Diversity Lottery Immigrants
Each year the US Department of State administers the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program under Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This is known as the Green Card Lottery. The program stipulates that a maximum of 50,000 immigrant visas be awarded to persons from countries with a comparatively low rate of immigration to the United States. These “Diversity Immigrants” are selected by a computer-generated, random lottery drawing, and are distributed among six geographic regions, namely Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, (excluding Mexico), Oceania, Central America, South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. There is no charge to enter into the lottery.
Requirements :
The Diversity applications are submitted electronically. Failure to follow the exact specifications in its submission, will result in the application’s disqualification, as over 3,000,000 applications found out in the last lottery. Only one application can be submitted per foreign national, and must satisfy the following :
1) Be a foreign national or the spouse of a foreign national from a country that is eligible to participate in the program.
2) Possess a high school diploma or two years of work experience within the past five years, in an occupation that requires at least two years of training.
If chosen, you must respond quickly, as chosen for the diversity immigrant is not an absolute guarantee an immigrant visa will be always available for that lottery year. Green cards will be granted on a first-come first-serve basis.
If you are not in the United States, you can submit your immigrant visa documentation at the U.S. consulate or embassy in your home country. If you are in the United States, you can “adjust status” to obtain your green card by filing with the USCIS. You are also eligible to concurrently file for a work permit, and travel documents while your lawful permanent residence status is being adjudicated.