Green Card Lottery
A so-called Green Card gives foreign nationals permission to live and work in the United States. Every fiscal year, the Department of State allots a maximum of 50,000 diversity visas in the “Green Card Lottery” or “Diversity Lottery,” awarded to those from countries with low immigration rates to America. The idea behind the lottery is to encourage people from those countries to come to America in the interest of diversity.
Who is eligible for the Green Card Lottery?
The list of countries whose citizens are ineligible for the Green Card Lottery changes because it is based on the number of immigrants sent to the United States in the past five years from a given country. In order to be eligible for its citizens to be eligible for the Green Card Lottery, a country must not have sent more than 50,000 immigrants in the previous five years.
As of 2010, citizens of the following countries are ineligible for the Green Card Lottery:
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- Colombia
- Dominican Republic
- Ecaudor
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- India
- Jamaica
- Mexico
- Pakistan
- Phillipines
- Peru
- Poland
- South Korea
- United Kingdom
- Vietnam
Remember, if your country is on the list, that doesn’t mean you can’t apply for a visa; it just means that you are not eligible for the Green Card Lottery.
Are there other requirements to be eligible for the Green Card Lottery?
Yes. Aside from being a native of an eligible country (or the spouse of someone from an eligible country, or the son/daughter of someone from an eligible country if the parent did not reside in an ineligible country at the time of your birth), you must also meet educational/work requirements.
In order to be eligible for the Green Card Lottery, you must have a high school diploma or its equivalent, or alternately, have worked in an occupation that required at least two years’ training for two of the previous five years.
How does the Green Card Lottery work?
The process is actually quite simple for those from a qualifying country. The interested person simply registers online during early October through December; specific dates vary each year, but it is always in this general time frame. A computer program randomly selects individuals who will receive visas based on the lottery, with the only restriction being that no country can receive more than seven percent of the overall diversity visas granted in a year.
If you win, you will be notified, and you should schedule your interview as soon as possible; you must complete the Green Card process by the following September 30th.
Can I apply for another visa at the same time?
Yes. You can apply for an ordinary visa and also be entered in the Green Card Lottery at the same time.
For more complete information on the Green Card Lottery, be sure to check out the U.S. Department of State’s website. As with all visa issues, if you have any questions regarding your specific situation, you are advised to consult with an experienced immigration lawyer in your area.