May 14th, 2011
10:08 AM ET

Computer glitch voids green card lottery results

The State Department has apologized for a computer glitch that invalidated results for thousands who thought they were chosen in the most recent green card visa lottery.

Millions of people worldwide apply for the 50,000 permanent resident visas issued a year to relocate to the U.S.

A computer randomly picks would-be immigrants who then undergo interviews, background checks and medical exams before visas can be issued.

"Due to a computer programming problem, the results of the 2012 diversity lottery that were previously posted on this website have been voided," the State Department said in a statement Friday. "We regret any inconvenience this might have caused."

The results of lottery were not valid, and the drawing will be redone.

"They did not represent a fair random selection of the entrants, which is required by U.S. law," said David Donahue, a deputy assistant for the State Department.

The issue has been resolved and officials expect to do another selection in July, Donahue said.

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Filed under: Immigration
soundoff (45 Responses)
  1. whitleyfan810

    Oh by the way Joey I'm retiring whitleyfan810 so use the name all you like, knock yourself out kiddo. Just remember be kind to others, what goes around eventually comes around.

    May 15, 2011 at 12:32 am | Report abuse |
  2. luther

    @whitleyfan810, spoilt is actually a correct form of the word it's just more appropriate to use it in Canada or Britain. However, the you statement is just a a gross stereotype is poor grammar.

    May 15, 2011 at 1:13 am | Report abuse |
  3. CarolynPlemmons

    Damn yankie northerners!

    May 15, 2011 at 4:46 am | Report abuse |
  4. Dick Hertz

    Shame it didn't glitch all Anchor Babies Citizenship instead.

    May 15, 2011 at 9:37 am | Report abuse |
  5. Arnold

    What do you mean by that remark

    May 15, 2011 at 1:05 pm | Report abuse |
  6. banasy

    @Arnold: *snicker*!

    May 15, 2011 at 1:08 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Alfred Brock

    No more lotteries. Suspend all of this for the time being. Things need to settle down.

    May 16, 2011 at 6:50 am | Report abuse |
  8. andy

    Why do we need this program? Any other developed country running this kind of stupid program, when national debt is getting us broke? Is our new national ambition to be the world's no.1 stupid country?

    May 18, 2011 at 11:53 am | Report abuse |
  9. rafa

    i went one day to casino in las v and then i saw one man trying the lottery machine till he lost $2,000 and then he leaved the casino and another man since he start to play on same machine by one dollar he won $4,000 sure is not fair but this is the lottery..... right????? do not make us thinking stupid ,the 22000 people they are winners,if they found some body have problem they can kick out. not all ...right

    May 22, 2011 at 11:06 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Nader

    Help us we are a human being

    May 30, 2011 at 3:04 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Virility Ex Scam

    Thanks , I have recently been looking for info about this topic for ages and yours is the best I've found out so far. But, what about the bottom line? Are you sure concerning the source?|What i do not understood is in reality how you're not really much more neatly-favored than you may be now. You are very intelligent.

    June 5, 2012 at 8:49 am | Report abuse |
  12. samuel5028

    Hope these kind of issues wont repeat in future...This is really shame ..This will really lose the confidence of the people who won and lose the green card in that season..

    September 12, 2012 at 8:46 am | Report abuse |
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