US DV Lottery to Reopen, but Can Bangladeshis Apply?

The United States is set to reopen its highly anticipated Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Lottery after a prolonged suspension. On Monday, October 19, a federal court ruled in favour of reopening the programme in a case challenging the Trump administration’s decision to suspend it, Forbes reported.

Under the court’s ruling, the US Department of State must publish the lottery notice by October 29 and open the registration portal on November 1. The registration window must remain open for at least 30 days. The order also sets December 3 as the deadline for notifying selected applicants.

The US Department of State has not yet provided details on whether Bangladesh will be included among the eligible countries for this year's lottery. The country's eligibility is expected to become clear when the official DV Lottery notice is published on October 29.

Bangladesh has been excluded from the US Diversity Visa Lottery since 2012. The country became ineligible after more than 50,000 Bangladeshis immigrated to the United States between 2007 and 2012. The programme is primarily intended for people from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States.

The court's ruling advises applicants to wait for official announcements from the US Department of State before submitting applications. They should carefully check the eligibility requirements, the correct website address and the application procedure.

Applicants have also been warned against scammers who promise to secure selection in the Green Card Lottery in exchange for money. The application process must be completed free of charge through the official US government portal.