NEW YORK, N.Y., Fri. Nov. 26: While the Diversity Visa or ‘green card’ lottery does not restrict qualified undocumented immigrants from applying, winning this lottery may be one prize prize they may have to decline. According to one leading Caribbean immigrant advocate, many undocumented immigrants living here, who were not petitioned for on or before April 30, 2001, will be unable to collect on this lottery, should they win. Irwine Clare, head of the Caribbean Immigrant Services, says while most Caribbean and several other undocumented immigrants are free to apply for the lottery, which runs through midnight on January 7, 2005, collecting on a win could put them at risk of exposure to the Department of Homeland Security. Clare says its like a double-edged swords since if the immigrant wins and claims the prize they may be subject to either a 3 or 10 year bar when they try to return. The Diversity Visa Lottery makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Nationals of Canada, main land China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, South Korea, United Kingdom, except Northern Ireland and Vietnam are ineligible to apply for the lottery. However, if their spouse is of any other country, then they automatically will qualify for a shot. All applications can be submitted free of cost online, through the State Department website: http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/. For detailed information, log on to the State Department website and follow the process and instructions to apply. Reprinted from hardbeatnews.com