The Diversity Visa is an annual immigration program which allows people from countries that usually do not supply immigrants to the United States the chance to immigrate.
This program is often called the Green Card Lottery and there are many different rules that should be paid attention to when applying to make sure that applicants have the best chance at winning the lottery.
The Green Card Lottery from 2012 is called DV-2014 (the name of the lottery contains the year in which the green cards will be issued instead of the year in which the registration period or the lottery drawing takes place). The lottery registration period for the year 2013 is called DV-2015.
Rule #1
You must have applied in October or November in 2012 in order to be in the running for the 2014 Green Card Lottery. The registration period for the Diversity Visa is a very important part of entry into the program and late registration is not accepted.
Rule #2
You must be eligible to enter into the Green Card Lottery. There are two general eligibility requirements for entry into the program:
- Applicants must have either a high school education (or its regional equivalent, provided it meets the United States’ standards) or two years of training in a profession that they have worked for at least two years.
- Applicants must be from one of the eligible countries for the Green Card Lottery. The list of ineligible countries in the 2014 lottery can be found on the official Diversity Visa website. If an applicant is from an ineligible country they can claim the country-of-origin of one of their parents or their spouse on their registration application.
Rule #3
Applicants must be 18 years old or older when they register for the lottery. However, dependents of registrants do not necessarily have to be 18 years old.
Rule #4
Registrants must retain their confirmation numbers which they receive at the end of online registration. Without this number there is no way to tell whether or not they have won.
Rule #5
Potential immigrants must apply for the lottery online. Mail-in applications are no longer accepted by the US State Department.
Rule #6
All of the dependents of an applicant must be listed on the registration form. Even if these people will not be immigrating with the principal applicant, they must be listed. Dependents include children and the principal applicant’s spouse. Parents are not considered to be dependents on this form.
Rule #7
Applicants must be extremely careful to file their registration correctly.
- All information on the application must be correct and true,
- Photographs must conform to the Department of State’s requirements, and
- Applicants cannot file more than one registration application.
The registration application will be rejected if any of the above sub-rules are not followed.
Rule #8
In order to immigrate, winners of the Green Card Lottery must be able to meet the same rigor and requirements demanded of all other immigrant classifications. This includes passing a criminal background check and a health screening. Only after they have successfully completed this process will they be granted green cards.