| Q: |
What
is the Diversity Visa Program? |
| A: |
The Diversity Visa Program,
known as the "GREEN CARD LOTTERY" was enacted by the United
States Congress in 1965. The new current program allocates a specified
number of visas, "Green Cards," to applicants from certain countries
around the world. The selected applicants will be chosen in a random drawing
or "lottery" conducted by the U.S. State Department.
|
| Q: |
How
does the Green Card lottery work? |
| A: |
To obtain
a Green Card, an entry must be prepared and submitted to the U.S. State
Department. The entry must be formatted in compliance with strict rules
established by the State Department. The U.S. State Department will then
select the "winners" by a drawing or "lottery." Winners
will be notified by mail. Winners will then receive several forms to be
filled out and have a brief interview at the nearest United States Embassy
to receive their Green Cards. Winners residing in the United States may
be able to receive their Green Cards without leaving the United States.
|
| Q: |
What
rights does a Green Card offer? |
| A: |
A Green Card
gives a person the legal right to live and work permanently in the
United States and to enter and leave the country freely. You may even work
in many government jobs that are available. Green Card holders also receive
health, education, and other rights, and they can sponsor relatives for
Green Cards.
The Green Card does not affect present
citizenship. A Green Card holder may later apply for United States citizenship,
if desired.
|
| Q: |
Do
I qualify to enter? |
| A: |
You qualify
to enter if you (or your husband or wife) were born in one of the selected
lottery countries.
|
| Q: |
Which
are the selected lottery countries? |
| A: |
The selected
lottery countries include every country in the world EXCEPT the
following: Canada, China, Columbia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, India,
Jamaica, Korea, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and
Vietnam. If you (or your husband or wife) were born in any country except
those, you can legally apply to be in the Green Card lottery (Northern
Ireland is treated as a separate country and is eligible.)
|
| A: |
Are
there any other requirements? |
| A: |
You must
be twenty-one (21) years old. You can enter wherever you are living - even
in the United States. You must have at least a U.S. high school diploma
(or your country’s equivalent) or two years work experience in certain
jobs. You do not have to speak or write English. You do not need to have
relatives living in the United States. You do not have to have a particular
amount of money or a job waiting. You need only qualify as an "immigrant,"
which means you may not be a criminal, cannot be mentally disturbed, must
be able to work or support yourself, and not 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 petitions.
Entering the Green Card lottery does not affect current or past petitions.
|
| Q: |
When
do I register? |
| A: |
There will be a brief
registration period. The exact date has not been announced. Entries not
received in time will be disqualified. In the last lottery, the deadline
was advanced and announced without warning! We can expect the same
this year. Because of the short deadline and the lack of notice from the
U.S. State Department, early processing with National Visa Service will
guarantee timely submission. We strongly recommend that all prospective
entrants submit their applications as soon as possible.
|
| Q: |
How about my family? |
| A: |
When you receive a Green
Card through the lottery, your husband or wife and unmarried children under
twenty-one (21) years of age will also receive Green Cards at the same
time with all the existing rights set forth.
|
| Q: |
How
do I enter? |
| A: |
To receive a Green Card,
the applicant must provide the following:
- Written application form
- Required processing fee
- Passport photograph(s)
- Signature(s)
You may fill out the on-line application
now and submit it electronically or print the form and mail it. Answer
the questions to the best of your knowledge, choose source of payment and
sign the form where shown. Return the completed application, processing
fee and passport photograph(s) as soon as possible. Upon receipt, National
Visa Service will:
- Send you a confirmation receipt
- Prepare, process, and file your application
at the appropriate time
- Notifiy winners by Express Mail
- Keep a copy of your application for
future reference.
- Provide telephone, fax and e-mail
support for your questions.
- Notify you of any important changes
in the program
- We also protect your privacy!
|
| Q: |
What
is the fee for registration? |
| |
The U.S. State Department
does not have a fee for Visa Lottery participation. You can send your application
on your own during the brief submission period. However, if you want to
ensure timely, accurate submissions by using National Visa Service, we
charge a nominal fee to cover administrative expenses. In past years, approximately
one-third of all entries submitted by persons on their own were disqualified
for minor rule violations. We guarantee your application will be entered
correctly.
The fee is only $100 for one person
and/or for spouse and children under 21 years of age. You must
be twenty-one (21) years of age or older to file as a single applicant.
There is no charge for unmarried children under twenty-one (21) years of
age when filing as a family. The required filing fee covers all handling
and expense of preparing, processing, and mailing your application to the
U.S. State Department.
You can pay by U.S. Currency, Foreign
Currency (same value), International Money Order, U.S. Money Order, International
Draft, Travel’s Check, Check drawn on U.S. Bank or Credit Card: Visa, Mastercard
and American Express.
These materials have been officially
inspected and reviewed for use by the:
- U.S. Postal Service
- U.S. State Department
- U.S. Department of Justice
Because DV-98
is a lottery program, we cannot guarantee that you will be picked as a
winner. However, we use our experience and knowledge to give you the best
possible opportunity to win. We carefully satisfy the many legal and technical
requirements. The slightest mistake can disqualify your entry. We make
sure your entry is done right!
We are very
successful at what we do. Let us be successful for you.
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