US Announces DV 2026 Commencement -Unveils “DV Myths” Public Needs to Be Aware Of

U.S. Embassy has announced the commencement of the 2026 Diversity Visa Lottery, stating in a release on October 8 that the “Green Card Lottery” is the only official lottery program for immigrant visas to the United States.

Embassy release said registration began at noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Wednesday October 2, 2024, and ends at noon Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. No entries will be accepted after noon EST on November 5, 2024, the a US press release said.

This annual U.S. government-sponsored program makes more than 50,000 immigrant visas available worldwide to people from countries including Liberia, with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.

Warning on Fraudulent Schemes

The US Embassy is also warning Diversity Visa applicants to remain vigilant for fraudulent emails, websites, and letters claiming to be part of the application process.

These are used by scammers posing as the U.S. government to extract funds or access banking information. Applicants are reminded that there is no fee to apply for Diversity Visas, and the U.S. government does not request any payments via email or letter.

Common DV Myths

Unfortunately, every year countless Liberians are duped by unscrupulous visa vendors who seek to make profit by perpetuating myths about the DV process.

Including a spouse or children will affect my chances of winning

FALSE: The Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) randomly selects applicants, based on allocations of available visas in each region and country, from all registered entries. Things like marital status and the presence of children on the application have no impact on selection.

I can include someone else’s children on my application

FALSE: You should only include your biological children, stepchildren, and legally adopted children. You must include all your biological children under the age of 21, even if he/she does not reside with you at the time of DV entry. If you have a child that you gave birth to or fathered that does not live with you, you must still list them.

I must be a certain age to play the DV

FALSE: There is no minimum age requirement to enter the DV lottery. However, you must be a high school graduate or its U.S. equivalent. You may also be asked to present your WAEC scores at your visa interview.

It costs money to play the DV

FALSE: The application process is free. Applications are accepted electronically only through https://dvprogram.state.gov/ . Any website asking for a fee to apply is not associated with the U.S. government.

If I don’t have the correct documents, I can just buy them

FALSE: Presenting false documents to a U.S. official is a crime under U.S. law and depending on the documents it could also violate Liberian law. It could also result in a lifetime ban on any future travel to the United States.

I need to submit a I-864 Affidavit of Support at my DV interview

FALSE: Affidavits of Support I-864 are NOT required for DV applications and will not increase your chances of getting a visa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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