US Visa Lottery
Facts You Should Know About the US Visa Lottery
Searching for the US Visa Lottery also known as the green card lottery will turn up an almost unhelpful amount of information. Knowing what is accurate and legitimate can be difficult, particularly if you’re completely new to the subject.
Avoiding scams is, of course, vital, but so is getting the most value for your money from a legitimate source.
So, to help you out, here are some important facts about the US Visa Lottery that’ll allow you to make an informed decision.
Understanding the US Visa Lottery
We talk extensively elsewhere about what the US Visa Lottery actually is, so we won’t bother doing that much here. Instead, we’ll look at factors that will impact your decision about whether to apply and how to do so.
Know Your Eligibility
The obvious place to start is with eligibility. Unlike other Green Card applications, you don’t need a job lined up in the US or an American-based sponsor. You’ll need to check that your country of birth is on the US Visa Lottery qualifying country list, though. It changes each year, so ensure you’re using the current list.
As with other Green Card applications, you’ll still need proof of financial stability and personal information. So, make sure you have this information to hand before you even decide to apply.
The biggest difference between the US Visa Lottery and other Green Card applications is that you don’t need a sponsor. However, there are still plenty of eligibility requirements and you’ll still need to be vetted. Make sure you educate yourself on the whole process before applying.
Submit Only One Application
Regardless of what you may have heard, submitting more than one application for the US Visa Lottery will not increase your chances of winning. Instead, submitting more than one application will get you disqualified, and then you will have to wait another year to apply. The only exception to this rule is if you are married, as you and your spouse are allowed to submit one application each.
This is the case regardless of whether you choose to use more than one submission service. USCIS will eventually find out that you’ve submitted more than one application, so it’s really not worth it.
Also, even if you and your spouse submit separate applications, you’ll both be eligible for entry if one of you wins. If you have any children (dependents), they’ll be able to come with you, too.
Keep Your Personal Documents in a Safe Place
Keep all of your personal documents in a safe place and avoid submitting them to any business you do not trust. There are many websites and professionals who will offer to help you apply for the US Visa Lottery, some of which are untrustworthy. We recommend you look out for green card lottery review sites to avoid being scammed.
Hold onto your documents until you are sure you are dealing with a reputable professional that is sincerely interested in helping you apply for the US Visa Lottery. Many people who appear to have good intentions will ask for copies of your personal information and then use it to commit identity theft or sell it on the black market online.
Determining a trustworthy source is a matter of good judgment. There are some markers to look out for, such as the quality of the website or the price of submission. If you’re still in doubt about a service, consider reading some testimonials from previous Green Card Applicants.
You could always apply using the free service through the US Government, but this does carry a higher risk of making a mistake on your application as the US government does not provide any support and does not pre-evaluate your application before you submit your application.
Any mistake made using the free service and your application will be immediately disqualified and deleted. In that case, you would have to wait another year to attempt again.
Selection is Random
Selection for the US Visa Lottery is strictly random. Once you submit your application, it’s in the hands of the computer program the US government uses to perform random selections. Be careful of the scammers that will tell you they can guarantee you are chosen and then charge you exorbitant fees to process your application. No one can guarantee that your application is selected however if you use a paid immigration service to handle your application your chance of being selected will increase because you can avoid being disqualified.
Being selected doesn’t mean you’ll win, either. The computer draws approximately 125,000 applicants on the basis that some will drop out or remove their entry. Still there are only a total of 55,000 Green cards available each year and they are allocated on a first come first serve basis. If you decide the use the free service the only way to know if you’ve won is to enter your confirmation number on the US Visa Lottery entrant status check website to check your Green Card winner status.
Many applicants forget to check their status each year and lose their chance even if they are selected. This is just another reason to use the paid professional immigration service as you would not need to check if you are selected yourself because when using the paid service you will be contacted directly as soon as there is good news about your Diversity Visa Application.
Also, bear in mind that the acceptance of your submission doesn’t mean you’ll win. It simply means your application will make it to the selection stage. This is another scam to watch out for, as some services will say they can guarantee the whole process, which isn’t true.
Completing Your Application
Providing your application is chosen, you’ll still need to finish the process by submitting the DS-260 online form to obtain a Visa interview date at the American embassy. It is extremely important you are well prepared for the Visa interview otherwise you might not be granted a Visa at the American embassy. If you have used the paid professional service immigration officers will guide you through the visa interview before the interview meeting. I will give you peace of mind and give you the best chance of passing the Visa Interview.
Again, getting to this stage doesn’t mean you’ll get a Green Card. It’s why the US Visa Lottery selects more than 55,000 applications. Work on the basis that you won’t have “won” the US Visa Lottery until you actually have a Green Card in your hand and you’re on the way to the USA.
Choosing the Right Service
Most of the Diversity Visa Lottery websites are legitimate, as they are looking to sincerely help people apply for the US Visa Lottery. You will need to review the site and educate yourself on the scams before you decide to work with one of these websites.
Finally, make sure you or a qualified professional fully understands the rules for applying for the US Visa Lottery. This will ensure your application is not rejected, causing you to wait for the next lottery the following year.
We advise you to apply online directly on our website www.usgreencardoffice.com and we will make sure your application is submitted in time before the next lottery deadline.
If you’re still dought about using the free or paid service then please look at by Diversity Visa comparison chart that will give you a clear view of the difference between the two options.
