The Immigrant Magazine. Resources for Immigrans in America.

Immigration Issues

The 2008 DV Lottery

The annual Diversity Immigrant Visa program also known as the greencard lottery is here. The greencard lottery is an annual program that gives greencard to winners who are selected through a computer generated random lottery drawing. Each year a maximum of55,000 greencards may be granted under this program. The registration period runs from October 4, 2006 through December 3, 2006 (noon, eastern standard time). All applications must be submitted online electronically at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/

There is no fee associated with applying with the greencard lottery. If you pay someone to help you to apply, it does not increase your chances of winning.

People from the following countries are ineligible to apply: Brazil, Canada, China (mainland), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, Vietnam.

There are two basic requirements. You must be a native of a qualifying country. In simple terms, you are a native of the country you were born in. Alternative ways of qualifying if you are from a non-qualifying country is if your spouse was born in a qualifying country, you may claim his/her country of birth. Another way of qualifying is if you were born in a non-qualifying country but neither of your parents was born there or neither of your parents resided there at the time of your birth, then you may claim the country of your parents' country of birth.

The second requirement is education or work experience. You must EITHER have a high school education or equivalent. High school equivalent is defined as successful completion of a 12 year course of elementary and secondary education OR you must have two years of work experience within the past 5 years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training of experience to perform.

You must only submit one application. If more than one application is submitted, your entry will be disqualified. You and your spouse, however, may each submit one application. Once your entry is successfully registered, the computer will display a confirmation screen that you can print out. All submissions must be done electronically. No paper entries will be accepted.

You must submit a recent individual photograph electronically with the application. You must submit a picture of yourself, your spouse, and each unmarried child under 21 years of age. It is important to note that you MUST include a picture of all of your children including natural children, adopted children, step children - even if you do not intend for this child to immigrate with you. Instructions for photo specifications and submitting the digital photograph online are included at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov if you have adopted children, you must include them in the application or they will not be allowed to immigrate with you if you win. You may also find that your own application is denied since you failed to disclose your adopted child.

There will be a random computer drawing. All winners will be notified by mail between May and July 2007. Only winners are notified. If you did not win, you will not be notified so make sure that the address you put on the application is correct. The winners will be issued their greencard between October 1, 2007 and September 30, 2008. If you win and you, your spouse and children do not complete your greencard process by midnight September 30, 2008, you will not get a greencard. There are no exceptions.

Many people believe that if they win the greencard lottery, they will automatically get the greencard. If you are overseas, you may process your greencard with the US Consulate/Embassy in your hometown. If you are in the United States and you win the greencard lottery, you may apply for the greencard if you are in legal status. If you are out of status or have worked without authorization, you will not be eligible to get your greencard in the United States even if you win the lottery. If you win the greencard lottery, you are subject to all the grounds of inadmissibility including showing that you will not become a public charge and that you have sufficient income or ability to support your family. If you are selected as a winner and you get married after you apply or have a child after you apply, your after acquired spouse and child will be allowed to immigrate with you.

Due to the time constraints to get the greencard before midnight of September 30, 2008, once you are notified that you have won, you must take prompt action to apply for your greencard.