State Department computer glitch voids thousands of visa awards
As many as 55,000 visa awards were rescinded after the problem was discovered.
A computer glitch has caused as many as 55,000 visas awarded under the State Department's 2012 Diversity Visa Lottery to be judged invalid, prompting a new selection process, reports NextGov.
Visa recipients are supposed to be chosen at random from applications submitted during a 30-day period by people from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. However, a glitch caused the computer to pick most of the names from the first two days of registration, the article states.
The State Department will conduct a new lottery from the existing applications and announce the winners on or about July 15.