An applicant’s status in the Green Card Lottery, also called the Diversity Visa Lottery, is available only on the State Department’s website, but the trick is that it only positively identifies status.
What this means is that the system will really only tell you if you have won the Green Card Lottery and can move onto the process of actually filing for the Green Card document.
Otherwise, if your number does not show up as a winner it is practically impossible to tell whether or not you were not selected or if your application was disqualified for some reason.
The best way to know that your application has not been disqualified is to make absolutely sure that it cannot be disqualified. This is a detail oriented task, because filling out the form and submitting it online can be done in a hurry, sure, but the only way to know that your form was accepted is to take your time and be sure to double check every element.
The details necessary for an acceptable photograph are also very detailed and it is wise to take one’s time when creating the photo. We have a blog that happens to cover the photographic requirements for the Diversity Visa Lottery.
One disqualifying condition that is sometimes overlooked is duplicate copies. If you submit more than one application for yourself both will be disqualified. Many people will file multiple forms because they want to increase their chances of winning or to recover a confirmation number.
Neither of the above activities is recommended. Submitting two applications will result in a 0% chance of winning the Green Card Lottery.
So when you apply in October, keep these tips in mind and increase your chances naturally.