Are you dreaming of a life in the United States? You can make your dreams come true by entering the Green Card Lottery.
Keep reading to learn:
- What countries are eligible?
- How do you successfully apply?
- What is the deadline for this year’s lottery?
The Green Card Lottery is now open!
Enter to win a visa to live in the U.S. in 2021.
What Is the Green Card Lottery?
Each year, thousands of people apply to the U.S. Diversity Visa Program, which is also known as the “DV Lottery” and the “Green Card Lottery.” This system allows immigrants from underrepresented countries to win a chance at becoming residents of the United States.
The lottery begins a full calendar year in advance of an immigrant’s expected entry date. For example, the lottery taking place right now will be selecting winners for 2021.
How Do You Apply to the Green Card Lottery?
It’s free to enter the Green Card Lottery. Applicants must qualify for the program itself and legal entry to the U.S. Those who are eligible to enter the lottery are known as “diversity immigrants.” You can learn more about eligibility requirements below.
Physical forms are no longer allowed. To enter, you must submit your documents and photos online. Submit your application through the U.S. Department of State website.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements for the Green Card Lottery?
To enter the Green Card Lottery, you must be a resident of a country that is currently underrepresented in the United States.
Find the list of eligible countries here (on pages 16-18). Countries with strong representation in the United States, and are therefore not eligible to apply this year, include: Canada, China, Haiti, India, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Korea, and the U.K.
You must also have qualifying education and work experience. For example, winners must possess at least a high school diploma (or its equivalent). For research purposes, you can look up your educational equivalencies with this iGPA Calculator and the free Degree Equivalency Tool.
Otherwise, applicants may demonstrate two years of work experience in a field that takes at least two years of training or experience to enter. Find a complete list of instructions here.
How Many People Can Win a U.S. Green Card for 2021?
The number of potential winners varies year to year, depending on need. From this year’s entries, there will be 55,000 winners selected. You could be among them!
Once qualifying entries have been screened, the winners are selected at random by computer. Applicants can learn about their status by using the DV Entrant Status Check anytime from May 5, 2020, to September 30, 2020.
Tips for Entering the Green Card Lottery
These five important tips will help you successfully enter this year’s DV Lottery:
- Make sure your application is complete.
- Additionally, make sure that completed forms are submitted on-time (see deadline information below). The system will automatically disqualify all incomplete submissions.
- However, you can also be disqualified for submitting multiple applications. Be sure you only submit your forms once.
- Prepare your entry forms by yourself.
- Applicants are highly encouraged to fill out their own forms.
- However, if you do use the help of an immigration attorney, visa consultant, or another third-party agent, make sure that you fill out the form together. This will help you avoid the possibility of any incorrect answers that could disqualify you from receiving your green card.
- Submit a recent photo.
- All photos you submit need to be less than six months old.
- Plus, make sure to follow all digital photography regulations.
- Print your confirmation screen.
- Once you have submitted a completed application, make sure you write down your confirmation number.
- The U.S. State Department also recommends printing a copy of the screen that will appear once your application has been successfully submitted.
- Take note: NEW rule for 2021.
- For this year’s Green Card Lottery, applicants must possess a non-expired passport. You will need to provide your passport information on your application form.
- This requirement only applies to the main applicant. For example, your children do not need to prove that they each have their own non-expired passport at the time of your application.
What Is the Deadline for Entering the Green Card Lottery for 2021?
The deadline to enter the Green Card Lottery is 12 p.m. (EST) on November 5, 2019.
Don’t miss out! Click here to apply for the U.S. Diversity Visa Program (also known as the DV Lottery or Green Card Lottery).
Good luck!
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