Winning a Green Card
in the Green Card LotteryEach year, the US authorities give away 55,000 Green Cards, allowing USA fans from all around the world to live and work in America.
Do you qualify for the Green Card Lottery? Find out with just a few clicks in our free Green Card Check!
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What is the Green Card Lottery?
The official name of the Green Card Lottery is "Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program.“ The annual lottery was first held in 1994. Since then, it has enabled 55,000 winners worldwide to receive one of the highly desired immigrant visas every year.
The raffle is one of the best ways to move to the USA for all immigrants who do not qualify for a work-based Green Card or a family-based Green Card, or who do not want to go through the lengthy and expensive bureaucracy of these categories.
Participation with or without agency?
Participation in the annual Green Card Lottery is generally free, and all eligible individuals can register for it on the website of the U.S. Department of State. However, in each lottery, up to 40 % of all participants are disqualified due to formal or deadline errors in their application.
The approval or rejection of applications for the Green Card Lottery is an electronic process, but the disqualified participants are not informed about the decision. Whether or not the application will really end up in the lottery pot remains a mystery.
However, the team of The American Dream guarantees your participation in the official Green Card Lottery. When you apply for a Green Card via The American Dream, your petition is individually reviewed by government-licensed immigration consultants and submitted to the US authorities in due form and time.
With their expert knowledge, the team has already accompanied more than 21,000 Green Card winners on their way to the USA. Take advantage of the uniquely high chance of winning!
Why does the Green Card Lottery exist?
Through the Green Card Lottery, the US government promotes multicultural immigration and ensures the cultural diversity of the United States. Countries that would otherwise have a lower immigration rate can be given preference through this Diversity Visa Program.
Another important point is the image boost for the USA. Even people without particularly high professional qualifications can fulfill their dreams in the USA. Living and working in the United States attracts many. Thanks to the Green Card Lottery, this dream can come true for almost anyone.
Participation requirements for the Green Card Lottery
To be eligible for a Green Card through the lottery, the following requirements must be met:
1. Country of birth
You must be born in a country that is qualified for the Green Card Lottery.
2. Education
The level of education must be at least equivalent to an American high school diploma
Or
2. Work experience
Within the last five years, the applicant must have worked for at least two years in a profession that requires two years of education. However, both educational and professional qualifications must be proven only after winning the Green Card Lottery (not before).
Not sure if you meet the requirements for the Green Card Lottery? Find out with just a few clicks in our free Green Card Check!
Countries allowed to participate in the Green Card Lottery
Some countries are excluded from the Green Card Lottery. The US authorities regularly look at the immigration statistics of the last 5 years to decide which countries are ultimately allowed to participate in the upcoming lottery and which are not.
If more than 50,000 people from the same country have legally immigrated to the US during a specific period, the country will be excluded from the Green Card Lottery until the immigration numbers have dropped again. Thus, the exclusion is not a final decision!
Many immigrants who are already living legally in the US bring their family members to join them in subsequent years. This leads to an increasing proportion of these nationalities and cultures. Therefore, the exclusion principle is not intended to discriminate but rather to ensure a diversified immigration quota.
List of excluded countries
Currently, the following countries are excluded from participating in the Green Card Lottery:
Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
People born in Macau and Taiwan are allowed to participate.
What data is needed for the Green Card Lottery?
In order to successfully participate in the Green Card Lottery, participants must submit the following information:
- Surname, first name
- Date, place, and country of birth
- Address
- Marital status and information about children
- Photo
- Education level
Green Card Winner Statistics
The US government raffles a total of 55,000 Green Cards every while the maximum number of Green Cards attributed to each continent changes from year to year.
With about 20,000 Green Cards each, Europe and Africa have always received the largest share in recent years. The US authorities publish the global winner statistics every year.
When is the Green Card Lottery closing date?
The participation period for the Green Card Lottery is redefined by the US authorities every year. Usually, it starts in October, and it's limited to only a few weeks.
However, if you use the service of The American Dream, you can submit your application all year round. The Green Card experts will make sure that it is sent to the US authorities on time and in the correct form. Disqualification due to mistakes or late submission of the documents is therefore impossible.
The closing date for the current Green Card Lottery is October 20th, 2024!
Participate now!
Green Card Lottery results
After the documents have been submitted to the US authorities, the drawing of the Green Card Lottery winners takes place in May of the following year (The exact date varies.)
Participants must manually check their Green Card results online unless they applied via The American Dream. The Green Card experts always inform their customers in writing about their individual results.