griffothefrog and local lad,
I dare to disagree with such uninformed and biased opinion.
Yes, it's true that Brits still need visa to US for flight training and longer stay, but look at it this way,
HOW MANY Eastern Europeans or Latinos get their visa
denied for some petty reason even if true intentions? WAY MORE than Irish or Brits.
It's all about 'overstaying chances' which are way slimmer for Brits in the US.
I just got my M1 visa appl approved today in Belfast US Consulate. Since I'm going on Czech passport (not even my Slovak as Slovaks have it sh***ier for visas than Czech nationals) though owning up to having Slovak papers as it's required and I've been to US before on summer work visa..
Trust me, I've got my waiting job as the only 'ties to country' and prepared my registration certificate (until full residence and passport) in the UK, career break confirmation they didn't even ask for, certificates from previous years of my life in the UK to show that I'm settled (not forever in aviation).
I didn't feel so confident bearing in mind inequalities in citizenships...
TSA is needed for private, instrument, multi-engine (FW).
I can't even go to US on visa waiver summer 2009 to build some hours.
I got visa in pipeline (literally, as passport has to wait till 1st of March) for PPL H training in summer. So far so good.
BACK TO TITLE OF MY REPLY.
Well, GC or DV ('Diversity Visa') lottery allowances are based on average and/or total number of citizens of a specific country going to the US to live there. Whether they estimate illegals, can't tell right now.
Truth is, the only countries not qualifying are the ones that 'send' lots of folks to US. So there's 'no need for diversity visa programme' for them.
One can claim DV lottery eligibility (or, US call it 'country of chargeability') from birthplace country if citizens,
OR ACCORDING TO COUNTRY OF CITIZENSHIP OF SPOUSE. IE, if you're British with say, Algerian wife, you can enter lottery but have to fill it out accordingly. You and your wife/husband can both enter separately, doubling the chance of being drawn.
Then, there's that thing with 'numbering', if you get high number, due to delays and immigrant places taken up by wives and dependent kids, one can forget about finishing the paperwork in time if over 15-20k mark 'case number'. as the won't invite you for chat in time.
GOOD THING IN THIS FOR SOME UK CITIZENS IS THAT PERSONS BORN IN NORTHERN IRELAND DO, I REPEAT DO, QUALIFY FOR DIV VISA LOTTERY.
They consider NI separate country, though part of one state - UK, for the purpose. All you need is to be born in NI even if you never set foot back again. It doesn't matter. I did mine, living in the UK based on birth elsewhere.
ALSO, DON'T moan about not having special treatment. What about Working Holiday Visas? Australia, NZ, Canada, etc etc. I'm starting to get perks with Czech passport such as WHV to NZ from 2004 and Canada from about now.
Still, not Aussie. I'll get that from 2010 with UK passport, but who knows if I'll have time then.
Australia has even smarter system for visas. They require everyone to have visa, but for many countries as a tourist, kind of VWP, it's a matter of online ETA application. No need to go anywhere and feel like beggar asking for visa.
Plus, their assessment levels are different according to purpose of the visit. Even what kind of studies one intends to engage in. Ie Brits are more likely to overstay on certain student visas than other ones, so there are slight differences. Still, if you're AL 1 or 2, you are likely to be able to change or extend visa while in Australia. Not like me and many others..
check it out yourself if you're eligible and want to give it a shot.
Next application window is from October 2008 for about two months.
http://dvlottery.state.gov