR visas through DV lottery from Asia geographic region followed by Nepal 1,891 and with Iran taking 1,689 visas.

Make sure you access only http://www.travel.state.gov for DV-2010 online applications. As there has been instances of con artists creating fake websites as written on travel.state.gov website.

Diversity Visa Program via kwout