All DV visa lottery entries must be submitted electronically. For more information about how to register for the Green Card Lottery, download the Green Card Application and Information Guide. In 1990 U.S. Congress changed existing immigration law and created a new class of diversity immigrants. The main intention of the lawmakers was to establish a path to legal immigration for citizens of countries which traditionally send small numbers of family immigrants. The Visa Lottery program is administered by the Department of State, takes place every year, and makes 50 000 immigrant visas available.

The annual Diversity Visa Lottery (DV), makes permanent green cards available to all persons meeting the eligibility requirements. Visa lottery takes place every year, and immigrant visas are available to people who are able to meet its requirements. The selection among qualified applicants is done at random by a computer. All green cards are distributed among certain geographic regions - more visas for regions which countries send less immigrants in the past five years. Citizens of countries which send more then 50 000 immigrants to America in the past 5 years are not eligible. The maximum number of visas for a particular country is 7 percent.

Requirements for the green card Lottery.

You have to be a native of a qualifying country, usually the country where you were born. In case you were born in in a country which does not qualify you can use your wife or husband country, if it qualifies, but in those cases both husband and wife have to have their visas issued at the same time and travel to the USA together. You can also claim a parent's country.

Education or training requirement.

An applicant must have a high school education or its equivalent which is usually met be having en education of twelve years (elementary and secondary). Another option is to possess two years of work experience in the last five years in a field that usually requires ether two years of experience or training. The U.S. Department of Labor provides list of those occupations requiring two years of experience.

Selections of Diversity Visa Lottery applicants

Persons who submitted lottery entries will randomly be chosen by a computer and notified by mail with all necessary instructions, on how to follow up and information regarding immigrant visa fees. Only the winners will be notified, but U.S. posts in foreign countries will not provide lists of selected applicants. Husbands and wives of the lottery winners as well as their children who are unmarried and under 21 will also be able to receive immigrant visas providing they meet all of the requirements under the Program. The issuance of immigrant visas occurs within specified time period (each year different dates) and no visas are issued past the deadlines.

No fee is charged to enter the annual Diversity Visa Lottery.

Each visa entry submitted by an applicant or through an agency specializing in entry submissions has en equal chance of winning as the winners are chosen by the computer drawing. Download the Green Card Application and Information Guide for more information about how to submit your own application for the Green Card Lottery.