Question: What Is Diversity Visa?

• A diversity visa is an immigrant visa that you receive after you have “won” the diversity visa lottery, applied for a visa, and been approved. This lottery system gives 50,000 visas to people from countries that have sent the fewest immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years. Not everyone who is drawn in the lottery will receive a visa.

How does diversity visa work?

What is the Diversity Visa lottery? Each year, the Diversity Visa program allows 50,000 randomly selected people—only from countries that don’t send many immigrants to the United States—to obtain permanent residency (commonly called a “green card”).

What countries qualify for Diversity Visa?

Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.

What are the chances of winning the Diversity Visa Lottery?

Each world region receives a certain number of Green Cards. The average chance of winning a Green Card with The American Dream is about 1:25 to 1:75, depending on the region and year (for Europeans recently around 1:45).

How long is a diversity visa valid?

A diversity visa is usually valid for up to six months from the date of issuance unless your medical examination expires sooner, which may make your visa valid for less than six months.

Is Diversity Visa suspended?

Congress allocates only around 50,000 of them in an ordinary year, and many more apply across the globe. The State Department had issued only about 12,000 diversity visas in 2020 before Trump suspended the program in April. That means visas from September, including ours, will expire before the Trump suspension ends.

How many green cards are issued per year?

Since the employment‐​based system has a cap of 140,000 green cards per year, this means that every year there are about twice as many petitions being filed for green cards for immigrants as there are green cards being issued to them.

How much is the diversity visa fee?

Before the interview, each applicant must pay the Diversity Visa fee. For DV-2020 applicants the fee is $330 per person. This fee is nonrefundable, whether a visa is issued or not.

Why is Nigeria not eligible for visa lottery?

It would have happened anyway it seems. Nigeria has been excluded because over 50,000 Nigerians have been issued green cards over the last five years. If a country exceeds this number then you are excluded from the Green Card Lottery. Please note that for those who are eligible the Green Card Lottery is currently open.

When can I apply for Diversity Visa 2022?

The online registration period for the DV – 2022 Program began on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and will conclude on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5).

How can I increase my chances of winning the green card lottery?

The best way to increase your family’s chances of success is to have all eligible family members register for the lottery. For details on who meets the country, educational, and other eligibility requirements, see Winning a Green Card Through the Visa Lottery.

How do I apply for the Diversity Visa Lottery?

Diversity Visa Program

1. Submit an Entry.
2. Selection of Applicants.
3. If You Are Selected.
4. Confirm Your Qualifications.
5. Submit Your Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application.
6. Submit Supporting Documents.
7. Interview.
8. Prepare for the Interview.

How many times can you apply for green card lottery?

Yes, you are allowed to participate in the Green Card Lottery every year until you win. Be aware that you have to re- apply every year with a new application because the US authorities do not save old applications.

How do I know my visa is approved?

Check the Status of Your Visa You can check the status of your application any time at this website: https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx. Please wait at least three business days following your visa interview to check on the status of your application.

Can I stay on green card forever?

A Green Card is Forever Once the 2-year conditional period is up, it’s time to apply for the removal of the conditions since it cannot be renewed like the 10-year green card. Though the 10-year green card can be renewed, there are immense benefits at that point to apply for naturalization.

Is Visa Lottery still on?

A closer look. Registration for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Diversity Visa ( DV ) lottery ends on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at noon EST.