What Is The Green Card Lottery?
Before jumping to what is the Green Card Lottery, let us know first what a Green Card is. A Green Card is an immigrant visa which allows a person to live, work, and study in the United States legally, as well as to enter and exit the country as he/she wishes. It is a proof that the holder of the card has been granted permanent residence in the US and that he/she could live and work on the US permanently. Health, education, and other rights and benefits are also given to green card holders.
The US Department of State annually administers the Green Card Lottery program. Formally known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program, this allocates 55,000 Green Cards every year to people who qualify in the eligibility requirements. Up to seven percent of the 55,000 Green Cards could be given to a country. The US State Department randomly chooses the winners of the lottery by letting a computer do the draw.
There are certain education or experience requirements from the program and only people who were born in qualified countries would apply and participate in the lottery. People of any age could apply to be part of the lottery but since applicants have to have successfully completed a high school education or have at least two years of working experience, there is an implied rule that only 18 year old and above are qualified to join the lottery.
There are certain countries that are exempted from the lottery which makes their natives not eligible for the Green Card Lottery. These countries are those that have already sent a big number of immigrants to the US, labeling them as “high-admission” countries. These “high-admission” countries are defined by the law as countries that have sent a total of 55,000 persons or more to the United States through immigrating using Family-sponsored or Employment-Based visa categories in a period of five years. Those who were born in countries that do not qualify but would still want to apply for the Green Card Lottery could do so if your spouse was born in a different country from yours and if that country is qualifies. You could claim chargeability but you will not be granted a green card until our spouse is also eligible and was issued a green card. It is also necessary that you are with your spouse as you enter the US and that you enter the country at the same time. But if you were granted a visa, which also means that the rest of your family is also granted, there is no need for you to arrive in the US as family. Anybody could go ahead and the rest could just follow. A minor dependent child could also claim chargeability form the country of birth of his/her parent. It is normal that the applicant’s country of eligibility us similar with the country of birth but it is not related to the country where you are currently residing. Being a native of a country, which is the basis for eligibility, means that you were born in a certain country, not taking into consideration your nationality or country where you currently reside. However, those who are currently located in the US may also be eligible for the Green Card Lottery.
A total of 55,000 visas are made available by the program but the computer would select a number of participants that exceeds the number of allotted visas since there are many selected people who would later on decide to not pursue their visas. But it is also possible that most of the selected applicant would turn up and proceed with obtaining their visas. This would create competition which makes a prompt processing of visa an advantage. Being randomly selected b y the computer doesn’t also translate to an automatic granting of visa.
Only one entry or application is allowed to be submitted by a person during the registration. Excess in the submitted entry would result to disqualification. Sophisticated technology and methodologies enables the State Department to determine if the individual has submitted multiple entries/application during the registration. The Department of State would also permanently keep an electric record of violators. Applicants who are married could submit applications that are separate from their spouse, multiplying their winning chances.
The US Department of State annually administers the Green Card Lottery program. Formally known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program, this allocates 55,000 Green Cards every year to people who qualify in the eligibility requirements. Up to seven percent of the 55,000 Green Cards could be given to a country. The US State Department randomly chooses the winners of the lottery by letting a computer do the draw.
There are certain education or experience requirements from the program and only people who were born in qualified countries would apply and participate in the lottery. People of any age could apply to be part of the lottery but since applicants have to have successfully completed a high school education or have at least two years of working experience, there is an implied rule that only 18 year old and above are qualified to join the lottery.
There are certain countries that are exempted from the lottery which makes their natives not eligible for the Green Card Lottery. These countries are those that have already sent a big number of immigrants to the US, labeling them as “high-admission” countries. These “high-admission” countries are defined by the law as countries that have sent a total of 55,000 persons or more to the United States through immigrating using Family-sponsored or Employment-Based visa categories in a period of five years. Those who were born in countries that do not qualify but would still want to apply for the Green Card Lottery could do so if your spouse was born in a different country from yours and if that country is qualifies. You could claim chargeability but you will not be granted a green card until our spouse is also eligible and was issued a green card. It is also necessary that you are with your spouse as you enter the US and that you enter the country at the same time. But if you were granted a visa, which also means that the rest of your family is also granted, there is no need for you to arrive in the US as family. Anybody could go ahead and the rest could just follow. A minor dependent child could also claim chargeability form the country of birth of his/her parent. It is normal that the applicant’s country of eligibility us similar with the country of birth but it is not related to the country where you are currently residing. Being a native of a country, which is the basis for eligibility, means that you were born in a certain country, not taking into consideration your nationality or country where you currently reside. However, those who are currently located in the US may also be eligible for the Green Card Lottery.
A total of 55,000 visas are made available by the program but the computer would select a number of participants that exceeds the number of allotted visas since there are many selected people who would later on decide to not pursue their visas. But it is also possible that most of the selected applicant would turn up and proceed with obtaining their visas. This would create competition which makes a prompt processing of visa an advantage. Being randomly selected b y the computer doesn’t also translate to an automatic granting of visa.
Only one entry or application is allowed to be submitted by a person during the registration. Excess in the submitted entry would result to disqualification. Sophisticated technology and methodologies enables the State Department to determine if the individual has submitted multiple entries/application during the registration. The Department of State would also permanently keep an electric record of violators. Applicants who are married could submit applications that are separate from their spouse, multiplying their winning chances.
