Top Five Green Card Lottery Tips

Checking Status

After you have registered for the Green Card Lottery you will be presented with a confirmation number by the Department of State. The number will appear as a page in your browser. This number is very important as it identifies you as a registrant.

In spring, specifically on May 1 of the year following your registration in the Green Card Lottery you may then log onto the Department of State’s website to check if you have won the lottery. If you have won, you will then proceed to the next stage: the visa application process.

When to Apply for a Visa

Generally, in the United States immigration system, immigrants are to file for petition before applying for a visa to the US. The petition is effectively a document which asks the government for permission for an immigrant to come to the US. However, the Green Card Lottery effectively skips this step and you will have permission to apply for a visa as soon as you win the lottery.

After you have won the Green Card Lottery you can apply for your visa as soon as your receive the application package from the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC).

Application Photographs

The photographs required for the application package for the Green Card Lottery are very specific and insist upon parameters very strictly. Photographs must be of a certain size, color, pixel density and even dictates how you should face the camera.

The best way to have these photographs taken is by a professional photographer who is used to taking passport photographs.

Application Requirements

There are really only two application requirements for registration in the Green Card Lottery, but it is important to gather documents that show that you meet these requirements for when you have to apply for the visa itself.

For the country-of-origin requirement you will need to produce some sort of documentation that shows your affiliation with a particular country. This could be a passport, a birth certificate or some sort of immigration residency document.

To prove that you meet the required education requirements you should be able to produce a diploma or degree. If you meet the work exception you should be able to show (through time cards or paystubs) that you trained for two years and have had at least two years of experience in your field.

Preparing for a Visa Interview

There are perhaps two major tips to keep in mind when going to your visa interview:

  • Dress for Success. Imagine your application for an interview is like a job interview for a position that you really want. You want to appear professional and interested in becoming a Permanent Resident of the United States.
  • Bring Important Documents. Many of the documents you will use in your application will simply be photocopies, but when you attend the actual interview you should bring the documents with you in their original forms.

Prepared with this knowledge you’re only that much closer to becoming a Permanent Resident of the United States.