Blog · 2024-10-02

What is the US visa lottery?

The US visa lottery, officially the Diversity Visa Lottery (DV), is an annual program run by the US government to draw immigrants from countries with historically low rates of emigration to the United States. Its purpose is to sustain the cultural and ethnic diversity of the country's population. Each year 55,000 visas are awarded, granting winners the right to permanent resident status - a green card.

Who can take part?

The lottery is open to nationals of countries that have sent fewer than 50,000 immigrants to the United States over the preceding years. The list of eligible countries is updated annually, and only residents of those states may apply. In recent years, for example, nationals of countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Armenia have been eligible to enter.

Core eligibility requirements

• Citizenship of an eligible country.
• Education or work experience. Applicants must have at least a high school education or its equivalent. An alternative is qualifying work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience.

How do you apply?

Entering the lottery is free, and applications can only be submitted through the official US Department of State website. Entries are accepted each autumn, typically between October and November.

The application process

• Complete the form. On the website you fill out an application with your personal details: surname, first name, date of birth, country of residence, level of education, and marital status.
• Photograph. A current photograph meeting the requirements is mandatory - a color image against a light background, with no glasses and no headwear (except for religious reasons).
• Save your confirmation. After a successful submission you receive a confirmation number, which you must keep. You will use it to check the results of the draw.

What documents are needed?

No documents are required at the application stage.

When are the results?

Results become available roughly six months after the application window closes. They can only be checked through the official website, using the same confirmation number you received when submitting your entry.

Key points to keep in mind

• Beware of scams. Entering the lottery is free and the entire process runs through the official website. Ignore intermediaries who claim they can improve your odds of winning for a fee.
• One entry per person. Each individual may submit only one application per year. Duplicate entries can lead to disqualification.
• Family members. If one spouse wins the lottery, a visa is also issued to the other spouse and to any children under the age of 21.

The visa lottery is a genuine opportunity for many people to gain permanent residence in the United States. If you meet the conditions, enter - and perhaps yours will be among the winning applications.

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