Are you from a country whose immigration rate to the US is low? If yes, THEN, it might be your lucky day… Since the US government gives 50,000 green cards to native citizens of those countries!
How? THROUGH the Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery program.
What is the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program?
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, often known as the green card lottery, was established by the Immigration Act of 1990 to provide 50,000 immigrant visas ANNUALLY to citizens from countries with LOW immigration rates in the United States.
This method of obtaining a green card is based on a lottery system, which implies that candidates are picked at random.
The number of immigrant visas is distributed by dividing the world into regions. Each region will receive no more than 7% of the total number of green cards available in the lottery each year.
But, winning the lottery DOES NOT exonerate you from the rigor of green card application procedures. Winning the lottery DOES NOT guarantee you a green card. Some lottery winners are inadmissible to the US, preventing them from pursuing a green card.
Who is Eligible?
Of course, as with any other method of obtaining a green card, you must possess or meet the specified qualifications.
To be eligible for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, you must have the following:
You must be a native of a qualifying country
“Native” refers to where you were born, RATHER THAN your citizenship or current residence.
Additionally, if you were born in an ineligible country, you might be able to use your spouse’s native country (if eligible).
HOWEVER, be certain that BOTH of you are immigrating and will be entering the United States together.
Furthermore, you can ALSO use either of your parents’ nativity. BUT ONLY IF neither of them was born in your native country or lived there at the time of your birth.
You must have at least a high school diploma (or equivalent foreign education) OR a minimum of two years work experience within the last five years.
The required diploma or education refers to the successful completion of a formal course of elementary AND secondary education, equivalent to a 12-year course in the US.
For the job experience, only certain types of occupations are qualified under this program.
It must be a job that normally requires at least two years of training or experience. AND ULTIMATELY, it is determined based on the US Department of Labor database.
REMEMBER, a job offer in the US is not necessary.
Now that we know the requirements, let’s talk about…How to apply for the program?
What is the Application Process?
Step 1: Register for the Lottery Program
To be included in the lottery drawing system, you must FIRST fill out an online application. Keep in mind that the rules and conditions for the lottery drawing change each year.
To stay up to date, you can visit the US State Department website.
Please take note that there is NO FEE when registering for the lottery program.
Once you complete the application process, you will be given a unique confirmation number that will act as your reference number in the future.
It is recommended that you print or save a copy of that number. You can CHECK this Electronic Diversity Visa Program website to FIND OUT whether you have been selected.
The only official website where you can find out if you won or not IS the DV Entrant Status Check. This means that you will NOT get a notice by mail or email.
- Here are some guidelines for you to follow to avoid having your entry disqualified:
Answer each item correctly, including mentioning your spouse AND ALL eligible children. - ONLY ONE registration form should be sent PER individual. However, exceptions are made for spouses who can submit separate applications.
- Separate registrations should NOT be sent for children UNLESS they are qualified and willing to immigrate without you. Keep in mind that unmarried children under 21 whose parents won the lottery are automatically qualified.
- But, when a child is selected, this DOES NOT mean that the parents will enjoy the same benefit as mentioned previously.
Step 2: Applying for Permanent Residence (or green card)
If you are chosen in the lottery, you should act on it IMMEDIATELY since the State Department selects MORE THAN the allotted number of immigrant visas available to ensure that all 50,000 visas are used each year.
A case number (often known as a “rank number”) will be given to you. This number will serve as a basis for determining WHEN you can apply for a visa or adjustment of status. You will be able to apply when a visa becomes available in your regional category based on your rank number. As a result, the LOWER the rank number, the BETTER.
To check if your rank number has been reached, check out the Visa Bulletin website (point Down to description box) LINKED to the description below. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html
If you are chosen in the diversity lottery, you CAN apply for permanent residency in the United States in one of two ways:
- Option 1 – At a USCIS office in the United States; or
- Option 2 – At a US consulate outside of the United States.
Now let’s go back to the two ways to apply for permanent residency.
FIRST is through Consular Processing (If you are currently residing outside of the United States)
Before visiting the United States, you must apply at a local US consulate and undergo an interview there, known as consular processing.
You will need to complete some forms and paperwork, pay necessary fees, undergo a medical examination, prepare the documents for an interview at the US consulate, and ultimately attend the scheduled interview. For more details, please visit the nearest US Consulate in your area.
SECOND is by Adjusting Status in the United States
To change your status to permanent residency, you must do the following:
- Pay the diversity visa fee. You must pay a separate diversity visa fee for EACH member of your immediate family who plans to adjust their status with you. Keep in mind that this is SEPARATE from any other fees you may be required to pay at USCIS.
- Prepare paperwork and supporting documents. Form I-485, or “Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status”, is the basic form used in the US adjustment of status application.
- Here are the supporting documents you must submit:
- Copy of the official notice that your lottery registration was selected;
- Copy of your receipt from paying the diversity visa lottery processing fee;
- Copy of passport page with nonimmigrant visa (if applicable);
- Copy of passport page with admission (entry) or parole stamp (if applicable);
- Proof of education. This includes proof of job skills training and proof of at least two years of skilled employment… verified by letters from past employers;
- Copy of birth certificate. It must be noted that if this is in another language, it must be accompanied by a full English translation;
- Marriage certificate (if you are married);
- Copies of divorce and death certificates, if you or your spouse were married before;
- Copy of Form I-94 arrival/departure record for you AND each accompanying relative.
- Two colored US passport-style images of you and each accompanying relative. (Have a professional do these.) REMEMBER TO Write your name and A-number (if any) at the back of each photo.
- Certified copies of court records (if arrested);
- A sealed envelope containing the medical exam report for you and for each accompanying relative (on Form I-693). The report must NOT EXCEED 60 days old when you submit it.
- Attend the adjustment to the status interview. Two or more weeks before the interview, you and your accompanying family will get an appointment notification.
- This is a PERSONAL interview that will take place in a USCIS office near you. It is crucial that you show up for this – as it will either make or break your application for a green card.
And now we’re down to our LAST step of the application process for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.
Step 3: Immigrant Visa Holders Enter the US
This step is usually applied to applicants who applied for an immigrant visa through the US Consulate. Suppose you wish to enter the US using an immigrant visa. In that case, you must secure a sealed ‘visa packet’ that contains documents that you’ll need to present to border officials.
Keep in mind that only a US border official will be able to open it. Furthermore, once you have passed the inspection process at the arrival point, the border official will stamp an “I-551 stamp” or “ADIT” stamp on your passport.
This means that you are now a permanent resident of the United States and are entitled to work inside the US! Please remember that an actual green card will NOT yet be available at the arrival point.
Also, before you can get a green card, you must pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee. The green card will then be mailed to the location you told US Customs and Border Protection upon arrival in the United States.
That concludes the application process for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program! You can call us today if you want to discuss your case or need help with your visa, green card, or citizenship application, and we will let you know if and how we can help.
Until next time! Stay safe, everyone!
