U.S. IMMIGRANT VISA LOTTERY NOW OPEN

Colombo, October 05, 2004. The 2006 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery was formally declared open in Washington, DC on September 28. This program allows randomly selected applicants the chance to immigrate to the United States on an expedited basis, provided they meet all the criteria. Individuals wishing to participate in the visa lottery are strongly urged to apply early to avoid any possible delays. 50,000 individuals will be selected for the lottery worldwide.

The lottery registration period will run from November 5, 2004, until January 7, 2005.

For the second year in a row, the lottery will be conducted entirely by electronic means. Paper entries will no longer be accepted. The State Department has established a website for the submission of entries, which can be accessed at:

www.dvlottery.state.gov

Successfully registered entries will result in the display of a confirmation screen containing the applicant's name, date of birth, country of chargeability (the country the applicant enters the lottery from), and a date and time stamp. This confirmation screen can be printed as proof of registration in the lottery.

People selected for an interview to obtain an immigrant visa will be notified in April/May, 2005. If they qualify, they will then have a one-year window in which they may emigrate to the United States.