US DoS: In 15 mins > Answering questions for DV2016 selectees!

[OnTheGo]

The US Department of State (Consular Affairs) will be answering questions for selectees (!) in the DV2016 lottery, on their Facebook page, in about 15 mins from now!

(please don't spam their wall)

https://www.facebook.com/travelgov

U.S. Department of State: Consular Affairs

42 mins ·


Good morning from D.C.! We know there are lots of questions about what happens next for those who were selected for further ‪#‎DV2016‬ processing. Join us here in one hour -- 1000 EDT/1400 UTC. We'll start a new thread and we'll answer as many questions as we can in one hour about DV selection. See you then!

 

[OnTheGo]

Interesting reply...isn't that stated on NL1 for those who received it?

• hello, There are only 84000 selected entrants, does it mean that additional people may be selected or no? Answer to my question , please
  Like · Reply · 2 · 4 mins
  
  U.S. Department of State: Consular AffairsHi, XYZ. We have not released the total number of selectees. In the coming days, we expect to have all the data prepared for public release. We do not expect a need for a second draw.
  Like · 1 min
  

 

[violetion]

Interesting reply...isn't that stated on NL1 for those who received it?

• hello, There are only 84000 selected entrants, does it mean that additional people may be selected or no? Answer to my question , please
  Like · Reply · 2 · 4 mins
  
  U.S. Department of State: Consular AffairsHi, XYZ. We have not released the total number of selectees. In the coming days, we expect to have all the data prepared for public release. We do not expect a need for a second draw.
  Like · 1 min

Maybe they're skipping around the question because it does say 'approximately 84k' on the letter.

 

[OnTheGo]

Also good to know:

U.S. Department of State: Consular Affairs Hi, Shiva. We expect to release the number of selectees by country in the coming days.
Like · Reply · 5 minutes ago

 

[usa_2016]

Also good to know:

U.S. Department of State: Consular Affairs Hi, Shiva. We expect to release the number of selectees by country in the coming days.
Like · Reply · 5 minutes ago

where did you get this reply from......are they selectors who have "non selected status" or some ones who still have session out status...

 

[OnTheGo]

where did you get this reply from......are they selectors who have "non selected status" or some ones who still have session out status...

Selectees = People who entered the lottery and were actually selected for further processing.

This is their reply right on their FB page. (I posted the link in my first post). They are still answering people's questions for another half an hour!
Lots of really stupid posts there, too...

 

[OnTheGo]

Now this one @Britsimon would be interested in:




Q: What exacly went wrong in the first place, and why did you deny any issues at first.
Like · Reply · 1 · 30 minutes ago

U.S. Department of State: Consular Affairs Our technical teams reviewed reports submitted to the Department -- we thank everyone again for bringing this to our attention. It soon became apparent that systems issues were preventing some entrants from properly viewing their entry status confirmation. Once the underlying issue was identified, it was quickly addressed. This was not a systems-wide issue. Millions of individuals were able to properly receive confirmation of their entry status.
Like · 1 · 19 minutes ago

 

[OnTheGo]

Maybe they're skipping around the question because it does say 'approximately 84k' on the letter.

LOL

 

[SusieQQQ]

I remember at least one year (DV2014? maybe?) where the # of selectees announced in the next VB (along with the country breakdown) was higher than in the 1NLs. So ... it wouldn't be unprecedented for it to change.

OTG, didja get a new car?

 

[Britsimon]

Now this one @Britsimon would be interested in:




Q: What exacly went wrong in the first place, and why did you deny any issues at first.
Like · Reply · 1 · 30 minutes ago

U.S. Department of State: Consular Affairs Our technical teams reviewed reports submitted to the Department -- we thank everyone again for bringing this to our attention. It soon became apparent that systems issues were preventing some entrants from properly viewing their entry status confirmation. Once the underlying issue was identified, it was quickly addressed. This was not a systems-wide issue. Millions of individuals were able to properly receive confirmation of their entry status.
Like · 1 · 19 minutes ago

I saw a answer like that and added my two pence.....

actually this answer is even funnier than the one I saw.

Not a systems wide issue - yep - the not selected were correctly informed, just not one single winner.... system wide.... errrrr.....

 

[OnTheGo]

OTG, didja get a new car?

Haha...something like that..couldn't handle the red color anymore, LOL...

 

[OnTheGo]

The U.S. Department of State (Consular Affairs) prepared a document with the most FAQs during their hour-long Q&A session (it's 5 core questions really, that are not really news to anyone on this forum, but here they are anyway:
https://www.facebook.com/travelgov/photos/a.260627648148.142086.9229303148/10153441318908149/


I find some of the comments made on their timeline really embarrassing...speaking of entitlement mentality, all while being completely ignorant about the real purpose of the Diversity visa, and that it is a lottery. Some people still don't have a clue what the technical issue really was about and demand a re-draw!
Following a small selection of comments that left me with my jaw dropped...

Mohamed A.E.: Do you know that according to general rules of what so called (lottery) there should not be any error or glitch in the system and that the whole selection process should be proceeded correctly. as soon as there was a problem which exits in showing a wrong letter for those who had been selected, it was a good, fair thing to re-play the lotttery selection until it goes properly. excuses are never accepted in the lottery and everything should work exactly as supposed.
Like · Reply · 22 mins

A. Mohammad: Why you did not choose kurdish people in northern Iraq ?!?and muslims too?!
Like · Reply · 13 hrs

I. Ajroud: dear Sir/Madam;

I am one of the dv lottery candidate;but unfortunately my entry has not been selected;I am not going to talk about the technical problem that other people complaint about.

What I want to say that I am a cultivated one I'd studied at the university of biotechnology my education was about foods quality control and I've got 5 years of work experience and I speak fluently english....
what I exactly want to say is that I noticed that many winners of the lottery they can't even say an english word and it's so obvious that they are not enough cultivated or ready to live in USA...
so my question is "please tell me what is the criteria you use to differentiate people rather to select them because I find this unfair totally unfair how a cultivated person like me not selected and you select people that have no knowledge about language and about way of life in USA???!!!"
best regards
Like · Reply · 7 · 13 hrs

Jhon M: I want to live in united state please give me chance my page to travel please I hope that please give me chance that my Dream my Dear please give me one chance for me to get on immigration I Believe in the page and I wish to win Because I lose in this Immigration please give me chance my dream is out and iam sad please I really very cry and always cry from 5 to 9 may Iam cry please help me please please please please and that's my dream But every this is lose in my life
Like · Reply · 5 hrs · Edited

etc ...

 

[MHammad2015]

The U.S. Department of State (Consular Affairs) prepared a document with the most FAQs during their hour-long Q&A session (it's 5 core questions really, that are not really news to anyone on this forum, but here they are anyway:
https://www.facebook.com/travelgov/photos/a.260627648148.142086.9229303148/10153441318908149/


I find some of the comments made on their timeline really embarrassing...speaking of entitlement mentality, all while being completely ignorant about the real purpose of the Diversity visa, and that it is a lottery. Some people still don't have a clue what the technical issue really was about and demand a re-draw!
Following a small selection of comments that left me with my jaw dropped...










etc ...

That looked pathetic really! The real question is do they think when they plead in the comments to immigrate or demand another draw that the DoS will simply agree? Don't they think there is a criteria for each of those two demands?

 

[Azurite]

The U.S. Department of State (Consular Affairs) prepared a document with the most FAQs during their hour-long Q&A session (it's 5 core questions really, that are not really news to anyone on this forum, but here they are anyway:

I find some of the comments made on their timeline really embarrassing...speaking of entitlement mentality, all twhile being completely ignorant about the real purpose of the Diversity visa, and that it is a lottery. Some people still don't have a clue what the technical issue really was about and demand a re-draw!
Following a small selection of comments that left me with my jaw dropped...

etc ...

Yep , you're right. I hate the entitlement mentality as well.

Just one note:
We , as participants, have every right to demand the process to be "technical issue free".
I don't care that it is free or something that shouldn't exist in the first place.
You create something : you make it work. Smoothly.

 

[SusieQQQ]

The U.S. Department of State (Consular Affairs) prepared a document with the most FAQs during their hour-long Q&A session (it's 5 core questions really, that are not really news to anyone on this forum, but here they are anyway:
https://www.facebook.com/travelgov/photos/a.260627648148.142086.9229303148/10153441318908149/


I find some of the comments made on their timeline really embarrassing...speaking of entitlement mentality, all while being completely ignorant about the real purpose of the Diversity visa, and that it is a lottery. Some people still don't have a clue what the technical issue really was about and demand a re-draw!
Following a small selection of comments that left me with my jaw dropped...










etc ...

I cultivated a plant once but it didn't fluently speak English, possibly that's why it was not selected for the lottery.

 

[Sm1smom]

I cultivated a plant once but it didn't fluently speak English, possibly that's why it was not selected for the lottery.

Ha ha that explains it! I always thought I'm not blessed with a green thumb since I can't seem to maintain all the flower gardens I've planted. Heck even my cactus plant dies on me Now I know it's because they're not 'cultivated', have no good degree, and can't speak English, so they're not selected for the DV lottery - which means they don't deserve to be in the U.S.

 

[usa_2016]

Interesting reply...isn't that stated on NL1 for those who received it?

• hello, There are only 84000 selected entrants, does it mean that additional people may be selected or no? Answer to my question , please
  Like · Reply · 2 · 4 mins
  
  U.S. Department of State: Consular AffairsHi, XYZ. We have not released the total number of selectees. In the coming days, we expect to have all the data prepared for public release. We do not expect a need for a second draw.
  Like · 1 min

What is meaning of this statement in their reply " We have not released the total number of selectees"

 

[SusieQQQ]

What is meaning of this statement in their reply " We have not released the total number of selectees"

That they haven't yet publicly announced the final number of selectees.
It will be published in the next visa bulletin though so not long to find out.

 

[OnTheGo]

That they haven't yet publicly announced the final number of selectees.
It will be published in the next visa bulletin though so not long to find out.

The statement by USDoS quoted by @usa_2016 was in reply to someone's question in the Q&A session on their FB page the other day.
They (USDoS) could have also acknowledged in that reply that the APPROXIMATE figure was already released, namely in NL1.
From historic figures it seems there is not much difference between the approx figure and the final release figure.
What determines the difference and why would they not actually know the exact figure prior to the draw?
I thought the number of selectees was purely a decision based on what they think would be the best balance between ensuring maximum visa takeup (of the 50k) and work load by KCC, coupled with past experience? (i.e. last years numbers were very high, while previous years' might have been too low to maximise chances for all visas to be issued, due to many factors...ex. people not proceeding, meeting requirements, etc.)

 

[SusieQQQ]

The statement by USDoS quoted by @usa_2016 was in reply to someone's question in the Q&A session on their FB page the other day.
They (USDoS) could have also acknowledged in that reply that the APPROXIMATE figure was already released, namely in NL1.
From historic figures it seems there is not much difference between the approx figure and the final release figure.
What determines the difference and why would they not actually know the exact figure prior to the draw?
I thought the number of selectees was purely a decision based on what they think would be the best balance between ensuring maximum visa takeup (of the 50k) and work load by KCC, coupled with past experience? (i.e. last years numbers were very high, while previous years' might have been too low to maximise chances for all visas to be issued, due to many factors...ex. people not proceeding, meeting requirements, etc.)

I haven't quite figured out why the difference. I originally thought maybe they found more to disqualify after the 1NLs for duplicate entries etc but...then it should go down not up. So, what I guess is that as is 'known' they tend to draw more than they announce initially, thus allowing for a second draw or more technically a second 'reveal some months later if they need it; so, at the first announcement, possibly they just haven't decided exactly or are waiting for more data or ...something and thus may add in a few more in the original draw rather than saving it till later. Maybe in fact waiting till 5 May was to wait for the more data and it won't change much this year??

Any other hypotheses?