Each year the U.S. government holds the U.S. Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, better known as the U.S. Green Card Lottery. The Green Card lottery program was established by the U.S. congress in 1990. By winning in this lottery 50.000 people from all over the world can obtain the right to live and work permanently in the USA. This free Green Card includes the applicant’s husband or wife and his/her children under 21.
So how can a person take part in the lottery? First of all, the Green Card lottery does not accept applicants from all countries. Each year the countries whose citizens are allowed to apply are published on the “List Of Countries By Region Whose Natives Qualify.” Countries that have sent already 50.000 immigrants during the last five years to the US are not allowed to participate. Those are Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, South Korea, United Kingdom (except
Northern Irela
nd) including dependent territories, and Vietnam.
The applicants must at least have a high school certificate or an equivalent document which states 12 years of elementary and secondary education or two years of working experience during the past five years in a profession that requires at last two years of studying. The original documents will be checked by the consulate, in case of winning.
Each year the U.S. government selects 110.000 applicants. Then the Kentucky Consular Center schedules interviews to select the 50.000 winners. This selection process is finished nine months after the lottery’s deadline. Only winning chosen applicants will receive a letter.
Some changes in the application procedure have been made recently: Applications by regular mail are not possible anymore. The applications are now to be made exclusively online. Interested people can check out the governmental website. This site offers all the necessary information and the electronic regi
stration form can be filled out on this website.
Every year 25 % of the applicants fail to participate due to small mistakes. So everybody should make sure to read the instructions attentively and fulfill them without exceptions, especially considering necessary certificates and deadlines. The online registration makes it much easier to change e.g. address information whenever needed. The regular deadline of each lottery round is January. The usual registration period is quite short, it is only a 60-day period from starting from 1st of November and ending at 30th of December. The State Department will send an electronic confirmation notice to the candidates upon receipt of the entry form.
It is necessary to follow the registration procedure rules! Applications that do not perform the rules are automatically rejected. The entry form must contain the following information: Full name, date of birth, gender, town and country of birth, address, photos (e-mail address an
d phone number are optional). Enclosed photos need to be in a size of 50 mm x 50 mm and in JPEG format in grayscale or color in high solution. An applicant must provide photos of children and spouse as well. On the photo the person is not allowed to wear sunglasses,
hats or similar. He or she has to face the camera directly while being situated in front of a neutral background. The entry will be disqualified immediatly if photos are missing.
Applicants may apply again each year, however applicants with more than one entry in the same year will be disqualified. His record will be kept permanently by the State Department so he will not be able to apply ever again.
Taking part in the lottery is free. In case of winning the so-called diversity visa, the immigrant only has to pay the regular visa fees. The government even pays the airline ticket to the USA. People should be aware of dishonest business or lawyers and offered greencard services. The most secure way i
s still the US government site.
Information on the green card , including thegreen card application for thegreen card lottery .