The DV lottery instructions seem to confuse people about the main requirements for the DV lottery process. The first requirement is about country of eligibility which I will address in another post. The second requirement is education/work experience. So I would like to address some common misconceptions. The rules say this.
Requirement #2: In addition, to meet the education/work experience requirement of the DV program,
you must have either:
a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of
elementary and secondary education;
OR
two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two
years of training or experience to perform. The U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net Online
database will be used to determine qualifying work experience.
I highlight the either/OR because that is the first misconception – You only need to qualify by one or the other, not both. If you meet the education requirement you do not have to worry about proving work experience.
The second misconception is that each adult (husband and wife) needs to meet the requirement #2. That is normally not the case (the exception being to do with cross charging which I will explain in another post). The principal selectee only needs to meet the requirement.
OK so let’s look at the two options. The first is the simplest and best way to qualify.
Education requirement
The intent of this requirement is to take in immigrants that have achieved an education equivalent to a USA High School education. Note the “USA” part. They are dealing with immigrants from all over the world and needed to establish some “level” in USA terms that can be compared to other countries. So – the level they chose is High school. This is the point at which an American child has graduated high school and is qualified to enter s US University (college).
The term High school is confusing. For instance, in the UK where I was educated, “High school” ended at 16 years old – and that would NOT be sufficient to meet the DV requirement. In UK terms a child would have to attend 2 further years of education beyond 16 years old (receiving “A levels”) to be qualified to enter a University – and that is the level required therefore. Other countries will have other standards – and each embassy is able to set the level required based on their understanding. This has led to some changes over the years that has caught people out. Some embassies publish specific and quite detailed information such as this information for DV2015 from the Kenyan US embassy or the information from the embassy in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka by the way was a recent example of changing their standards and there are some sad stories about that on the internet.
There is a page which offers a listing for many countries here. However, be very careful with the information as it is not 100% accurate or up to date and some countries will have varied their requirements (again Sri Lanka is an example).
So – hopefully by now you have understood that there is a minimum requirement for your country. The various embassy websites are a good place to get information on the level required.
Does a higher education satisfy the education requirement???
Another common question I get asked is “I have a Bachelors degree/masters or whatever, surely I don’t have to show my High school A levels/High school diploma”. The answer is a bit of a grey area. It makes sense that someone having gained their masters or whatever must have met the requirements BUT there are some exceptions to that logic. For example, it is possible to obtain a Masters degree without having finished 12 years of elementary and secondary education and for that reason some Consular Officers will be “picky” about seeing the HIgh School level proof. There have been many reported cases where COs have insisted on this and I am sure there have been cases of denials based on this.
Vocational education
The rules specifically exclude vocational education as being used to qualify on education grounds. For example, if a selectee were to leave school at 16 and then immediately or later go into a vocational program such as teaching or nursing, the time spent in that vocational training/education could not be used to satisfy the educational requirement. In cases such as this, the selectee may need to consider whether their work experience is sufficient to meet the requirement #2.
Work Experience requirement
Ok let’s say you cannot qualify on education grounds. It is possible to base your eligibility on your work experience – although doing so is harder than education so you would only use this as a fallback method. Why is it harder, well with education you either do or you don’t meet the requirement. You present your proof and as long as you understood the standard correctly you are done. Work experience cases are “judged” by the CO based on the proof you can supply at the interview. They are subjective therefore – it is a matter of how well you can convince the CO that you meet the requirement.
So ok – what is the requirement? The instructions say it is 2 years experience, gained in the previous 5 years, in a job that meets the standard described in the O*Net database. The standard to be met is a job that is classified in job zone 4 or 5 with a SVP (Specific Vocational Preparation) rating of 7.0 or higher. Not all jobs will meet that criteria – it is generally jobs which require a higher level of education, or skills.
How do you check your job? Well you navigate to the O*Net database and enter your approximate job title in the Occupation Search field. You will get a list of similar jobs and you should find the one that is closest to your work by title. For example I typed in “teachers” and from there I chose “Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education“. Scroll down the page and find the section “Job Zone” as shown here:-
You can see that Kindergarten teachers is a job at the correct qualifying level. However if you look at a Teachers Assistant – then you can see that is NOT a qualifying job.
Sometimes of course your exact job title will not appear. You can choose a similar job that explains what you do and if necessary you might want to detail your job duties to show they align well with the skills, tasks and so on of the job you wish to use as proof.
How to present the case…
OK – you believe you have found the right job description in the O*Net database. You are soon to attend the interview – how do you prepare.
Well first of all, you have to understand that your credibility will come in to play. The CO has some latitude about how they approve these work experience cases, your task is to give them a good case to be able to approve you.
I would suggest preparing a well organized and professional looking file to include as much as possible of the following:-
- The print out from of the job to which you are aligning your experience.
- Employment letters such as job offers, promotion letters and so on.
- Letters (preferably notarized) from current and former managers, colleagues and so on.
- A description of your day to day duties in the roles covering a minimum of 2 years.
- Details of any vocational training or education that supports you in your job.
- Examples of work product if possible/applicable.
Make this as complete as possible. As I said your credibility counts, so look professional, have a professional demeanor and make sure what you present is well presented, free of typos etc. You generally should not need professional help in preparing this file – and if you think about it the use of a professional could cause the CO to question whether yuou are really at the level you are claiming.
It is worth spending some time on this point, if you fail to convince the CO and have not qualified on education you will be denied and there is no appeal process (if processing outside of the USA).
OK hope that helps. Feel free to comment or ask questions below, I will come back to you as fast as possible.
I recently created a video on this same subject – so feel free to look at that too.
September 19, 2019 at 22:48
Hi Brit I’m worrying now. I’m from Hong Kong, and our high school diploma only require 11-year course, obviouly one year short. But I went to study in the States with a GED diploma and over 100 university credit hours, that’s about year four. However, I didn’t graduate, hence I can only show my university transcript, a GED, and my high school diploma. I also have an economics course certificate from a graduate business school.
Will that be enough?
Thanks for your help.
September 20, 2019 at 01:21
You GED is not helpful, nor is the transcript. So – the question is whether the HS diploma you have would normally be enough for University education entry in your country.
You could also consider work experience.
October 2, 2019 at 22:29
Hi Brit, can you kindly delete my post at the above? I have a privacy concern. Thanks a lot.
October 3, 2019 at 04:11
The only post I see has no privacy concern.
October 5, 2019 at 08:55
I would be appreciated if you could change my user name. It is my first letter last name and my first name. No many will see, but friend and family might know.
October 7, 2019 at 13:26
Thanks
September 24, 2019 at 15:30
I was working as a Data entry Clerk in a Clinical Trial and later promoted as an Assistant Data Manager for the past two years.
I just want to know weather I am qualify base on my Job Title?
September 25, 2019 at 02:35
Read the article above.
October 4, 2019 at 07:25
Hi Brit
I have friend who obtained voctional secondary school from Egypt.
I need to know if He is quilfy to apply .
in Egypt we consider voctional school as secondary ( 3 years after prep school )
thanks snd best regards
October 4, 2019 at 20:25
The lottery process excludes vocational training. So – the question is whether he was qualified BEFORE that 3 years.
September 24, 2019 at 21:50
Hello sir. my qn is while counting years of Education,do I include primary school?
September 25, 2019 at 02:48
Counting years is NOT the point. It’s the level attained, not the years you took to attain that level.
October 12, 2019 at 12:09
Hi Brit, I have high school diploma and an otr Technician(4.0 <6.0). Am I going to interviewed based on my work experience or in which line. Tnx
October 12, 2019 at 19:40
You show what you can to prove you meet the requirement. Your work experience does NOT meet the requirement, so I hope your education does.
September 27, 2019 at 01:44
Hi Brit, hope you do well!
I just want to ask about my education, I’ve finished High-School in Macedonia and it’s equivalent to the U.S standarts(I’ve check it) but it concerns me because I have two years out of four finished as an honors student, it seems kinda tricky in my point of view, because as I started in 2012 and finished in 2016(was not finished year after year, year and a half break) the school was prolonged due to some things that happend to me. Will this be considered as an issue to the interviewer or everything is fine because at the end I have fully meet the criteria of 8 years of elementary and 4 years of High-school degree diploma. As an extra I would like to know my school was vocational school but had a standarts of a general school we’ve got subjects such as Mathematics, Programming, History, Physics, English and so on, which the school name is also known as General technical high school.
Thank you sir in advance for helping to all of us!
September 27, 2019 at 23:27
I cannot answer these specifics. The CO will decide.
September 28, 2019 at 15:31
Sir, I have a diploma and bachelor degree do you think is it enough to qualify?
September 28, 2019 at 16:44
Probably. Read the article!
October 2, 2019 at 21:21
Dear Simon,
First of all, thank you for given information.
I would like to ask, what should I choose regarding my level of education, if I accomplished 6 years of medical academy? I’m confused((
Thank you in advance for respond.
October 3, 2019 at 04:06
You can choose.
October 3, 2019 at 15:07
Hey Simon,,
Am from Jordan and i finished my 12 years highschool with degree.
Then i went to Aviation Vocational school for 2 years and i’ve been working on tgat field for the past 8 years.
When i go to highest level of education should i put high school with degree or Vocational school??
Also there is a statment that says (Vocational schools or equivalency are not accepted) what does that means exactly?
October 3, 2019 at 20:56
Vocational.
It means they will not take the 2 years of training into account. Go prepared to show HS passes, AND work experience.
June 8, 2020 at 00:44
Hi Mr Brit, I’ve got one question.
What if at the time of application, I was still in college but mentioned that my highest level of education is High school diploma instead of « some university courses » because I wasn’t done, and in the education history of my DS 260, I mention this time that I was in college at the time of application, will I be disqualified at the interview ?
June 8, 2020 at 02:31
No problem.
October 3, 2019 at 15:38
I have 2 years of work experience and how should I fill the form? Please reply
October 3, 2019 at 21:50
Just answer each question honestly. No need to overthink it.
October 3, 2019 at 16:05
Entrant Photograph
Hi Simon
Regards to the photograph, i have got a question? i want to ask the system wants all photograph should be take in the last six month and if my was just taking this week. Would i have any issues concerning my application
October 3, 2019 at 21:02
No. Really – that was an unnecessary question. You can use some simple judgement.
October 7, 2019 at 15:04
Hi brit I don’t have passport yet , it will take me 4 month to have it , so what can I do?
October 8, 2019 at 04:52
Not enter.
October 8, 2019 at 13:51
Sir Simón me and my family are very worried about one thing. We are applying from Peru and thanks to your help now we know the chances are better
But I would like to ask you for my cousin, she is living in the USA, her VISA expired in this July 16…. Do you think she has a chance to apply or it would be simply impossible?
October 9, 2019 at 03:19
She should leave the USA asap. If she overstays by 6 months she will be barred for 3 years, or for 10 years if she overstays for more than 1 year.
October 8, 2019 at 16:50
Hello,
Just wondering if I apply as a main applicant I have to add wife and kids in to my application. So after that can my wife apply as a main applicant. Both are eligible to apply.
Regards
Kasun
October 9, 2019 at 03:27
Yes
October 10, 2019 at 17:26
I have high school qualifications! But i entered “ vocational school “ will it be a reson for disqualification?? I’m really worried
October 11, 2019 at 03:54
No
October 11, 2019 at 02:34
Dear sir
I have a friend who recieved a letter notifying him that he has been selected for further processing for DV 2020. But he is worried about things, educational qualification. He completed grade 10 (16 years) and joined to pursue his Diploma in teaching profession for three years. Then he has also finished his BED. Currently, he is pursuing his MA. Two question, one does it have any problem in my interview and second is there any problem if he can not able to finish his MA during the time of the interview. Thanks
October 11, 2019 at 04:13
Neither one is a problem.
October 11, 2019 at 12:47
I thank you for your quick reply
October 17, 2019 at 16:41
Please someone can register the lottery without travel passport?
October 17, 2019 at 20:11
A passport is now required.
October 30, 2019 at 22:25
Hey Brit.
I just want to ask, if i´ve done the first 10 years of school (primary school 0th-10th grade), and then started Vocational education and got educated assistant in the profession that i selected (3 years including apprenticeship of 19 months), and then go back to High School to take the 11th and 12th year. Would i then be able to apply for greencard office using my High School diploma, or does that 3 year break from “normal school” if you can say that affect my options. 🙂
This would be my CV:
High School Diploma (12 Years of school)
Vocational education (Educated Assistant), (3 years including 19 month of apprenticeship)
2nd thing.
Is the chances of getting a greencard to the US, any easier or bigger if you go to a university/college and study in the country with a student visa.
Greeting from Denmark.
October 31, 2019 at 16:31
1. I am not certain about requirements in your country – but in general vocational training does not count. However, I am not sure if they will see that training as a GAP in your education.
2. The draw itself is random. Then you either meet the requirements or you don’t.
November 5, 2019 at 08:05
I have 8 years teaching experince
in pre primary level . Which job zone this job lies?
Is it possible to teach in usa by this work experince?
Now i am a student of master degree of evonomices.
What is the suitable job for me in usa?
What kind of questions asked for me by the consuler of USA?
Is the consular ask questions about work experince?
November 6, 2019 at 02:56
Someone with your education should be able to read the article above and use some judgement.
November 29, 2019 at 12:25
Hello Simon, when I filled out my ds260 in the work/education part I had written that I had made two institutions so institution 1 I wrote university and institution 2 high school. So my question is, do I leave it like that or do I switch institutions
November 30, 2019 at 00:43
That’s OK.
June 10, 2020 at 16:44
Dear Britain
Please Sir, have been selected for the dv2021 but am a chronic Hepatitis B. Can I be denied visa on the basis of this?
June 11, 2020 at 00:44
Always worth checking the FAQ!
https://britsimonsays.com/faq/what-are-the-diseases-that-can-cause-denial/
December 4, 2019 at 22:59
I was been denied for the visa yesterday but I think it’s all bad for applicants in Ghana because the most of us were not given the visa.
December 6, 2019 at 03:44
Accra denies a lot of cases. Documentation standards there are low and fraud levels are high, so the COs are used to denying cases.
February 23, 2020 at 13:36
Eric what was the reason of your denial?
December 8, 2019 at 02:38
Hello Simon,
I’ve tried to make posts on other threads but it doesn’t get published for some reason.
I am from Malaysia and have completed the SPM(O-level) equivalent. I then enrolled in an American Degree Program for 2 years. This fills in the gap for 12th grade and freshmen year. Following that, I transferred to the US and obtained a Bachelor’s in 3 years and Masters degree in 1 year in Engineering. I think it is also important to note that most US universities have high school equivalent requirement for international students as well. So, by not satisfying this requirement I wouldn’t have been able to further my studies in the first place.
Based on this, do you think I would qualify in the basis of education? Or have you heard otherwise from other applications from Malaysia?
Thanks,
Wei
December 8, 2019 at 03:58
Possibly. It will be up to the CO.
December 8, 2019 at 04:04
So it would be wise to provide proof of work experience. Correct?
December 8, 2019 at 15:58
It is always worth over preparing.
December 8, 2019 at 07:50
I would add that students who took the program have also transferred to universities in Australia, Canada and the UK so I guess the program works as an alternative to A levels.
In any case, thank you for your reply. I’ll have to try to qualify based on work experience.
December 18, 2019 at 13:06
My had HND in Marketing and i was denied issuance of visa.What is the way forward. I need your help.
December 18, 2019 at 15:12
Help with what? If you were denied, that decision is final.
December 20, 2019 at 04:45
Hello Brit,
I won the DV2020 lottery and I’m from Malaysia. According to the list (which I know you mentioned may not be 100% accurate), I need to show an SPM certificate. However, I did not go the “traditional” route for my education. Instead, I went to a school that follows the US system where we obtain a US-equivalent high school diploma upon graduation.
The question is, how familiar is the officer about a specific country’s education standards (I’m planning to do AOS)? Will providing my high school diploma suffice, or do I need additional evidence such as my high school transcripts, or perhaps a letter from my high school counselor saying that my high school diploma is equivalent to a US high school diploma?
December 20, 2019 at 17:31
They will not be familiar with your system. So – you need to make it easy for them and take whatever you can.
December 20, 2019 at 21:29
Thank you Brit.
Follow up question: do you know whether my eligibility is determined when I submit my documents or during the interview itself? I’m asking because I want to know whether I need to include some kind of letter in the AOS package explaining my education, or do I just wait for the interview to explain everything?
December 20, 2019 at 21:58
During the interview.
January 24, 2020 at 15:53
Will educational gaps affects the DV Lottery visa ..Example one subject down in my A/L and completed and gain a pass after 3 years.
January 24, 2020 at 17:12
Possibly. It depends how picky the CO is.
February 4, 2020 at 00:14
Hi Brits, I have the following question which I found out that today.
My case 2020AF00039***
1. My high school certificate has one spelling error which on my passport it is zewudie but Zewdie on certificate. do you think it can create problem for refusal ? my picture is on both certificate. now i am not in my country.
2.In my country from grade 9-10 general secondary education certificate and from grade 10-12 that is higher education entrance qualification .on DS260 course you study what can i fill ?
February 4, 2020 at 01:16
Hi Brits, I have the following question which I found out that today.
My case 2020AF00039***
I am an Ethiopian ….
1. My high school certificate has one spelling error of MIDDLE NAME which on my passport it is zewudie. but Zewdie on certificate. do you think it can create problem for refusal ? my picture is on both certificate. now i am not in my country.
2.In my country from grade 9-10 general secondary education certificate and from grade 10-12 that is higher education entrance qualification .on DS260 course you study what can i fill ?
February 4, 2020 at 01:41
1. I doubt that will cause any problem.
2. General education.
February 4, 2020 at 09:32
Hello Brits,
Thank you so much again for your effort and quick answer.
2020AF00039***
The following is unclear and confusing me while i am filling unlocked Ds 260.
“Other Social Media
Do you wish to provide information about your presence on any other websites or applications you have used within the last five years to create or share content (photos, videos, status updates, etc.)?”
Yes No
==Please provide the name of the platform and the associated unique social media identifier (username or handle) for each social media platform you would like to list. This does not include private messaging on person-to-person messaging services, such as WhatsApp.
Other Social Media Provider/Platform
Q1 =my answer is YES! I filled facebook and my my username.
I am correct or no?
Q2.I used to have three account of Facebook and now I have forgotten one of them .. will it cause problem if i cant remember ?
==Have you ever been refused a U.S. Visa, been refused admission to the United States, or withdrawn your application for admission at the port of entry? =answer was yes. but the CO didnt give me a single reason.
the following was my general answer
Q3=my answer =I APPLIED FOR A VISA BECAUSE I WAS INVITED FOR A CONFERENCE ON THE SUBJECT OF BEHAVIOR ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE TO BE HELD 15-18 NOVEMBER 2009 AT THE WARDMAN PARK MARRIOTT, WASHINGTON ,DC USA. UNFORTUNATELY ,THE CONSULAR OFFER TURNED DOWN MY APPLICATION AND I WASN’T GIVEN ANY REASON FOR THE DENIAL.
Does this give sense ? or if not please suggest me.
Q4. I have some concern regarding to listing all institution starting from high school and all university.I have attended more than two years for BSC but didn’t finish the degree .
= I have filled the year attended and with space of degree or diploma= grade report and drop out ..
is that correct way to answer ? please guide me and I am being honest and don’t want to make mistake.
February 4, 2020 at 18:06
1. Yes
2. I don’t know.
3. That’s OK.
4. That’s OK
Please consider my time when you ask questions. Use some common sense to avoid asking unnecessary questions.
February 4, 2020 at 12:05
Hi, Brit
I am a Logistics Coordinator in Supply Chain Logistics Company, Job Zone Four, and have 5 year experiences. Am I eligible or not?
February 4, 2020 at 19:08
After reading the article above – what do you think?
February 11, 2020 at 09:58
After reading your article and post i am qualify for the DV lottery.
February 23, 2020 at 12:30
Samuel
Hi Brit,
My wife is a winner of dv2020, but she does not qualify for the education she has been a seamstress for the past six years,please does she need to take a letter from her employee for proof of experience and also must she submit her two years of training certificate.
Thank you.
February 23, 2020 at 15:27
Your wife cannot qualify with that work experience. If you go to interview you will lose your fees.
https://britsimonsays.com/education-or-work-experience-qualifying-for-the-dv-lottery/
February 24, 2020 at 14:06
Hello Simon
Greetings from England!
I am preparing my documents for a prospective interview based on work experience. I have read through many posts on your page and the FAQ section to better prepare my case for the interview. Got a few doubts for my case though; companies usually tweak the tasks and responsibilities of their roles based on their needs and sometimes assign people to two roles too, because of which my job responsibilities can be seen under two different job codes in zones 4 & 5. How can I break this down?
Does the 2 years of experience need to be in a continuous single role, or can it be collectively in different job codes at different periods within the past 5 years?
Does the job title need to be a similar match to what is on onetonline, or the tasks and responsibilities are enough to show that? I say this because companies change job titles to have more customized formal titles as per the industry, something like marketing managers can also be called brand development managers (which would also encompass sales) in some companies.
I will be collecting my contracts, job offers, payslips, non-confidential emails, letters from directors and print outs of the job search page under those specific codes. What else will you suggest to gather?
Thank you for your time.
Matt
February 24, 2020 at 20:40
The two years can be in multiple jobs. Prepare for the interview with the current or latest job in mind – but be prepared to demonstrate the history of career path that adds up to 2+ years within qualifying roles.
For documents, every case is different – but you would at least show Contracts/job offers/promotions/CV/salary history.
February 25, 2020 at 22:09
Thanks Simon.
1. Can I count my sabbatical as work experience? I was sent off for postgraduation by the company whilst I was still working for them remotely though. I didn’t get paid for this because they paid for the postgrad instead.
2. My current role is doubtfully Zone 5 – because although the tasks and responsibilities are very similar to zone 5, the job title doesn’t suggest so. Does the job title need to be a good match to the title shown on onetonline, or the tasks and responsibilities are enough to prove so?
3. Regarding education – Although I attended university a decade ago, I received my degree in 2018. That is because I submitted my dissertation at a very late stage. How can I show this on the DS260? It would be absurd to mention that I was attending university between 2007 – 2018. Should I mention the dates only when I was physically attending the university (my transcripts shows three initial years only anyways). But was conferred in 2018.
Thank you
Matt
February 25, 2020 at 23:54
1. No
2. The name of the role doesn’t have to match exactly – but you must be able to convince the CO that the job you have matches.
3. Use your own judgement.
February 26, 2020 at 10:54
Thanks Simon, just found the following and thought of posting it. It may help others seeking answers to similar questions.
3. https://definitions.uslegal.com/d/dates-of-attendance-education
By definition:
According to 34 CFR 99.3 [Title 34 – Education; Subtitle A — Office of the Secretary, Department of Education; Part 99 — Family Educational Rights and Privacy; Subpart A – General], the term dates of attendance “(a) means the period of time during which a student attends or attended an educational agency or institution. Examples of dates of attendance include an academic year, a spring semester, or a first quarter.
(b) The term does not include specific daily records of a student’s attendance at an educational agency or institution.”
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1232g(a)(5)(A))
Matt
February 26, 2020 at 22:15
I’m surprised there was any confusion about that.
February 26, 2020 at 14:51
Will I also get access to the green card incase my wife wins the lottery?
February 26, 2020 at 22:28
Yes
March 2, 2020 at 04:19
Hello Mr. Birt,
I am a DV 2020 winner aged 16 years old from Afghanistan, I had 2 years of Credit by examination in school, I graduated from High school school a few weeks ago, I have completed 12 years of school in 10 years, now I am working on my certificate to obtain from the ministry of Education. my interview is scheduled next month.
Question1: Do I have age related restriction?
Question2: The paper work process on obtaining my certificate in Ministry of Education may take longer than my due interview date, what do you think, do I loose my chance?
Question 3: Can teenagers include their parents in their case?
March 2, 2020 at 04:42
1. Yes, you are unlikely to be approved.
2. See 1.
3. No
April 7, 2020 at 00:39
Dear Sir,
MR BRIT SIMON’S
• I Have Completed O/l’s @ an International School.( 11years of Education).
• Successfully Completed 2 & 1/2 years Academic Diploma in Automobile Engineering + 1 year Training Expierience,Job offers To And also,
• Did A/ls Privately _ Got 2 subjects Failed…
• Completed Diploma in I.T and English!
SIR, Will it be enough to qualify for Educational ??
Or Should i go with Working Experience Because ,
I’m just 20 years Old…
If i go with working experience Will they Count the Vocational Training 2 & 1/2 years for my training Experience????
Thank You!
April 7, 2020 at 15:59
I cannot evaluate your education. It varies by country, I don’t track all the requirements by country and I have no idea of your education system. Please read the article above.
April 8, 2020 at 04:09
Dear Sir,
Whats your Opinion on my working Experience???
April 8, 2020 at 13:06
If you take the time to read the article, you would be able to assess your own work experience.
April 9, 2020 at 18:25
Hi Mr.Britsmon
Q.Is High School Diploma is accecptable in Dv 2021 in Srilanka for educational requirements???? Not the A/L…
April 9, 2020 at 18:59
Almost certainly no. SL are clear about needing A/L.
April 14, 2020 at 09:35
Hey Simon,
I did not finish my secondary school I had to stop ,do I’m asking if when filling the dv lottery form what should I put amongst the level of education ,but I have work experience
April 14, 2020 at 14:31
JUst answer the questions truthfully.
Does your work experience meet the standard required?
May 21, 2020 at 08:35
I am asking if you are currently enrolled in university program and results came as you won DV lottery(as my education set on some university courses because of similar case) , considering that Ur visa will be given and then required to be on USA within 6 months or it get annulled. Is there extension period for people enrolled in courses in their home countries??? Does it make you choose between going USA and drop out of college ???
Will it reduce the chances of you being approved for visa as CO might think leaving you pursuing your degree in home country is on your best interest at that time ??
If you decide to hop on board and decide to transfer with your home country results to proceed University in USA do you qualify for federal student loan as every American students?
May 21, 2020 at 14:03
It’s a slow process. No need to worry – but don’t waste your time thinking about the lottery until you are selected.
June 4, 2020 at 10:35
Mr Simon,
Please help to answer this 2 questions:
1) I have a “A Level” certificate however I only manage 2 passes out of 4 subjects so the certificate only shows the 2 subjects that i passed (Art & History). Is that good enough?
2) I also have a “Diploma in IT” certificate although it’s not related to my current work which is clothing retail. Can I use this instead if my Question 1 is not applicable?
June 4, 2020 at 17:27
1. Education systems and requirements vary by country – so without knowing your country I cannot answer.
2. No
June 7, 2020 at 21:35
Hi Brit.
My family (wife/daughter)( married way in past ) and I live in Sweden for almost last five years and recently granted the permanent residency..
This is issue.
I don’t have High school diploma or any 2 years worked experiences that falls at hight zone in O’net information category, but my wife has graduated from university in Chemistry with bachelor degree.
Are we able to apply for DV-2 under her name even I am the principal but because of indicated issue cannot follow, so we able to proceed?
Plz advice
Masoud
[email protected]
June 7, 2020 at 23:47
The principle applicant (i.e. the winner) must meet either the education or work experience requirement. If you don’t you should not proceed.
June 8, 2020 at 02:21
Hi thanks so much for your blog! I was wondering- for the education part of the application, if I did 1 year at University and then left, would I include this? Or just year 12?
June 8, 2020 at 02:35
List all education.
June 8, 2020 at 07:52
Hello Simon, I just won the DV lottery and I’ve been reading your blog, but still some things I find tricky to fill in the 260 form.
1. I have a High School diploma (Argentina – it meets the US requirements) and also did a 1-year course with a diploma in voice acting (which required a high school certificate to enter).
In the highest level of education should I select “high school degree” or “vocational”? I’m still unsure if vocational is less or more “important” than High School.
2. I am a FREELANCE designer and have many years of experience working remotely.
Will it be better if I applied with my work experience instead of Education? Or I should apply under Education but ALSO bring my work proof to the interview?
3. Under work experience and employers, since I am a freelancer.. can I write Self Employment? Or Freelancer… and/ or name some of the clients I worked for? I really haven’t worked in a company, always freelance, so I’m not sure how to state that in the form…
4. Lastly: Is it mandatory to have an address in the USA when filling the 260 form? I don’t know where I am going to live yet, so, I do not have an address. will it be a problem? (I searched for this in your blog and couldn’t find it).
Thank you so much, trully.
And your dog is adorable.
June 8, 2020 at 15:56
1. High school. Vocational is not useful.
2. Take both to interview if you want.
3. Self Employed or Freelancer. No need to list clients.
4. Get an address. You can change it later in the process but you need a real address – and that is where the GC will be sent.
June 8, 2020 at 13:43
What does it mean When you see this in checking.
*Based on the information provided, the Entry HAS NOT BEEN SELECTED for further processing for the Electronic Diversity Visa program at this time.*
Please verify that you have entered all information correctly. You may re-check the Entry status by clicking on the ESC Home Page link below
June 8, 2020 at 17:38
Not a winner.
June 9, 2020 at 06:08
By mistake I answer “no” at the question about having secondary education, since I was thinking this was about university degree which I don’t have but I do have high school degree. At the work experience I put that I’m CEO of a company for 9 years.
Do you think this “no” answer could be a reason for not giving me an interview?
PD: I wrote an email yesterday to KCC telling them about this and if they need any additional info of this particular question and confirming that I do have high school education.
BTW, my case is 2021SA40XX
June 9, 2020 at 15:54
No that won’t be a problem.
You submitted your DS260 far too quickly though – and that will not gain any advantage. You have to wait for your case number which is high so you have a LONG time to wait, and cannot be certain yet that you will get an interview.
June 9, 2020 at 18:37
Thanks for your reply. Just to be sure if I understand the case numbers correctly, I extracted the following info from Visa Bulletins up until last one for June 2020 (for DV2020). My case is for DV2021 but I’ll try to use DV2020 for comparison:
Oct 2019 225
Nov 2019 600
Dic 2019 850
Jan 2020 1075
Feb 2020 1150
Mar 2020 1300
Apr 2020 1560
May 2020 1875
Jun 2020 Current
Jul 2020 Current
Aug 2020 –
Sep 2020 –
1. Does this mean that until May 2020, only cases with numbers bellow 1875 were checked and any number higher like mine (406X), will still be in waiting list without any reply from KCC?
2. Since Jun 2020 I can see that there is a “Current” value instead of a number, should I understand that since Jun 2020 to Sep 2020, they’ll check all cases with number higher than 1875? With any specific order?
3. If my previous assumption is correct, and if DV2021 is similar as DV2020, I should expect no reply from KCC until maybe Jun 2021? Or maybe they could contact much earlier asking me to upload supporting docs and just don’t give me interview date until the month where they have the “Current” status?
June 9, 2020 at 21:50
1. Yes.
2. Sort of. Remember DV2020 has been a complete mess, so I would not be comparing if I were you. But when a region goes current, it means there are enough visas for all remaining cases.
3. They would probably ask for documents earlier, but as for whether you get an interview or not – that remains to be seen.
June 9, 2020 at 21:49
Dear Simon,
Here are my question:
I`m a student in US, and the process may be different. I finished submitting my DS-260, and could you tell me what will be next?
And I have my High School diploma, and I have changed university 3 times before I came here for college. Is that good?
Thank you
June 9, 2020 at 22:25
Why did you submit your DS260??? are you planning to adjust status or go to your home country for interview.
As for changing university, I don’t see how that could be good or bad for the DV lottery process. It’s irrelevant.
June 9, 2020 at 23:25
I read that each person who have been selected must submit the DS260, and it`s says here on mine that I’ll have my interview in USCIS
June 10, 2020 at 00:35
Right, well you have made a mistake because you rushed in before know what you are doing. I wish everyone would learn before they act!
The DS260 is not required for AOS cases. I do recommend people submit the DS260 (because it helps if KCC know what is going on) BUT NOT UNTIL they are close to filing the I-485. And that depends on case number and so on.
The downside is that the DS260 can cause problems for future NIV applications.
Slow down and learn what you are doing. Don’t do anything else until then. Go and look at the link below and pay attention to the spreadsheet linked on the first post in that thread.
https://forums.immigration.com/threads/dv-2021-aos-only.342993/
June 10, 2020 at 00:43
Oh no,
Thank you Brit
is there anything I can do to fix that issue?
June 10, 2020 at 03:24
No.
June 10, 2020 at 06:11
Hey Mate,
Thank you for being SO helpful!
I am from New Zealand and won the DV Lottery for 2021 – I filled out the DS-260 as required with all my information correctly – however I feel I may have made a mistake with providing lack of information around my education.
I read ‘high school’ education as being years 13-18, which we call college years in NZ. I added this to my application. I also added my University degree information. However, I did not add my primary school or elementary school information to my application (yeas 5-10) and I did not add my intermediate school education (years 11-12).
I am relying on my education to get me through to an interview (at some point, once covid is clear). Is the fact that I didn’t add my education from years 5-12 going to be an issue?
IF it is, how can I go about amending this?
Appreciate any help here, thanks again!
Cheers,
CC
June 10, 2020 at 22:43
You really don’t need to amend this. Yes you should detail secondary years, but it’s not a huge problem. If you are concerned still you can email KCC to unlock – read the FAQ about that.
June 11, 2020 at 19:52
Thank you for your quick response. Good to know I don’t need to amend this.
I also emailed KCC to ask and they said ‘no, that I do not need to amend’.
In terms of ‘course of study’ I wrote, ‘academic’, for my college/high school education (years 13-18). Is that incorrect of me to have written that? I had heard on your YouTube videos, that you refer to those years as ‘general education’.
I have only now seen your blog post and youtube channel, I REALLY wish I had seen it before submitting my DS-260. You mention in one of your videos that you don’t understand why people submit the form early. Basically, if we haven’t seen your post and we read the information guide online outlined by the US GOV, this is what we read:
Selected entrants are encouraged to complete the online DS-260 application immediately to schedule an interview appointment at the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
The word ‘immediately’ threw me, and caused me to gather my docs and submit straight away. I just WISH I had seen your video first though.
Thanks again for doing what you do! You’re really helping A LOT of people.
Cheers,
CC
June 12, 2020 at 00:58
Academic is fine.
June 10, 2020 at 09:23
testing – please don’t reply
June 11, 2020 at 04:12
Hi Brit,
Greetings from Sri Lanka,
I’ve selected for DV2021, even though the case number is not much promising I’ll give it a try. I’m a Chartered Institute of Management Accountants® (CIMA) passed finalist, and I’m working as an Account Executive in Singapore at the moment. I’m trying to find out how to insert this CIMA® qualification to the DS-260 form.
Q1. Will it be fit as an advanced Degree or Other in “Highest Level of Education Completed ” section?
Q2. Since CIMA® is UK based institute and I was taking exams in Sri Lanka, will it be a problem if I put institute UK address in the address field?
Q3. I’m also G.C.E A/L passed in Sri Lanka, Shall I add it also?
Q4. Since G.C.E A/L is the minimum qualification Shall I continue with it?
But since G.C.E A/L is not the highest level of education completed will it be a problem?
Please note that I’m also trying to get help from CIMA® UK, but if you could help me, it would be a great help. Really appreciate it.
Best regards.
June 11, 2020 at 16:19
1. It’s not an advanced degree. It is additional training, or more accurately a professional membership.
2. No
3. You must do that. That is the level they will require.
4. You are missing the point. You will list ALL your education. You create a history.
June 11, 2020 at 11:11
Dear Simon
I have been selected for the DV2021 lottery and I’m about to fill my ds-260 form.
I am hepatitis B carrier and would like to know if i could be denied visa on the basis of this.
Thank you in advance….
June 11, 2020 at 23:46
You double my work when you ask twice.
https://britsimonsays.com/education-or-work-experience-qualifying-for-the-dv-lottery/comment-page-11/#comment-229618
June 12, 2020 at 01:54
Hi BritSimon,
My question is about schooling. In my country, the duration of primary school and secondary school is the same as in the USA. Well, I finished elementary school thus totaling 9 years of elementary school, and started secondary school (High School), however, I only studied 1 year. And in the second year I did an equivalency test that with this test, there were subjects that were the same in all years, I eliminated half of the subjects (Curriculum) and the rest I finished in a high school institution. Thus totaling the years studied in an institution are 10 years. More than half of the subjects are 626 hours / classes, not even 1 year. Would it be ideal to qualify for the education requirement ????
June 12, 2020 at 02:32
Probably not. Equivalency tests are not recognized.
June 12, 2020 at 20:12
Simon HELLO. I HAVE HIGHER EDUCATION FIVE YEARS OF FULL-TIME TRAINING. In DS 260, THIS WRITTEN AS A DEGRE UNIVERSITY. INDICATED CURRENT WORK. SECURITY OFFICER. QUESTION NOW: WHERE WILL YOU WORK IN THE USA I WRITED A TRUCK DRIVER. DO I MAKE AN ERROR ???
June 12, 2020 at 22:01
No