"Persons born on the islands of Taiwan and Penghu are eligible to participate in the DV program," the AIT stated in a press release.

"The only source for complete and authoritative information on eligibility requirements and application procedures is www.dvlottery.state.gov. All applications must be submitted online according to the instructions on this Web site," it added. The AIT stressed that there is no fee to participate in the DV lottery and that the U.S. government employs no outside consultants or private services to operate the DV program.

"Any intermediaries or others who offer assistance to prepare DV entries do so without the authority or consent of the U.S. government," the AIT said. "Use of any outside intermediary or assistance to prepare a DV entry is entirely at the entrant's discretion."

Due to anticipated high demand for the online application system, the AIT is encouraging participants to submit applications well before the lottery ends because in the past, system delays caused by extremely heavy demand in the final days of the registration period have resulted in the failure of some applicants to be able to register for the program.

According to the AIT, no entries will be accepted after 1:00 a.m., Dec. 2 Taiwan time, regardless of whether there are system delays during the registration period.