The Department of State has published a media note stating that the 2014 Diversity Visa Program (DV-2014) will open at noon, EST, Tuesday, October 2, 2012. The program will close at noon, EST, Saturday, November 3, 2012. The Department of State is encouraging applicants to not wait until the last week of the program period to apply, since heavy demands during that week may result in delays.
Applicants interested in applying for DV-2014 are required to submit their entries electronically using the electronic DV entry form at www.dvlottery.state.gov. Paper entries are not accepted. Congress has set aside 55,000 diversity visas for FY 2014. These visas are available to people from countries with lower rates of immigration to the United States who meet certain, simple requirements.