How The USA Green Card Lottery Works and How To Apply: Navigating The American Dream

Green Card (Credit: Coindesk)

Established in the year 1990 so as to increase the overall diversity of immigrants to the United States through a policy called the Diversity Visa Lottery Program, each and every year, fifty thousand (50,000) Green Cards are usually made available to various prospective immigrants to the United States whereby people enter the drawing and the winners always get the chance to apply for a visa through the United States immigration services in order to be granted a permanent residency and move in to the United States. Not forgetting that winners of the visa lottery can also come along with their spouse and children to live in the United States. Countries that are eligible for the Diversity Visa Lottery Program, cover six geographic regions and priority is always given to areas of the world that have a lower immigration rate.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GREEN CARD LOTTERY PROGRAM

In order to qualify for the Green Card lottery, there are several requirements that one should meet but first and foremost, in order to participate, one must be from an eligible country and this include places where less than fifty five thousand (55,000) people have immigrated to the United States in the past five (5) years.

There are some countries that are NOT eligible for participation in the Diversity Visa Lottery Program and are listed below;

• China

• Mexico

• United Kingdom

• South Korea

• Brazil

• India

• Canada

Additional requirements that applicants must meet in order to qualify for a diversity visa are listed below;

• One must be a high school graduate or have two (2) years of training and two (2) years of work experience.

• One has to fill out supplemental forms for their spouse and any children under twenty one (21) years old if they plan on immigrating to the United States along with you.

• One also has to submit additional documentation to support their application that includes photographs, certificates and personal records.

It should also be noted that there is currently no fee to file a Diversity Visa Lottery application.

TIMELINE FOR THE GREEN CARD LOTTERY

Usually the Green Card Lottery has the same deadlines on its calendar where the application period opens in the month of October and closes in November then afterwards, results are made available in early May and the various winners are always notified by the United States Department of State while those who are not selected do not receive any kind of notification.

Green Cards are always awarded on a first-come first-served basis and the United States Department of State selects more than one hundred thousand (100,000) winners for only fifty five thousand (55,000) actual Green Cards simply because many winners are either not eligible or at times decide not to immigrate after all.

The various winners of the Diversity Visa Lottery receive a rank number that informs them on when they need to submit their visa application and the lower the rank number, the shorter the wait will be. After the applicant submits their application and requisite paperwork, they must for an interview with a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer and once all the requirements are met, one is then authorized to immigrate to the United States usually within two to three (2-3) years of their initial application.

Green Cards must be renewed every ten (10) years in order for one to retain their legal immigration status and one can file an I-90 green card renewal form either online or can complete a paper form. Later on after living legally in the United States for a number of years, one can apply for American Citizenship whereby the process starts with filling form N-400 (the citizenship application) with the United States Immigration Services and after receiving the American Citizenship, one is capable of voting and there is no more renewing of the Green Card anymore.

Summing up, the US Green Card Lottery speaks to a one of a kind road for people around the world to seek after their goals of living and working within the Joined together States. Past the bureaucratic handle lies the guarantee of a brighter future, where differences is celebrated, and dreams are sought after with fervor. Whereas the travel to getting a green card may be arduous, for many, it could be a travel worth setting out on the interest of the American dream in its most genuine shape. So, to all the visionaries out there, may the chances be ever in your favor as you explore the pathways to the arrive of opportunity.