How long is the DATA saved ?

[FONA 6]

I've heard that some folks that are selected get to know that they won a certain year when they didn't even knew they won or remeber that they applied at all, and that might be like from 5 or 8 years ago from what I've seen on Youtube when they arrived on the interviews. So this simply means that U.S government saved the Diversity VISA lottery data longer than the year and fiscal period that the applicant applied for. For example the data for the 2023 lottery which application period ended in 2022 was stored up until septemeber of this year. 

 

But doesn't seem like that when you hear what some Youtubers have been told in their interview. 

 

And when I ask the the DV lottery VISA category on their kentucky email - they just refer me to their page.

 

I would like to know more about this, how long our data is stored and saved.

 

With data I refer to the questions that needs to be filled in in the application process form.

 

 

Edited November 3 by FONA

[Boiler 45,467]

For

 

Ever

[FONA 6]

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

For

 

Ever

Are you serious or sarcastic?

[OldUser 6,635]

49 minutes ago, FONA said:

Are you serious or sarcastic?

With documentation being digitized and cost of hard drive storage getting lower every year, storing forever isn't a problem anymore. I'm not aware of USCIS / DOS policies saying they only store X number of years.

[Lemonslice 4,836]

56 minutes ago, FONA said:

Are you serious or sarcastic?

As far I could find, there is no time  limit on the time retention of immigration related documents.  Forever seems like the closest answer to what is known.

 

You can also look up stories of people getting in trouble recently for documents submitted right after the second world war, so 80ish years ago.  While that's not forever, that's getting close to a lifetime.

 

Edited to ask: are you curious, or worried, about them keeping the details you submitted in the past?

Edited November 3 by Lemonslice

[powerpuff 6,697]

3 hours ago, Boiler said:

For

 

Ever

My thoughts too 

[SalishSea 17,819]

6 hours ago, FONA said:

I've heard that some folks that are selected get to know that they won a certain year when they didn't even knew they won or remeber that they applied at all, and that might be like from 5 or 8 years ago from what I've seen on Youtube when they arrived on the interviews. So this simply means that U.S government saved the Diversity VISA lottery data longer than the year and fiscal period that the applicant applied for. For example the data for the 2023 lottery which application period ended in 2022 was stored up until septemeber of this year. 

 

But doesn't seem like that when you hear what some Youtubers have been told in their interview. 

 

And when I ask the the DV lottery VISA category on their kentucky email - they just refer me to their page.

 

I would like to know more about this, how long our data is stored and saved.

 

With data I refer to the questions that needs to be filled in in the application process form.

 

 

Immigration-related data is saved indefinitely.  This is why lies made on forms in the past come back to haunt you.

[piano 25]

I don't know if the divserity lottery specifically triggers the creation of an A-file, but its retention is permanent. See  https://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/aliens

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) signed an agreement on June 3, 2009, to make the Alien Files (A-Files) a permanent series of records, eligible for transfer to NARA custody 100 years after the immigrant's year of birth.

[NorthByNorthwest 351]

7 hours ago, FONA said:

I've heard that some folks that are selected get to know that they won a certain year when they didn't even knew they won or remeber that they applied at all, and that might be like from 5 or 8 years ago from what I've seen on Youtube when they arrived on the interviews. So this simply means that U.S government saved the Diversity VISA lottery data longer than the year and fiscal period that the applicant applied for. For example the data for the 2023 lottery which application period ended in 2022 was stored up until septemeber of this year. 

 

Application data is stored basically forever, but a DV application is only considered for the year/period it was filed for, anything else is bogus info.