You may be able to get a green card through the U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Each year the U.S. government gives out 50,000 visas to people, by holding a lottery. People who register for the lottery have a chance to have their application/entry selected by a computer generated random drawing of entries. The lottery is geared towards people who are born in countries with a low number of immigrants to the United States and unfortunately citizens of certain countries may not apply for the lottery. The visa is called a “Diversity Visa”. The time to submit an application/entry for a Diversity Visa is between October 2, 2009 and November 30, 2009. The application/entry may only be submitted through the U.S. Department of State website.
If you are a winner of a Diversity Visa, you will be notified by U.S. mail. To obtain a green card after you are the winner of a Diversity Visa, you must file a Form I-485. You may only file the Form I-485 if a Visa is immediately available, otherwise your application will be rejected. To see if a Visa is immediately available, you must check the current U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin. In addition you must be “admissible” to the U.S. as that word is described in the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. Your spouse and children may also each obtain a Green Card, if a Visa is immediately available for each of them and they are also “admissible”. For more information on obtaining a diversity visa, see the “U.S. Department of State: Entering Diversity Lottery” and “U.S. Department of State: How Do I Participate in the Diversity Lottery Program” by clicking on this link.
© 2009 Naneaster Hall, Esq. 2121 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 413-3234 nfhesq@gmail.com
Updated on 11/06/2009 to move the legal disclaimer to the “Legal” page.
