Online registration for the DV 2015 lottery will begin on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and conclude on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).   See the Diversity Visa Program Instructions webpage at travel.state.gov for the DV 2015 Instructions.  DV-2014 entrants may now check the status of their entries through Entrant Status Check (ESC) on the E-DV website, through June 30, 2014.  Same-sex spouses of U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), along with their minor children, are now eligible for the same immigration benefits as opposite-sex spouses.  Consular officers at U.S. embassies and consulates will adjudicate their immigrant visa applications upon receipt of an approved I-130 or I-140  petition from USCIS.  Diversity Visa applicants may include same-sex spouses in their initial entries or add spouses acquired after their initial registration.  Those spouses who will follow-to-join DV 2013 applicants must make application on or before September 30, 2013.  Spouses of DV 2014 applicants, even those not included in the initial entry, must apply before September 30, 2014.