Diversity Visa Information

Diversity Visa Lottery

The Congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas annually, drawn from random selection among all entries to persons who meet strict eligibility requirements from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States, such as Togo.

In order to be qualified for this program, applicants must either have a high school diploma or possess the necessary occupation qualifications and experience (see below).  Prior to the interview, however, a non-refundable $755 processing fee must be paid for each applicant. We therefore urge Togolese considering the Diversity Visa to review the qualification criteria information provided by the State Department. If the applicant does not meet these requirements, he or she should NOT apply for a Diversity Visa at the U.S. Embassy of Lomé.

What Occupations will Qualify for the Diversity Visa Program (eDV)?

The Department of Labor (DOL) O*Net Online database groups job experience into five "job zones."  While many occupations are listed on the DOL Website, only certain specified occupations qualify for the Diversity Visa Program. To qualify for a Diversity Visa on the basis of your work experience, you must, within the past five years, have two years of experience in an occupation that is designated as Job Zone 4 or 5, classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher.

How Do I Find the Qualifying Occupations on the Department of Labor Website?

Qualifying DV Occupations are shown on the Department of Labor O*Net Online Database at http://online.onetcenter.org.  Follow these steps to find out if your occupation qualifies: Select "Find Occupations" and then select a specific "Job Family". (For example, select Architecture and Engineering and click "GO".  Then click on the link for the specific Occupation (For example, Aerospace Engineers).  After selecting a specific Occupation link, select the tab "Job Zone" to find out the designated Job Zone number and Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) rating range.