^{Frequently Asked Questions and Answers}

The GREEN CARD LOTTERY, also known as the DIVERSITY VISA PROGRAM, allocates 50,000 – 55,000 visas, to applicants from certain eligible countries around the world. The qualifying applications will be chosen in a random drawing or "LOTTERY" conducted by the U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT. The selected applicants will qualify for a so-called "Green Card" after submitting a successful immigration petition. The United States Congress first enacted the program in 1965. [ Tell me more ]

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Firstly an application should be completed. All application forms received that comply with the rules and the specific format required will be filed by the U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT. The "WINNERS" will be selected by a computer drawing or "LOTTERY" and be notified by mail. All winners will then receive the official immigration forms to be completed. An interview at the nearest United States Consulate will be scheduled and the DV Visas will be issued. You will have 6 months from the date of issuance to enter the US to complete the immigration process.  Note that you will be allowed to leave the country after completing the needed immigration procedure at the port of entry.

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A Green Card gives a person the LEGAL RIGHT to:

• LIVE, WORK AND STUDY permanently in the United States.

• Enter and leave the country freely.

• Work at any government institution, public or private jobs that are available.

• Receive health, education and other benefits.

• Sponsor relatives for Green Cards.

• Keep your present citizenship. The Green Card DOES NOT affect your present citizenship. A Green Card holder may at a later stage apply for United States citizenship, if desired.

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You will qualify if :

• You or your spouse was born in one of the selected lottery countries.  Show list of countries that don't qualify.

• You have at least the equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma (12 years of successful schooling) or two years work experience in the past five years that requires two years of training.

• You are 18 years of age or older. (You may participate if you are younger but you would probably not qualify in education or work experience requirements)

• You must be able to work and/or support yourself

• You don't have a criminal record.

• You don’t have AIDS or TB.

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The selected lottery countries include most of the countries in the world. The only countries that do not qualify are those who had more that 50 000 immigrants to the USA in the past 5 years.   [ show the list of countries that don't qualify ]

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• You don't have to speak or write English.
• You don't need to have relatives living in the United States.
• You don't need a certain amount of money or a job waiting.
• You cannot be a criminal nor have a criminal record.
• You cannot be mentally disturbed.
• You cannot be a threat to the United States national interest.
• You can enter the Green Card Lottery even if you have petitions pending, such as a relative or employer’s petition. Entering the Green Card lottery does not affect current or past petitions.

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The registration period is determined by the US State Department and has recently been extended until December 30. You will need to register before then if you decide to use USGC Services to enter your application. We strongly recommend that all prospective applicants file as soon as possible.

Although the window period was extended to the end of December, both online and written applications must still be processed and should reach us not later that November 20 for written applications and December 20 for online applications. Late entries will not be processed for the current DV drawing, but will be submitted in the next annual drawing the following year. Entries usually received before August will be considered early entry unless stated differently in the Costs area. These "early entries" will receive a discount on the normal processing fee as described under Costs.

A discounted rate when paying with a MoneyGram also applies as per the information provided at Costs.

Double entries are not allowed and such applicants will be disqualified. You can only submit one application per lottery.

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Everyone in your family, your spouse and unmarried children under 21, will automatically qualify and receive a Green Card. However, you have to include all the children as described below.

INCLUDE: Children to include are all natural children as well as all legally-adopted and stepchildren who are unmarried and under the age of 21, except for a child who is already a U.S. citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident. 

Even if a child no longer resides with the applicant, then he/she must be included on the entry (if they are unmarried and under the age of 21). Even if a child describe above will not immigrate with you, he/she should still be included.

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To enter the Green Card lottery, the following information  must be provided:

• Name,  Middle Names, Last Name and the date and place of birth of:

  • the applicant,

  • the applicant’s spouse if married,

  • all unmarried children, as well as all legally-adopted and stepchildren under 21 as specified above.

• The applicant's native country [View more information about nativity]

• Required processing fee

• Signed application form (Signing the application  is no longer required by the State Department)

• Photograph's:

  • Applicants can now upload digital photographs after completing an online application.

  • If you cannot submit a digital photograph, send a passport photograph of size 50mm x 50mm each person on the application to USGC Services address below. Note that it must be a recent photographs of the applicant, the applicant’s spouse, and all children on the application. Also write the name and date of birth of each person on the back of their photograph. Failure to submit photographs for all family members will result in disqualification.

  • Applicant, spouse, or child must be directly facing the camera; the head of the person being photographed should not be tilted up, down or to the side, and should cover about 50% of the area of the photograph.

  • The photograph should be taken with the person being photographed in front of a neutral, light-colored background. Photos taken with very dark or patterned, busy backgrounds will not be accepted.

  • Photos in which the face of the person being photographed is not in focus will not be accepted.

  • Photos in which the person being photographed is wearing a hat or glasses with dark lens or in which the face is obscured in any way will not be accepted.

  • Photos may be either color or black and white.

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The fee changes according to when you apply. Fees are approximately:

To verify dates and the latest changes with regards to costs, click here.

The required filing fee covers all handling and expense for preparing, processing, and filing your DV application with the U.S. State Department.

Payment may be made online by VISA or MasterCard or international money order.  If you prefer another method of payment please email us with your request.

Because the Diversity Visa program is a lottery program, US Green Card Services cannot guarantee that you will be picked as a winner.

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The State Department released new rules in August of 2003 allowing the submission of online applications and digital photographs. Furthermore, applicant no longer have to sign their application at this stage in the process.

The U.S. State Department does not have a fee to enter the Diversity Visa Lottery. You can submit your application on your own during the brief submission period from the State Departments website. However, in the past many applicants applying on their own have been disqualified because their application didn't meet the requirements. This might have been due to:

• Insufficient information and photograph,

• Incorrect information,

• Incorrect photographs and picture quality,

• Applications arrive before or after the submission period, (no longer possible)

• Are not completed correctly.

• Allowing you to submit your application to our office throughout the year and we will then submit it during the submission period. The receipt received from the State Department confirming receipt of your application will be sent to you via email where provided. 
• We will accept and validate non-digital photographs are contact you should it not fulfill in all the State Department's requirements.
• We will turn passport photographs into digital photographs.
• We will downscale digital photographs to the required size.
• We will contact you if your application is incomplete e.g. missing children's photographs etc..
• If you are selected as a winner, you information will first be sent to our office in the US. We will then make copies of all the documentation and contact you either by email, telephone or mail to inform you of your winning status and will send your winning package to you ASAP.
• As we have firsthand experience being a previous winning and having gone through the immigration process, we will guide you through any of the procedures and questions you might have regarding the process. 

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See also: Terms and Conditions before continuing.

Contact us: info@usaza.com

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