What is the US Government Green Card Lottery?

The US Government’s Green Card Lottery is a viable way to live and work permanently in the country outside of the usual means. A staggering 22.9 million individuals submitted entries during the DV-2024 registration period that ran from October 5, 2022, to November 8, 2022

However, understanding exactly how the US Government Green Card Lottery works is a different story. Plenty of people apply without fully understanding the process and end result. So, that’s what we hope to address here. By the end, you should have all the information you need to apply for the US Government Green Card Lottery.

US Government Green Card Lottery Defined

First, it is important to mention that the US Government Green Card Lottery is referred to by a variety of different terms, including the Green Card Program, Diversity Lottery, DV Lottery, Visa Lottery, US Visa Lottery, USA Visa Lottery, and US Green Card Lottery. Despite the fact that there are so many different terms for this program, they all mean the same thing.

The US Government Green Card Lottery is simply a process of selecting a number of people to receive Green Cards for the US. Unlike other means of entry, applicants don’t need a job lined up or family ties to an American citizen or Green Card holder. This is why it’s called a lottery – it follows the same process as any other lottery (which we’ll explain below).

The US Government Green Card Lottery is a program created by the United States for the purpose of issuing visas to people from countries that have had fewer than 55,000 immigrants within the previous five years. As such, the list of eligible countries changes for each draw, although there aren’t usually many significant changes.

On the flip side, plenty of countries never end up on the list. For example, places like Canada, Mexico, China, India, Pakistan, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Nigeria, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, and Venezuela. will rarely be eligible because they already have plenty of immigrants entering the United States of America.

The US Government Green Card Lottery is, as implied by its other names, designed to increase diversity. That’s why applications are only offered to people from countries with lower rates of immigration. Offering these services gives more equal opportunities to those who might not meet the traditional eligibility requirements for a Green Card.

US Government Green Card Lottery Process

Eligibility

The first step in the process is determining your eligibility. As mentioned, you must be from a country with fewer than 55,000 immigrants to the US in the previous five years. You can check this on US Green Card Offices qualified country list.

Of course, there are other requirements that aren’t too different from other Green Card applications. For example, applicants must have an educational background of a high school diploma or equivalent or five years of work experience in a given profession. This ensures you can support yourself in the United States if chosen as a winning entrant. You’ll also need to speak and understand English, but that’s probably a given if you’re reading this article.

Application

Providing you meet the requirements, you can begin your application. You can do this for free via the US Government’s website or use a value-added paid service, such as the US Green Card Office. The benefit of using the service is to ensure you don’t make any mistakes on your application form.

The form involves submitting your personal details, photos, and other information. If it’s accepted, you’re then entered into a draw to move to the next stage of the process.

You can only fill out one application for the US Government Green Card Lottery unless you are married. In this case, both you and your spouse can fill out separate applications to increase your chances of being chosen. If you reside in a country that is not eligible to participate in the US Government Green Card Lottery, you can still register for the lottery if you are married to someone who resides in an eligible country.

Draw and Winning

Next is the draw, which is completely random. It’s run by a computer, so there’s no way of gaming the system once it reaches this stage. All you can do is submit a valid application and hope for the best.

There are some determining factors that influence the computer’s draws, but it’s still random. For example, no single country can win more than 3,500 Green Cards as a maximum of 7% of the available Diversity Visas (DVs) can be allocated to nationals of any single country in a given fiscal year. This percentage is applied to the total number of visas available, which is typically around 50,000. Therefore, the maximum number of Diversity Visas that can be issued to nationals of a single country is 3,500 per year.

You’re given a confirmation number that you use to track the status of your registration. You can check your status on the US Government website, or if you have used to pay service, we will keep you updated via email and a phone call from our immigration team if your application is selected.

If you are chosen as a winning entrant for the US Government Green Card Lottery, you will receive a letter that provides a date and time for a green card interview with the American Consulate. Following notification, it will be necessary to get all of the necessary documentation together to start the application process for your visa.

Bear in mind, though, that getting to this stage doesn’t mean you’ll get a Green Card. USCIS draws more than the total number of winning applicants to compensate for people who drop out or don’t qualify.

The interview determines your actual eligibility to enter the US on a Green Card. It’s nothing to worry about and is something all Green Card applicants go through.

If you pass the interview, you’ll be one step closer to getting a Green Card. USCIS will notify you directly, and, if you win, you’ll be able to move to the USA!

Where and how to apply?

You can ONLY apply online, so please apply for the US Government Green Card Lottery today. US Green Card Office provides a value-added service for the submission of applications. While not a necessity, our service ensures your application is accepted. You can benefit from our expertise when filling out your form, getting you one step closer to living in the USA.

Before making your decision, we encourage you to carefully consider whether to opt for our free service or choose the “peace of mind” service offered by the paid professional immigration from the US GREEN CARD OFFICE. To assist you in determining the best solution for your needs, please visit our comprehensive Green Card Lottery Comparison Chart, which details the differences between free and paid services, enabling you to make an informed choice.

Of course, we’re always more than happy to discuss our services in more detail. If you have any questions before moving forward, please reach out via our Support Ticket Portal.

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