US visa diversity lottery cancelled due to computer error

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Due to a computer error, the results of the 2012 Diversity Lottery for a US visa that were previously posted on the Department of Homeland Security website have now been declared void. A new selection process will be held and the results will be made available on approx. 15 July, 2011.

The Diversity Lottery Program helps 50,000 people a year obtain a permanent US Visa (i.e. a Green Card) if they are from of a country with low rates of immigration to America.

However, the US government has cancelled this year’s DV lottery drawings due to a computer error, with the following release regarding the problem posted on the US Department of State's website:

“We regret to inform you that, due to a computer programming problem, the results of the 2012 Diversity Lottery that were previously posted on this website have been voided. They were not valid and were posted in error. The results were not valid because they did not represent a fair, random selection of entrants, as required by U.S. law.

“If you checked this website during the first week in May and found a notice that you had been selected for further processing or a notice that you had not been selected, that notice has been rescinded and is no longer valid.

“A new selection process will be conducted based on the original entries for the 2012 program.

“If you submitted a qualified entry from October 5, 2010 to November 3, 2010, your entry remains with us. It will be included in the new selection lottery. Your confirmation number to check results on this website is still valid.

“We expect the results of the new selection process to be available on this website on or about July 15, 2011.

“We regret any inconvenience this might have caused.”

The American Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their ESTA application to the US Embassy.