[jerseygirl]

The question all winners inevitably ask is, "When can I expect my interview?" Abbaby and I compiled these numbers from the Visa Bulletin archive to help you find the answer:

Cutoff Numbers for Africa (# of Diversity Visas processed that month)

DV-2000
10/1999: < n/a
11/1999: n/a
12/1999: 12,800
01/2000: 12,800
02/2000: 13,000
03/2000: 14,801
04/2000: n/a
05/2000: 19,950
06/2000: 23,450
07/2000: 26,600
08/2000: 28,850
09/2000: current

DV-2001
10/2000: < 12,500
11/2000: 12,903
12/2000: 13,800
01/2001: 14,000
02/2001: 14,100
03/2001: 14,100
04/2001: 14,100
05/2001: 14,750
06/2001: 19,930
07/2001: 24,700
08/2001: n/a
09/2001: n/a

DV-2002
10/2001: < n/a
11/2001: n/a
12/2001: n/a
01/2002: n/a
02/2002: n/a
03/2002: n/a
04/2002: 12,800
05/2002: 17,000
06/2002: 21,400
07/2002: 25,650
08/2002: 33,250
09/2002: current

DV-2003
10/2002: < 4,650
11/2002: 7,800
12/2002: 9,800
01/2003: 11,500
02/2003: 12,250
03/2003: 14,150
04/2003: 16,500
05/2003: 19,880
06/2003: 26,000
07/2003: 31,650
08/2003: 32,500
09/2003: 49,350

DV-2004
10/2003: <9,300
11/2003: 11,700
12/2003: 14,450
01/2004: 17,700
02/2004: 20,400
03/2004: 23,200
04/2004: 24,800
05/2004: 26,200
06/2004: 28,300
07/2004: 32,500
08/2004: 34,300
09/2004: 35,450

DV-2005
10/2004: <9,900
11/2004: 10,300 ( 400)
12/2004: 14,000 (3,700)
01/2005: 17,400 (3,400)
02/2005: 20,225 (2,825)
03/2005: 22,800 (2,575)
04/2005: 25,100 (2,300)
05/2005: 27,700 (2,600)
06/2005: 28,450 ( 750)
07/2005: 32,800 (4,350)
08/2005: 39,500 (6,700)
09/2005: 46,700 (7,200)

DV-2006
10/2005: <6,000
11/2005: <6,000
12/2005: 7,500 (1,500)
01/2006: 9,000 (1,500)
02/2006: 11,600 (2,600)
03/2006: 14,200 (2,750)
04/2006: 16,950 (3,450)
05/2006: 20,400 (3,100)
06/2006: 23,500 (4,350)
07/2006: 27,850 (6,050)
08/2006: 33,900
09/2006: current

DV-2007
10/2006: 5,700
11/2006: 8,500
12/2006: 10,300
01/2007: 11,300
02/2007: 11,850
03/2007: 15,250
04/2007: 17,700
05/2007: 20,550
06/2007: 27,000
07/2007: 35,500
08/2007: current
09/2007: current

DV-2008
10/2007: 6,700
11/2007: 10,000
12/2007: 11,100
01/2008: 13,100
02/2008: 16,200
03/2008: 18,500
04/2008: 21,500
05/2008: 26,700
06/2008: 32,000
07/2008: 38,050
08/2008: 47,000
09/2008: 62,300

DV-2009
10/2008: 6,900
11/2008: 12,500
12/2008: 15,100
01/2009: 18,300
02/2009: 23,300
03/2009: 26,800
04/2009: 26,900
05/2009: 32,400
06/2009: 39,600
07/2009:
08/2009:
09/2009:

This post has been edited by jerseygirl: 02 May 2009 - 08:06 PM

[Phigrin]

Hi Everyone,

I've been playing with a spreadsheet to try and make it easier to see when a number can be expected to become current.

I'm very confused about the earlier years such as Feb 2002 where the numbers were 'current', but of course not everyone got processed after which a cutoff number was again provided Apr 2002.

Be that as it may, here is the spreadsheet  DV_numbers.zip (8.27K)
Number of downloads: 74, updated with the latest and with graphs and conditional formatting to allow quick visual inspection of where your number would have been current had it won in that year. I don't know if you require at least Excel 2003 or if 2000 would also do the trick.

Please note that some of the data on the spreadsheet is second hand and that I have not viewed every visa bulletin myself. There could be errors!

[jerseygirl]

Wow, Phigrin, that's fantastic. Thank you.

[jerseygirl]

I've updated the cutoff numbers listed on my first post of this thread to include those published in the December 2008 Visa Bulletin.

This post has been edited by jerseygirl: 17 November 2008 - 06:40 PM

[jerseygirl]

The cutoff numbers have been updated through June 2009 according to the current visa bulletin

[sveeden]

What exactly does the cut-off numbers mean to someone that has entered the DV Lottery? Sorry if it is a dumb question, entered the first time last year.

[Malamute]

What exactly does the cut-off numbers mean to someone that has entered the DV Lottery? Sorry if it is a dumb question, entered the first time last year.

Hi Sveeden, not a dumb question, but if you use the Search function on this site, you will find the answer in detail.

Briefly, if you are selected, you will receive a number. Think of this as a number in a Q. The person with number 1 gets dealt with first, the person with number 20 gets dealt with 20th etc.

How quickly you send in the required documents etc does not alter you place in the Q, all you need to do is ensure that Kentucky has your details way before your number would be 'called' (i.e. below the cut-off published in the Visa bulletin, and in the meantime you get your paperwork in order).

For each of the 12 months that the DV visas are issued in a year, the bulletin publishes the cut-off numbers. You watch this bulletin like a hawk every month it comes out! If your number is below the cut-off, then it is your time to be 'served' and your visa appointment will be set. If your number is above the cut-off, you remain in the Q and are not served that month.

If your number is high, it could be that all the visas are allocated before you reach the front of the Q. In that case, sorry, but no visa for you that year, and it as if you have never won. (And yes, some people have been drawn as 'winners', but their numbers were high, and at the end of the 12th month, they still hadn't got to the front of the 'Q')

I hope this makes sense.

[sveeden]

Thank you for the explanation. I did a search but found the information to be a bit scattered and was not sure.

[Utah]

Thank you for the explanation. I did a search but found the information to be a bit scattered and was not sure.

This is the truth. That's why this site is fantastic.

[sa_nz]

Hi,

Thanks for the explanation of the Visa Bulletins etc. I had a look through the Excel file and previous posts, and according to it, my chances are slim to none to get a visa next year. Correct?

My CN is also quite high at 2010AF00053XXX. Not sure if I must start worrying or just try to keep my hopes up?

I'll keep an eye on the monthly Visa Bulletins, but any other predictions or advise?

Cheers,

[Malamute]

Hi,

Thanks for the explanation of the Visa Bulletins etc. I had a look through the Excel file and previous posts, and according to it, my chances are slim to none to get a visa next year. Correct?

My CN is also quite high at 2010AF00053XXX. Not sure if I must start worrying or just try to keep my hopes up?

I'll keep an eye on the monthly Visa Bulletins, but any other predictions or advise?

Cheers,

On the contrary, you chances are quite good actually. For this year, there is still 1 month to go, and they are already up to 64 300 for Africa (DV2009). For DV2008, they finished off at 62 300, and for DV2007 and DV2006, all numbers for Africa were current (except for some from Nigeria, Ethiopia and Egypt).

[sa_nz]

On the contrary, you chances are quite good actually. For this year, there is still 1 month to go, and they are already up to 64 300 for Africa (DV2009). For DV2008, they finished off at 62 300, and for DV2007 and DV2006, all numbers for Africa were current (except for some from Nigeria, Ethiopia and Egypt).

Hi Malamute,

Thanks for the excellent news, you made my day!!!

Cheers,

[Eliab]

HI All,

Why is the current numbers already 14000 for DV2010 Africa for the month of November 2009 what does this mean I am bit confused; someone please explain because they have 3000 in Europe and other contries 4000.

Thanks,
Eli

[Malamute]

Eliab, on 07 October 2009 - 04:46 AM, said:

HI All,

Why is the current numbers already 14000 for DV2010 Africa for the month of November 2009 what does this mean I am bit confused; someone please explain because they have 3000 in Europe and other contries 4000.

Thanks,
Eli

The DV lottery is divided into world regions. We fall into Africa. Your winning DV number will have the letters AF - indicating that you are a winner from Africa. As the point of the DV lottery is DIVERSITY, they cannot have all 50 000 winners from the same continent or country (no country may receive more than 3 500 Green Cards). In order to control the flow of numbers accordingly, each continent has different cutoffs. So a number DV2010AF14000 may be current, but a number DV2010SA14000 may not be (South America)- you have to check the bulletin. The largest number of entrants and winners drawn are from Africa.

[Eliab]

Thanks Malamute, I can always rely on your for the info . So to confirm 100,000 people from diffrent countries receive notification to say they have won, then the process starts for the interviews whereby when you number is current your interview date is set up. But a country lets say like Nigeria has 3500 applicants with numbers speard accross the 100000 but eventually there will be cut of 3500 people right?

I hope this make sense because that is the way I understand it.

Cheers Eli