The current lottery is the 2022 Green Card lottery. Please note that there is a difference between the name of the lottery and the year in which it is held. For example, the current lottery (2022) is called DV-2024. That is because the last date by which winners must receive their Green Cards is the end of Fiscal Year 2024. In the same way, the 2021 lottery was called DV-2023 and the 2023 lottery will be called DV-2025.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The US Green Card Lottery Program, also known as DV Lottery program, is a chance for people from all over the world to become permanent legal residents of the United States of America, meaning that they can live. work and study in the United States as any other US resident. The program grants 50,000 ‘Green Cards’ EACH YEAR to potential immigrants who apply. Winners are chosen by a computer-generated random lottery.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
This program is an official State Department program, which grants ‘Green Cards’ to people who meet the simple, but strict, eligibility requirements. Applicants for Diversity Visas are chosen by a computer-generated random lottery drawing. The U.S. government makes available 50,000 permanent residence visas each year for the program. In order to be eligible for the program, individuals worldwide must fulfill the two basic entry requirements. In order for the draw to be as fair as possible, the visas are distributed among six geographic regions with a greater number of visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration. Furthermore, no visas are granted to natives of countries from which more than 50,000 natives immigrated to the U.S during the past five years. Within each region, natives of no one country can receive above seven percent of the total available Diversity Visas in any one year.
AN OFFICIAL PROGRAM BY US CONGRESS
Established by the 1996 Immigration Act in order to provide an immigration opportunity to natives from countries other than the main source of immigration to the U.S.A, the Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery is an official U.S. government program. The program aims to diversify the American population by creating an immigration opportunity to under-represented ethnic groups.
WHAT IS A GREEN CARD AND WHAT CAN I DO WITH IT?
A Green Card is a permanent residence visa that allows a person to legally LIVE, WORK AND STUDY permanently in the United States. It also allows that person to enter and leave the country freely, as any other United States citizen. In fact, Green Card holders can even work in any government, public and private job that is available. In most cases, a permanent residence visa is good for life. Green Card holders are also eligible to receive health, education, retirement, taxation, social security and other social benefits. It is important to note that the Green Card DOES NOT affect your current citizenship and it is possible to hold a Green Card along with other citizenship documents of your home country. After receiving a Green Card, its holder can apply for United States Citizenship.