The US Green Card Lottery Program, known as DV (Diversity Visa) Lottery program, is a good opportunity for potential immigrants to obtain the status as a permanent legal resident of the USA. You may apply by yourself at the U.S. Department of State website, if you wish. This program runs each year and provides 50,000 "Green Cards" to applicants randomly selected in a lottery process.
The Green Card is an immigrant visa to the United States. It allows you to
legally live, work and study permanently in the United States and to enter and
leave the country freely. Green card holders also receive health, education, and
other rights, and they can sponsor relatives for Green Cards.
What is the Green Card Lottery program?
The Green Card Lottery program is formally known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa
Lottery Program and is administered by the US Department of State. The program
makes available permanent residence visas (Green Cards) to persons meeting
certain eligibility requirements. Winners of the lottery are chosen in a random
drawing conducted by the US State Department.
Who can participate in the lottery?
The applicant must be a native of a country whose natives qualify and must meet
either the education or training requirement of the program.
to check if you qualify.
What about my spouse and children?
If you win and obtain a Green Card, your spouse and unmarried children under age 21 will receive Green Cards as well.
Is there a minimum of age to apply?
There is no minimum age to apply for the program, but the requirement of a high
school education or work experience for each principal applicant at the time of
application will effectively disqualify most persons who are under 18 years old.
What are the requirements for the education or work experience?
You must have at least a high school education or its equivalent or, within the
past five years, have two years of work experience in an occupation requiring at
least two years training or experience. A "high school education or equivalent"
is defined as successful completion of a twelve-year course of elementary and
secondary education in the United States or successful completion in another
country of a formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to a
high school education in the United States. Occupations that require at least
two years of experience are determined from a list published by the Department
of Labor.
Why do natives of certain countries not qualify for the green card lottery?
Diversity visas are intended to provide an immigration opportunity for persons
from countries other than the countries which send large numbers of immigrants
to the U.S. The law states that no diversity visas shall be provided for "high
admission" countries. These countries are those from which a total of 50,000
persons in the Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based visa categories immigrated
to the United States during the previous five years.
What can I do if I was born in a country that is not qualified?
You can claim nativity through spouse or parent (subject to certain
limitations). The Check if You Qualify page will walk you
through these options.
How many applicants will be selected?
There are 50,000 visas available but more than that number of individuals will
be selected. Because it is likely that some of the first 50,000 persons who are
selected will not pursue their cases to visa issuance, selecting a larger number
of entries should ensure use of all numbers, but it also risks some selected
persons being left out. Therefore it is very important that if you do win, you
proceed to process your visa immediately. Random selection by the Kentucky
Consular Center computer does not automatically guarantee that you will receive
a visa.
How many entries can I submit?
Only ONE entry form may be submitted by or for each applicant. ALL entries by an
applicant will be disqualified if more than ONE entry for the applicant is
received, regardless of who submitted the entry. However, married couples may
each submit an application, doubling their chances to win. The
Check if You Qualify page will automatically suggest this to you.
Can I do something to increase my chances to win?
No, all qualified entries are randomly selected by computer and have an equal
chance to win. What you can do is make sure that your application is not
disqualified. Each year millions of applications are disqualified for failure to
follow the submission requirements. The online Check if You Qualify page
will create the application for you and help you avoid this.
How many visas are distributed to each country?
Visas are distributed among six geographic regions with a greater number of
visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration, and no visas going to
countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past five
years. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available
Diversity Visas in any one year.
I live in the U.S. - Can I participate?
Yes, an applicant may be in the U.S. or in another country, and the entry may be submitted from the U.S. or from abroad.
May a husband and a wife each submit a separate form?
Yes, a husband and a wife may each submit one entry. If either were selected,
the other would be entitled to derivative status.Therefore, you may double your chances by submitting one application for
each of you an listing each other as spouses.
If I win, do I have to travel with my family?
No. The fact that you have listed family members on your entry does not mean
that they later must travel with you. They may choose to remain behind. However,
if you include an eligible dependent on your visa application forms whom you
failed to include on your original entry, your case will be disqualified.
How do I know if I won?
Those selected will be notified by mail between May and July each year and will be provided further instructions on how to claim their Green Card, including information on fees connected with immigration to the U.S. Persons not selected will NOT receive any notification.
The Application
What information is required to fill in the application?
You are required to provide the name, date and place of birth of yourself, your spouse (wife or husband) and your children (unmarried under 21 years of age); your full mailing address; recent photographs of yourself, your spouse and children and to sign the form. The online Check if You Qualify page page will walk you through all of the information you need.
What family members must I include on my entry?
You must list your spouse, that is husband or wife, and all unmarried children
under 21 years of age, with the exception of a child who is already a U.S.
citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident. You must list your spouse even if you are
currently separated from him/her. However, if you are legally divorced, you do
not need to list your former spouse. For customary marriages, the important date
is the date of the original marriage ceremony, not the date on which the
marriage is registered. You must list ALL your children who are unmarried and
under the age of 21 years, whether they are your natural children, your spouse's
children by a previous marriage, or children you have formally adopted in
accordance with the laws of your country, unless a child is already a U.S.
citizen or Legal Permanent Resident. List all children even if they no longer
reside with you. The online Check if You Qualify page will walk you
through all these requirements.
Is the photograph required for each family member?
Yes. You have to include a photograph of yourself, your spouse (wife or husband)
and each child listed on your application.
Are there any specific formatting requirements for the entry, envelop, photos etc?
Yes there are – the Check if You Qualify page and instructions will guide you through
these requirements.
The USAGCLS Service
What is the USAGCLS service?
The USAGCLS service was set up to provide information about the Diversity Visa Lottery Program and assist
individuals with preparation of their application forms. Each year, millions
of applications are disqualified because they fail to meet the strict
submission requirements. The Check if You Qualify page walks
you through the eligibility requirements making sure you provide all of the
information required.
How much time does it take to complete the online registration process?
The entire registration process should take about 5-10 minutes.
How much does the online service cost?
The administrative fee is based on the number of entries you sign up for - in order to increase your chances
if you are married we suggest you should submit separate applications for yourself and your spouse (the Check if You Qualify page will automatically suggest this and other options). You may also
register for automatic resubmission for the upcoming years – each year, new submission instructions are posted
by the US Government. If you select this option, the service will automatically check and create your application
in compliance with the new instructions. However, you will need to resubmit your photo each year to make sure the
most recent photo of yourself is submitted.
Are there any additional fees?
No. Except for the administrative fee there are no additional fees.
Generally due to highly detailed nature of questions, all customer service inquiries are handled in writing and by e-mail. However, if there are additional concerns on which you may need further assistance, you may call us at 001-646-536-4152 or send a letter to the following address:
USAGCLS
8391 Beverly Blvd., # 483
Los Angeles, CA 90048 U.S.A.
