What is the Green Card Lottery?
There are many ways for a foreign individual to apply for a green card or lawful permanent residence status in the United States. One of the many ways to do obtain a green card is through the green card lottery provided by the US. Each year, there are 50,000 to 55,000 green cards issued by the government of the United States. This is made possible by the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program which is more popularly called the green card lottery.
The Green Card Lottery involves a random selection of applicants through a computer-generated draw. When the selection is completed, the selected applicants, together with their spouse, and all unmarried children below 21 years of age qualify to apply for permanent resident status in the country.
The Diversity Visa Lottery Program is open to citizens from a country with low rate of immigration to the United States. It is not open for nationals of countries who have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the US over the last five years. This lottery is held each year and selects around 110,000 applicants. Once selected, these 110,000 chosen applicants must start application immediately because once 50,000 green cards have been issued or if the fiscal year ends, the lottery will closes.
Once you are sent a visa through this green card lottery program, you may be able to live and work permanently in the US. Your spouse and unmarried children below the age of 21 will also be able to study and work permanently in the country.