Nepali winners of the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery program for 2024 can breathe a sigh of relief as the required case number for visa issuance has significantly increased. As of April, individuals with case numbers up to 6,000 will be eligible, marking a leap from the previous March cutoff of 5,000 and January’s limit of 3,000. February saw a slight bump to 4,500.
This progress comes at a welcome time for the 3,863 fortunate Nepalis who secured a spot in the program, exceeding the 3,808 winners from the previous year. Notably, Nepal ranks third in Asia for DV lottery winners, following Iran (5,077) and Afghanistan (4,536).
While the case number rise offers hope, it’s essential to remember that it doesn’t guarantee a visa for everyone. Only a maximum of 55,000 visas are available across all nationalities, meaning some winners may not be successful.
Despite the initial delay, the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu started issuing visas in November, granting 256 and significantly ramping up to 414 in December. This marks the highest number of diversity visas issued in any month and category for the embassy. Parents of U.S. citizens follow closely, with 267 and 172 receiving visas in December and November, respectively.
While the embassy didn’t issue any DV visas in October, this isn’t unusual. Last year saw a similar delay, with January typically marking the start of significant issuance for Kathmandu. This year, the process began in November, offering a positive outlook for remaining winners.
The results remain accessible online until September 2024 for those who participated between October 5 and November 8, 2022. While securing a winning case number brings excitement, navigating the visa process demands patience and a clear understanding of the limitations.
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