When the DV results are released, you can check the your status on this site. You need to have the conformation number that you received when you submit your DV entry application. There are two possibilities in selection letter: 1: Message saying “You have not been selected for the further processing” 2: A letter show up from Kentucky Counselor Center like this. This letter refers to as the First Notification letter (1NL). At the bottom of the page you can find your case number. (learn more)

Case number is a unique number that each selectee are assign with and contain numbers and characters (see example). The initial 4 numbers represents the Fiscal year that you are selected, the following two characters represent the region and last digits are the numbers that represents your position in your region Case numbers are divided into 5 regions. AF: Africa, AS: Asia, EU: Europe, OC: Oceania and SA: South America. Your country of chargeability will fall into one of these category and their progress are independent. i.e. The progress of AF is independent from AS/EU/OC and SA. Basically you are competing with case numbers in your regional category.

Basically the after the initial entry period, each applicants divide into corresponding region and ordered randomly. Then each region pick the numbers starting from 1. But if the system find a disqualified applicant then that number will be skipped. i.e. in AF region system, case number 3, 5 are found to be disqualified, then in AF region only selectees will be, 1,2,4,6,7,……. This means you can not predict how many people are in front of you.

In each month, the Department of States releases visa bulletin. In there, you can find the progress of your regional case numbers and once your number is bellow the published visa bulletin numbers, then your case number called to be “current”. (learn more)

Around 15th of each month The US department of states publishes visa bulletin for several categories including DV lottery. In this site you will find two visa bulletins.

1: Current Visa Bulletin: This is for the current month

2:Upcoming Visa Bulletin: This is for the next month.

In current visa bulletin, under section B you will find the cutoff numbers for each region in the current month and also under section C you will find the cutoff numbers for the next month. According those examples, as of April 1st, anyone below 41 000 in AF is eligible to send the AOS package and as of May 1st, anyone below 45 175 in AF eligible to send the AOS package. But under advance notification memo, you are eligible to file as of April 1st if you number is below section C. i.e. anyone below 45 175 in AF eligible to send AOS package after 1st of April. Technically, you can send your AOS application two months advance. (sounds confused? see this example)

When your case number becomes lower than visa bulletin’s cutoff number then your case number become “current”. Sometimes in visa bulletin word “current appears rather a cutoff number. That means any number in that particular region eligible to send AOS package.

The progress of the visa bulletin depends on several factors. Since most of the DV base visa are issued outside of US, the progress is mainly govern by the how fast embassies in each region issue DV visas. In each fiscal year, approximately 55 000 DV visas are allocated but in each year more than 55 000 selectees are selected since some selectees are get disqualified during interview stage and some selectees may not even further process. If the number of selectee are very high ( more than 110 000), then the chances of higher case numbers become current is very low. If your case number is very high it’s important to wait before you submit anything (because it will signify the immigration intension) until DV statistics are released. Usually in visa bulletin published between June to August have the DV statistics of the next fiscal year. (see this example ). Therefore, no one can typically predict if your number will ever become current. (at least until stats are released and know the gaps between numbers)

If you regional case number is 12201, then it doesn’t mean there are 12000 selectees are in front of you. Read this to understand how the DV selection performed. Usually there are skipped numbers due to disqualifications of the DV entries. Thus, in this example may be only 2000 selectees are present.

You are eligible to process AOS as long as you have,

1. A valid non-immigrant status. (this is not the Visa)

2. not violated visa status (like unauthorized work)

3. been inspected at the boarder or a point of entry to US.

Also, you should be presented in US by the time you found your selection.

Yes, you can change to consular process at anytime if you have enough time to process it. All you need to do is, email the KCC and tell them which embassy you want to have the interview. This is why it is important to submit the DS260 even if you are doing AOS. This will save time for KCC to review your application.

You can always apply but it does not guarantee that you will get approved. This is because the moment you submit the DS 260, you show your immigration intension to US. As a requirement of non-immigration visa, you shouldn’t have such an intension. So, based on this your non-immigrant visa may be rejected in future if you were unable to complete the GC process. That’s why it is really important to wait and see to make sure that your case number is going to be current for sure.

You visa determine if you are eligible to enter to US. but the legal status is the one which determine your eligibility to stay in US. That’s why even if your visa is expired you can stay in US as long as you have a valid status. This can check from you I-94 where you can find the last day you can reside in US (under “Admit until”). Usually for F1/F1 students, it’s D/S (Duration of status). SO, if you maintain your I-20 you are good to process AOS even if your Visa is expired or going to expire soon.

Yes, you can apply. But it is highly recommend to apply it before you submit your AOS application.

In an unfortunate event of rejection of your AOS application or pass Sep 30 deadline, you need to carefully evaluate your legal status. Usually, if you still maintain your status even after you submit your application till the decision, you will FALL BACK to your PREVIOUS STATUS. However, if your current status has come to an end before the AOS decision then you will become AOS PENDING status which is a valid status to reside in US until a decision is made. So, if your application got rejected while you are in AOS pending status, you need to leave the country within the grace period of time to avoid the unlawful presence (which will result a bar to your future visa status)

It is okay to submit or have more than one petition with USCIS. Usually, DV petitions are faster than other GC categories and will be adjudicated faster. So, if you get approved for your GC from the DV lottery then your other petitions get automatically rejected (but there are some case you may need to write in person to withdraw your applciation, like Asylum pending.