The Diversity Visa Lottery, also known as the Green Card Lottery, is one of the most generous visa programs in the world. If someone wants to get a their Green Card, more officially known as becoming a Legal Permanent Residence in the United States, and they do not qualify through the more traditional methods of family or employment sponsorship you may be able to ‘win’ a Green Card.
Every year the U.S. government issues 55,000 Green Cards to people from the more “unrepresented countries” in the traditional family-based preference categories.
You actually enter the lottery two years before you may potentially be eligible for your Green Card. If you are actual selected in the lottery or ‘win’, you do not actually get your green card. After being selected you need to apply for and receive your green card within a year of being selected so that means that not everyone who ‘wins’ the Green Card Lottery will in fact receive a Green Card.
In order to qualify for the Diversity Visa Lottery you must 1) be born in a qualifying country or have a spouse born in one 2) have completed high school in the U.S. or the foreign equivalent or have worked for two years in the past five that requires at least two years of training or experience and 3) you must be admissible.
All applications are filled through the Department of State website and you have to attach a digital photograph.
Good luck and if you have any questions or concerns please contact us.
