Eligibility question - choice of eligible country

[MESHP94]

Hello

I just joined here hoping someone can advise on my situation.

As the 2015 DV lottery entry deadline is approaching, I was going to apply for one and I am new to this.

First question is, is there better chance of winning at one country than other if there is less number of people applying ?

If Yes, then second question:

My parents are from different countries and they both are born in the countries that are eligible to apply.
From what I hear, my mother's side country has far less number of applicants than father's side country.

I was born and has citizenship to my father's side country.
Can I apply by choosing country of eligibility to my mother's country?

Thanks in advance for advise.

 

[SusieQQQ]

As per the instructions, there are very limited situations in which you can choose your parents' countries for chargeability. For almost everyone, the country of chargeability is the country you were born in. Your current citizenship or place of residence is irrelevant.

Every year we see problems with applications because of people who did not read the instructions properly so I would urge you to make sure you understand them before submitting your entry.

 

[MESHP94]

As per the instructions, there are very limited situations in which you can choose your parents' countries for chargeability. For almost everyone, the country of chargeability is the country you were born in. Your current citizenship or place of residence is irrelevant.

Every year we see problems with applications because of people who did not read the instructions properly so I would urge you to make sure you understand them before submitting your entry.

Hi, Thanks for the quick response.

So just to clarify, if my country of birth is eligible, that is my only option for application ?

 

[NuvF]

Hello

I just joined here hoping someone can advise on my situation.

As the 2015 DV lottery entry deadline is approaching, I was going to apply for one and I am new to this.

First question is, is there better chance of winning at one country than other if there is less number of people applying ?

If Yes, then second question:

My parents are from different countries and they both are born in the countries that are eligible to apply.
From what I hear, my mother's side country has far less number of applicants than father's side country.

I was born and has citizenship to my father's side country.
Can I apply by choosing country of eligibility to my mother's country?

Thanks in advance for advise.

As far as US-INA is concerned, you seems to NOT have the LEGAL BASIS to claim your Mom's country.

By the very fact that your Dad was a citizen of the country of your birth establishes that your parents' stay there at the time of your birth is NOT temporary, thus you are NOT eligible to claim your Mom's country. If you have evidence to the contrary, you will have to establish that both parents were (say) staying permanently in your Mom's country and was there at Dad's country only temporary at time of your birth. Do you/can you have evidence for that? If not forget it and claim your country of nativity.

Best!

 

[NuvF]

Hi, Thanks for the quick response.

So just to clarify, if my country of birth is eligible, that is my only option for application ?

No, even if it is eligible you still can claim either your spouse's (face not so complicated rules) or one of your parents' (very complicated rules).

Best!

 

[SusieQQQ]

Hi, Thanks for the quick response.

So just to clarify, if my country of birth is eligible, that is my only option for application ?

Unless you have a spouse who has chargeability to another country, in which case you can claim that. I must say though that my reading of the rules on this is that you can only do so if your birthplace is not eligible, but others on the forum seem to think it is an always an option to choose the spouse's country.

Again, I would urge you to read the instructions for the lottery entry.

 

[Britsimon]

Unless you have a spouse who has chargeability to another country, in which case you can claim that. I must say though that my reading of the rules on this is that you can only do so if your birthplace is not eligible, but others on the forum seem to think it is an always an option to choose the spouse's country.

Again, I would urge you to read the instructions for the lottery entry.

I agree with you Susie, I have only seen rules that state you can use your spouses' country WHEN your own country is ineligible (as you know, the rule that I used to enter).

 

[NuvF]

I agree with you Susie, I have only seen rules that state you can use your spouses' country WHEN your own country is ineligible (as you know, the rule that I used to enter).

Cross chargeability rules are COMMON for ALL GC categories, nothing special/different for DV.

 

[SusieQQQ]

Cross chargeability rules are COMMON for ALL GC categories, nothing special/different for DV.

I don't know about other categories. The DV instructions say "IF you are not born in an eligible country" then you have these two other options - it's not worded as saying "you have 3 options and can choose any of them". I've never seen anyone report a successful DV visa using one of these options if they come from an eligible country... Happy to be shown if I'm wrong though.

Also, re other categories, if I understand correctly the only effect chargeability has is on your priority date. For the DV it is a critical part of being eligible for the visa in the first place.

 

[MESHP94]

I don't know about other categories. The DV instructions say "IF you are not born in an eligible country" then you have these two other options - it's not worded as saying "you have 3 options and can choose any of them". I've never seen anyone report a successful DV visa using one of these options if they come from an eligible country... Happy to be shown if I'm wrong though.

Also, re other categories, if I understand correctly the only effect chargeability has is on your priority date. For the DV it is a critical part of being eligible for the visa in the first place.

Right, from the instruction it looks like it is only to apply from Spouse's or Parents country if your country of birth is not eligible. But at the same time it has no information saying it is not permited to skip the eligible country of birth and choose the other ones.

Wish there was someone who had success with my type of situation.

Anyways, I might just go with what seems legit .. which is applying from father's side.

Thank you both for all the information you provided.

 

[SusieQQQ]

Right, from the instruction it looks like it is only to apply from Spouse's or Parents country if your country of birth is not eligible. But at the same time it has no information saying it is not permited to skip the eligible country of birth and choose the other ones.

Wish there was someone who had success with my type of situation.

Anyways, I might just go with what seems legit .. which is applying from father's side.

Thank you both for all the information you provided.

Just be aware that chargeability is a crucial issue for DV - if you put the wrong country you may be at risk of disqualification if you get selected.

Incidentally I was reading another post the other day which may be of interest as one is not necessarily disqualified if the country is wrong but the region is the same (if the region is different there is certain disqualification). However, this was an instance of someone who put the wrong country but even though it was the same region as her eligible country of chargeability, she still got refused because of it.

 

[paddypaddy]

I had a similiar dilemma im from the North of Ireland but as i live on the island of Ireland i hold an Irish Passport, decided i had a better chance if i claim eligibility through Ireland as opposed to Northern Ireland. This is like my 8th or 9th Time applying for dv lottery im hoping this will be my year! Good Luck everyone

 

[SusieQQQ]

I had a similiar dilemma im from the North of Ireland but as i live on the island of Ireland i hold an Irish Passport, decided i had a better chance if i claim eligibility through Ireland as opposed to Northern Ireland. This is like my 8th or 9th Time applying for dv lottery im hoping this will be my year! Good Luck everyone

Where were you born? They don't care what passport you hold, they care where you were born.

 

[MESHP94]

As far as US-INA is concerned, you seems to NOT have the LEGAL BASIS to claim your Mom's country.

By the very fact that your Dad was a citizen of the country of your birth establishes that your parents' stay there at the time of your birth is NOT temporary, thus you are NOT eligible to claim your Mom's country. If you have evidence to the contrary, you will have to establish that both parents were (say) staying permanently in your Mom's country and was there at Dad's country only temporary at time of your birth. Do you/can you have evidence for that? If not forget it and claim your country of nativity.

Best!

I do not have the evidence that you mentioned here.

Sorry everyone, I took off travelling and just got back and want to thank everyone for several input.

As conclusion after reading everyone's comment and the instruction on DV lottery, applying from my dad's country seemed like the only solid/valid/ legit application so I went with it.

Thankyou again! and goodluck to all the applicants!

 

[paddypaddy]

Where were you born? They don't care what passport you hold, they care where you were born.

Was born in the North but I can claim eligibility through either Northern Ireland or the Republic, decided i had a better chance with the Republic as more entrants are selected from the Republic of Ireland.