Green Card Lottery

Is the green card lottery for you?

What is the green card lottery?
Officially called The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, the green card lottery selects people from certain countries that have had few immigrants coming to the U.S. Since only 55,000 green cards are issued this year through the lottery, names are drawn at random by a computer.

What countries qualify for the green card lottery?
This varies. Different countries qualify each year based on how many immigrants they sent to the U.S. during the past five years. While some countries will not qualify at all, each qualifying country is allotted 3,850 green cards per year.

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I'm from a qualified country. Am I eligible?
Maybe. You need to:

Be born in that country (a native), not just live there
Meet the country's education or work experience requirements

What if my country is ineligible this year?
If your country is ineligible, you might qualify under another green card category.

Some ineligible people can apply under their spouse or parents' native country. This might apply to you if:

Your spouse was born in an eligible country. Note: Y our spouse must get a special visa (DV-2) and enter the U.S. with you.
Your parents were born in an eligible country and did not make the country of your birth their home when you were born.

How do I enter the green card lottery?
If you're from an eligible country and meet the eligibility requirements, you can submit ONE application. Anyone who applies more than once will have all their lottery applications thrown out.

The form can be downloaded from U.S. government sites.

Note: the application form always begins with DV, but the number changes every year. For example, DV-2008 is the form that you will fill out at the end of 2006 .

You will need to fill out the application and provide a digital or scanned photograph of each person on the application.

How much does the lottery cost?
While there is a fee for the immigration visa (should you win a spot), there is no application fee for the lottery itself.

I hear the paperwork is difficult. Should I pay for help?
No. The only way to guarantee your application is submitted is to do it yourself. Don't worry, submitting your own application should take about half an hour and is very easy. Although some companies and websites claim it's difficult and promise to submit your application for a fee (usually anywhere from $50 to $250), you should apply yourself. They are scam artists and you cannot be guaranteed they will actually file your application after they take your money.

I didn't get selected. Am I automatically entered for next year?

No. Applications do not carry over from year to year. You must reapply next year if you still want to be considered.

What happens if I win?
Winning the green card lottery does not mean you will get a green card. Because the U.S. government declares more winners than there are green cards, you must respond quickly and get an interview as soon as possible.

Because of serious backlogs, it can take months to get a response from the USCIS. If you win the green card lottery, hire an immigration lawyer who is experienced with green cards.

Will responding quickly get me a green card?
It might, but you must still prove that you:

Can support yourself financially once in the U.S.
Are still admissible