ENTRY PROCEDURES

PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTING AN ENTRY TO DV-2012

The Department of State will only accept completed E-DV entry forms submitted electronically at www.dvlottery.state.gov during the registration period between noon, EDT (GMT-4), Tuesday, October 5, 2010 and noon, EDT (GMT-4), Wednesday, November 3, 2010.

• All entries by an individual will be disqualified if more than ONE entry for that individual is received, regardless of who submitted the entry. You may prepare and submit your own entry or have someone submit the entry for you.
  
  
• A successfully registered entry will result in a confirmation screen containing your name and a unique confirmation number. You should print this confirmation screen for your records using the print function of your web browser and ensure that you retain your confirmation number. Starting May 1, 2011, you will be able to check the status of your DV-2012 entry by returning to www.dvlottery.state.gov Entry Status Check and entering your unique confirmation number and personal information.
  
  Entry Status Check will be the sole means of informing you of your selection for DV-2012, providing instructions to you on how to proceed with your application, and notifying you of your appointment for your immigrant visa interview, so it is essential you retain your confirmation number.
  
  
• Paper entries will not be accepted.

It is very important that all required photographs be submitted. Your entry will be disqualified if all required photographs are not submitted. Recent photographs of the following people must be submitted electronically with the E-DV entry form:

• * You
• * Your spouse
• * Each unmarried child under 21 years of age at the time of your electronic entry, including all natural children as well as all legally adopted children and stepchildren, even if a child no longer resides with you or you do not intend for a child to immigrate under the DV program.
  
  Failure to submit the required photographs for your spouse and each child listed will result in an incomplete entry to the E-DV system. The entry will not be accepted and must be resubmitted.

A spouse or child who is already a U.S. citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident will not require or be issued a DV visa. However, you should include all family members in your registration and photos of each person who will receive a DV visa. Group or family photographs will not be accepted; there must be a separate photograph for each family member.

Failure to enter the correct photograph of each individual into the E-DV system may result in disqualification of the principal applicant and refusal of all visas associated with the case at the time of the visa interview.

Entries are subject to disqualification and visa refusal for cases in which the photographs are not recent or have been manipulated or fail to meet the specifications explained below.

Instructions for Submitting a Digital Photograph (Image)
A digital photograph (image) of you, your spouse, and each child must be submitted online with the E-DV entry form. The image file can be produced either by taking a new digital photograph or by scanning a photographic print with a digital scanner.The image file must adhere to the following compositional and technical specifications and can be produced in one of the following ways: taking a new digital image or using a digital scanner to scan a photograph. Entrants may test their photos for suitability through the photo validator link on the e-DV website before submitting their entries. The photo validator provides additional technical advice on photo composition, along with examples of acceptable and unacceptable photos.

Compositional Specifications: The submitted digital image must conform to the following compositional specifications or the entry will be disqualified.

• Head Position
  The person being photographed must directly face the camera.
  The head of the person should not be tilted up, down, or to the side.
  The head height or facial region size (measured from the top of the head, including the hair, to the bottom of the chin) must be between 50 percent and 69 percent of the image's total height. The eye height (measured from the bottom of the image to the level of the eyes) should be between 56 percent and 69 percent of the image's height.
  
• Background
  The person being photographed should be taken with the person in front of a neutral, light-colored background.
  Dark or patterned backgrounds are not acceptable.
  
• Focus The photograph must be in focus.
  
• Decorative Items
  Photographs in which the person being photographed is wearing sunglasses or other items that detract from the face will not be accepted.
  
• Head Coverings and Hats
  Photos of applicants wearing head coverings or hats are only acceptable if the head covering is worn for religious beliefs; even then, the head covering may not obscure any portion of the face of the applicant. Photographs of applicants with tribal or other headgear not specifically religious in nature will not be accepted; photographs of military, airline, or other personnel wearing hats will not be accepted.

Color photographs in 24-bit color depth are required. Color photographs may be downloaded from a camera to a file in the computer or they may be scanned onto a computer. If you are using a scanner, the settings must be for True Color or 24-bit color mode. See the additional scanning requirements below.

Technical Specifications
The submitted digital photograph must conform to the following specifications or the system will automatically reject the E-DV entry form and notify the sender.

• Taking a New Digital Image. If a new digital image is taken, it must meet the following specifications:
  Image File Format:
  The image must be in the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format.
  Image File Size:
  The maximum image file size is 240 kilobytes (240 KB).
  Image Resolution and Dimensions:
  Minimum acceptable dimensions are 600 pixels (width) x 600 pixels (height). Image pixel dimensions must be in a square aspect ratio (meaning the height must be equal to the width).
  Image Color Depth:
  image must be in color (24 bits per pixel). 24-bit black and white or 8-bit images will not be accepted.
  
• Scanning a Submitted Photograph. Before a photographic print is scanned, it must meet the compositional specifications listed above. If the photographic print meets the print color and compositional specifications, scan the print using the following scanner specifications:
  Scanner Resolution:
  Scanned at a resolution of at least 300 dots per inch (dpi).
  Image File Format:
  The image must be in the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format.
  Image File Size:
  The maximum image file size is 240 kilobytes (240 KB).
  Image Resolution:
  600 by 600 pixels.
  Image Color Depth:
  24-bit color. [Note that black and white, monochrome, or grayscale images will not be accepted.]