In order to legally reside in the United States, you need a green card, which is a permit for permanent residency. In some cases, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grants green cards to individuals through the Green Card Lottery.
You may have heard of the “visa lottery” in the United States, but are unsure of what it is or how it works. Below, we discuss what immigrants need to know about this pivotal American program and how an experienced immigration attorney can help.
What Is the Diversity Visa Program?
The Diversity Visa program, also known as the “green card lottery,” is a U.S. government program that was created by the Immigration Act of 1990 to allow entry to immigrants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.
The annual visa lottery makes 55,000 visas available each year to natives of countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. U.S. immigrant visas are divided into five preference categories, and no single country may receive more than seven percent of the available annual visas from each category.
Who Is Eligible For a Diversity Visa?
To participate in the lottery program, foreign nationals must first be eligible to apply. To be considered, applicants must:
- Be a native of a country with low immigration rates to the United States;
- Be a high school graduate or have a GED
- Have completed at least two years in a four-year college or university or at least five years of work experience in an occupation which requires at least two years of training or experience; and
- Be admissible to the United States under specific security and health-related grounds.
The Diversity Visa program, like all of the other U.S. visa programs, is run by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services. This department is responsible for determining who is eligible to apply for a diversity visa and who will be accepted.
How Are Diversity Visas Awarded?
In order to select potential applicants for the program, qualifying applicants will be entered into a lottery and randomly drawn to receive one of the 55,000 green cards for that year. Each applicant has an equal chance of being selected as lottery winners.
Apply For a Green Card With the Help of a Qualified Immigration Lawyer
Eluid Zavala is an experienced immigration attorney who can help you apply for a green card through the Diversity Program or through another visa program. Call today for a consultation by dialing 713-766-6720.