Talk:Diversity Immigrant Visa/Archive 2

2011 "glitch"
I can't believe this didn't make it in the article yet. I guess the world has forgotten about it...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13673574 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 212.139.83.165 (talk) 20:48, 26 January 2019 (UTC)

Can't edit
The following sentence is actually in the article, it should be removed.

"Charles Kenny, an economist at the Center for Global Development, noted that research by Harvard economist Alberto Alesina found that countries with a higher share of foreign-born populations tended to have more innovation and higher incomes."

Did the economist forget about brain drain and that most immigrants choose to move to nations with more innovation and higher incomes? Why would anyone want to immigrate to the least-developed countries? The economist must have removed Japan from his data or he would have had to accept the null hypothesis as they are the one developed nation to keep immigration levels low and their aging population explains their low economic growth of late. 2607:FEA8:1DE0:274:88F3:58E1:EBB2:21B6 (talk) 06:30, 19 July 2019 (UTC)

iran is eligible for dv lottery
in this article it said iran is ineligible and it is false !!! 2021 lottery, iranians were eligible and i know personly iranians that have dv lottery visas that obtained in 2018 ! plz remove iran from ineligible list and add it to eligible Javad.tafilm (talk) 20:17, 26 December 2019 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. MadGuy7023 (talk) 21:51, 26 December 2019 (UTC)
 * Iran is indeed eligible, but I don't see where the problem is. The section "ineligible countries" doesn't list Iran. The section "exemptions" says "For this reason [...] Iran, [...] are not on the ineligible list [...]". The table doesn't specifically list Iran, so it's included in "others" as eligible. The map shows Iran in orange as eligible. Which section do you want to change? Heitordp (talk) 17:45, 27 December 2019 (UTC)

Questions to the Statistics section
I have several questions to the "Statistics" section of this article:

QUESTION 1: Table 1 (Applicants):


 * a) What is meant with "dependents"?


 * b) Where is the "Region" data for DV-2007 up to DV-2018 from?
 * - I can't find any data on the linked "Visa Bulletin" webpage.
 * - I can only find data on the linked "Diversity Visa Program Statistics" webpage, but only for specific countries and not for Regions/Continents. Has this been calculated manually?


 * c) Where is the "Total" data for DV-2019 and DV-2020 from?

QUESTION 2: Table 2 (Selected Applicants):

Where is that data from?

QUESTION 3: Table 3 (Proportion of Applicants who were selected):

That data can be calculated with Table 1 and Table 2. But I am asking anyways: Is this data also available on a Government website? If yes, which one?

Thank you very much to anyone for helping to improve this article! Jexplorer8421 (talk) 19:13, 9 December 2019 (UTC)

P.S.: Sorry for the many edits!


 * 1a. "Dependents" mean the family members who are included in the main person's application (spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age). The source uses the term "derivatives", but in the article I wrote "dependents" as I thought that it was more clear. Would you prefer another term? Perhaps "family members"?
 * 1b. Yes, I calculated it manually (with a computer spreadsheet). I used the definitions from the DV instructions, which list the countries in each region.
 * 1c. The DV statistics page doesn't show the data for DV-2019 and DV-2020 yet. However, the visa bulletin pages (for August 2018 and August 2019) show the total number of applicants, it's in the text of the last section at the bottom of the page. For example, for August 2018 it says "Applicants registered for the DV-2019 program were selected at random from 14,352,013 qualified entries (22,425,053 with derivatives)". The visa bulletin pages don't show the number of applicants per region or per country.
 * 2. The data is in the visa bulletin page for each year. Again, I added the numbers for all countries in each region (in this case it's easier as the countries are already grouped). For DV-2011 to DV-2018, the data is also in the DV statistics page.
 * 3. I calculated the proportions myself, but I haven't seen them published by the government. Heitordp (talk) 19:08, 27 December 2019 (UTC)


 * I am sorry for responding only now! Thank you so much Heitordp for answering the questions so detailed. That really helped a lot! To your question: I think the term "dependents" is ok, but maybe you could note that the original source uses the term "derivatives" and that this means as much as "family members".
 * Thank you once again! Jexplorer8421 (talk) 13:03, 9 May 2020 (UTC)

Statistics update
The governement documents published below contains updates for the spreadsheet "Diversity visas issued and adjustments of status" inside the article, for the years 2018 and 2019 (2 new columns to be added)

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/AnnualReports/FY2019AnnualReport/FY19AnnualReport%20-TableVII.pdf — Preceding unsigned comment added by Californie1 (talk • contribs) 00:50, 10 April 2020 (UTC)


 * ❌. It's not clear what changes you want to make. Columns added to what? –Deacon Vorbis (carbon &bull; videos) 01:06, 10 April 2020 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 6 May 2020
41.214.87.184 (talk) 00:43, 6 May 2020 (UTC)
 * ❌ - Please state and explain your edit request here. — Tartan357  (Talk) 02:38, 6 May 2020 (UTC)

US born non-citizen participation and win possible? Happened?
In a hypothetical situation where a person is born in the US but never "activated" the US citizenship for whatever reason, but is still eligible to become a citizen (this is a condition for granting a DV green card), would that US born person be eligible to participate and able to win the DV lottery? Has this ever happened? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.228.64.82 (talk) 20:14, 10 May 2020 (UTC)

Switch order of origin maps please to most relevant DV first=above.
REfering to the maps displayed on the top right where the DV map should be visible first. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.228.64.82 (talk) 20:15, 10 May 2020 (UTC)

This is not a poverty visa and the article should reflect that in tone and wording to keep public perception scientifically correct
I am a German DV lottery participant and I am definitely not desperately attempting to flee poverty towards the US. I take part in the DV lottery because it is easy, cheap and fast and if I win I can still decide what to do.

While I studied at a renowned university and have lots of chances in Europe and in other places of the world that all welcome me, there is not a path to a US Green Card that is attractive enough to me, to have me pursue it with the absurdities required. I mean that I don't make use of e.g. entrepreneurial or investor visas, especially since I have less of a pressure to leave where I live now and don't want to and need to bother with it. The difference in life between where I am from or live now to the US is more of a cultural and horizontal switch as opposed to a huge step up for which I'd do everything imaginable.

It is my understanding that most people in developed Europe i.e. Western Europe who get involved with this lottery think in that way.

I do not feel represented and believe that multiple thousands of not only Germans but also Swiss, Dutch, Austrians, Swedish, Norwegians, people from Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, and in part also Spain, Italy and Greece etc. use the DV lottery in this exact way.

The "Diversity" in DV stands for a diversion from the existing predominant immigration origins. That can I interpret as an attempt to attract more than just those who already push the hardest to get in. I my head I hear Reagan saying "Why don't the Swiss bankers come to us? Why do we have Mexican and Chinese restaurants around every corner, but I've never eaten food from Malaysia or Austria? A French concept artist, an Argentinian farmer, they would all enrich and help our society and country, we should allow them to come".

Am I right? Am I wrong? What is the actual history of it? Is it a gift to the poor world? Or is it born out of a need to counter monotone harmful immigration streams? I honestly don't know. Is it also an attempt to offer a more attractive path to the US to people the US wants?

Diversity here does not stand primarily for socioeconomic diversity as in giving the poor and uneducated a chance too. But it is seen like that. It is a lottery after all. Lotteries are played by the poor and uneducated at a gas station. This is my pledge to counter this image and create an article that correctly reflects who makes use of the DV and how the program works actually.

Especially the "Impact/Economic" section in my view does not represent this reality regarding the DV. I see that the statements deny that DV immigrants are worse people but that only explains who they become after spending time in the US. Its great to show that despite being a somewhat random selection they still outperform many others in being great contributions to society. But who where they in the first place? All I see are statements regarding low wage immigrants pushing the wages of already residing workers up. I also don't like assumptions made, unmentioned but still the only cliche communicated, before they are then denied. Apparently the DV is seen in a completely wrong light. Donald Trump thinks these are the worst immigrants and factually it is often opposite both for the poor and not so poor people receiving a chance. After immigrating, but also before.

I feel that it should be underlined that this type of visa is a shortcut and that the typical DV participant and immigrant is not only successful in the US but often was already successful before, maybe this is even the majority of cases in Western Europe. This article should not be phrased as it is. Currently it sounds like "a few studies resulted in tendencies contradicting popular belief that DV immigrants are the poorest and least educated from the worst places on earth". — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.228.64.82 (talk) 21:31, 10 May 2020 (UTC)

Question to the new DV-2021 data
Hi there! How come that the Applicants number is so low in DV-2021? And how come that the Selected Applicants number is so high in DV-2021? Thanks! Jexplorer8421 (talk) 12:03, 26 August 2020 (UTC)
 * The large decrease in the number of applicants is almost certainly due to the new requirement that applicants provide their passport information in the lottery entry form. Previously, a passport was only required from the selected applicants to continue the process. The Department of State explained that it decided to add this requirement to the entry form to prevent fraudulent entries by third parties.
 * The reason for the increase in the number of selected applicants is less clear. One component could be the increase from 50,000 to about 55,000 diversity visas, after the Department finally realized that only a small fraction of the maximum 5,000 visas reserved for NACARA were actually needed. In addition, perhaps in the previous year the number of initially selected applicants was too low to fill all the visas, so the Department decided to increase it accordingly. Heitordp (talk) 19:36, 26 August 2020 (UTC)
 * Thank you so much Heitordp for your quick, detailed and helpful answer! I appreciate your help! Jexplorer8421 (talk) 20:40, 26 August 2020 (UTC)

If Russia only where where it is...
Why is Russia part of the Europe group if politically, mostly geographically, culturally and economically it is Asia? What is the impact? What if it belonged to Asia? What if Turkey belonged to Asia? Which parcipants' countries would benefit? Any mathematician interested in what this would do for European participants? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.228.64.82 (talk) 21:37, 10 May 2020 (UTC)

You win a chance to apply but all checks are still done and need to be passed
While this is briefly mentioned people need to better understand that you don't win an entry ticket but only a waiver for the necessity to otherwise provide a reason to apply. A few exclusions should be listed here. It should also be pointed out that the new requirement for having a passport to apply limits the possibility to do so to what in many poorer or politically difficult countries are elites only.

Here is an automatic translation from the German Wikipedia page about the DV and I beleive it would help if the English page had such a section, too:

Participation criteria Lottery winners must meet a number of criteria to qualify for an immigrant visa that will lead to Permanent Resident status upon first entry, including

Proof of professional training with work experience or a minimum education comparable to high school. In Germany, a secondary school leaving certificate is sufficient and in Switzerland, a nine-year school education with a three-year apprenticeship was sufficient. The country of birth of the participant filling out the application form must be eligible for the Green Card Lottery. According to the INA, these are the countries of origin: ACT 212 (a)[8] further grounds for exclusion exist such as

Health reasons (medical examination necessary with medical officers of the US embassies abroad, e.g. even the slightest drug abuse leads to exclusion) criminal or similar reasons (including prostitution, trafficking in human beings, money laundering, etc.) It is therefore advantageous to present a (green) certificate of good conduct (applies to all countries in which one has resided for more than three months since coming of age). Security reasons or similar (i.e. no terrorist, not involved in sabotage and/or (e-)espionage, no membership in totalitarian parties or connections to terrorist organisations etc.) Public Charge, i.e. not in constant danger of becoming financially dependent on the state. This can be credibly denied by sufficient starting capital, offer of work, or a credible guarantor (this way does not guarantee qualification) (SGB II and SGB XII subscribers have a de facto increased burden of proof here). Illegal immigration or previous violations of immigration laws (e.g. also someone who has falsely claimed to be a US citizen, smugglers, abuse of US student visas, other visa abuse, stowaways, etc.) not being able to present a valid identity card or passport (document requirement) not qualified to obtain US citizenship (ever) Formerly reported by US authorities other reasons, such as being a polygamist, child abduction, unauthorized participation in or falsification of democratic elections, and former U.S. citizens who have renounced their citizenship in order to escape taxation. Finally, there will be a personal interview at the American Embassy. You will not yet receive the actual card, only an immigrant visa. With this visa, the first entry into the USA must take place within six months after the compulsory medical examination. A minimum stay is not required for this first entry.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.228.64.82 (talk) 22:21, 10 May 2020 (UTC)

Renaming the section "Fraud" to clarify by whom it is committed to e.g. "Fraudulent Agencies"
Renaming the section "Fraud" to clarify by whom it is committed e.g. Fraudulent Agencies would clarify that the fraudsters are the agencies and the participants are the victims. Immigration is a politically heated topic and many don't take the time. Many people on the internet want to see their negative assumptions confirmed. Reading the tile only as it is might give a wrong brief impression on somebody scanning the topic to build a quick opinion. "It's abused!" "They too 'er jerbs!"-Style — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.228.64.82 (talk) 22:28, 10 May 2020 (UTC)
 * I changed it to "deceptive agencies". Heitordp (talk) 10:22, 10 September 2020 (UTC)

Adding a third density map
Adding a third map that shows the number or participants of a country divided by the number of residents or citizens of that country (as approximately equal substitute for the number of people born there and alive, which might be harder to find)

This heat map would then reflect how strongly people try i.e. how many of 1000 from there do apply.

Another map could show how many of those selected in the specific countries then fail to meet the criteria to actually receive the green card.

Number of participants per country:

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Diversity-Visa/DVStatistics/DV%20AES%20statistics%20by%20FSC%202016-2018.pdf — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.228.64.82 (talk) 22:49, 10 May 2020 (UTC)


 * The article has four maps, one of which already shows applicants per population. Heitordp (talk) 15:32, 20 August 2020 (UTC)

B-Class Importance? Start Quality Level?
I would rate this article more important than it is currently rated. The DV is a globally famous path to the US green card and immigration as a whole has gained political importance. I would also rate the quality of this article lower than it is currently rated. The article lacks a lot o relevant basic information that other Wikipedia languages provide. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.231.39.144 (talk) 20:17, 19 May 2020 (UTC)