Cubans who want to emigrate to the United States have been told they'll still have to send in their applications by post to be eligible to take part in a computerized visa lottery.

Some Cubans had expressed fears in the past that their requests might be intercepted by the authorities.

In the latest lottery being organised by the US interest section in the Cuban capital, Havana, the twenty-thousand people will be granted interviews with American immigration officials.

If accepted, they'll be granted visas allowing them to live in the United States.

It's the third lottery of its kind -- agreed by Cuba and the United States to stop thousands of Cuban escaping from the island by boat.