The diversity visa, commonly known as the ‘Green Card Lottery‘, is a document that gives you the right to live and work in the United States legally.
Each year the US government gives out 50,000 visas or green cards to people who win the lottery, which also includes their spouse and children under 21 years of age.
Green cards are assigned through a lottery of its applicants. There are various requirements that one must comply with in order to participate in the draw. The citizens of some countries are excluded from the green card lottery due to the high number of immigrants of the same nationality that have already entered into the United States in recent years.
The applications to participate in the green card lottery and be in with a chance to live and work legally in the US open in October each year (coinciding with the beginning of the american fiscal year). Applications can only be submitted online. The application process is totally free.
The applications to participate in the next green card lottery will be open from October 2014 on the US Department of State website. The results of the draw will be posted in May 2015 and successful applicants will be able to enter the US from the start of 2016.
If you’d like to learn more, read our tips about how to register for the green card lottery.