The Green Card Lottery: If You’re Not In, You Can’t Win

What?

The Diversity Visa Program, also known as the “green card lottery”, is a United States government lottery program for receiving a permanent resident card (“green card”). The lottery provides up to 55,000 green cards to the U.S. each year. 

When?

The registration period opened at noon EDT on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, and runs until noon EDT on Tuesday, November 10, 2020.

Who?

• To apply you must be a native of a country with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S. 
  • You may also qualify based on your spouse’s country or your parents. See here for further details. 
• You must also have at least a high school education or its equivalent OR 2 years of work experience within the past 5 years in an occupation that requires at least 2 years of training or experience to perform. 

Here is a link to some frequently asked questions on eligibility. 

How?

• Entries are only submitted online via the U.S. Department of State website within the registration period at www.dvlottery.state.gov. 
• There is no charge for submitting an entry. 
• Entrants now need a valid, current passport from their country of origin to register. 
• Keep your confirmation number received after submission - it is needed to check entry status later on. 

All information, including eligibility criteria and program instructions for DV-2022, can be found on the U.S. Department of State website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry/diversity-visa-instructions.html 

Warning: 

• The law allows only one entry by, or for, each person during each registration period. The Department of State uses sophisticated technology to detect multiple entries. If you submit more than one entry, you will be disqualified.
• Beware of fraud and scams. Some websites and emails attempt to mislead customers, posing as providers of official U.S. government information.
• The government selects more “winners” than they have green cards available so getting selected does not guarantee that you will get a green card. 3rd parties cannot increase chances of a positive outcome.

Why?

There are limited pathways for people to move to the United States, and increasingly so under this Administration. The green card lottery is an incredible opportunity for those selected. Every year we remind those eligible, and interested in coming to the U.S., to enter the lottery – the registration process is simple and free. 

Official notifications of lottery selections won’t be made until May 2021 so sit tight. And remember, if you’re not in… you can’t win!

Best of luck to all!