{"id":1568,"date":"2019-04-05T10:55:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-05T09:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.usgreencardoffice.com\/?p=1568"},"modified":"2024-04-18T09:44:41","modified_gmt":"2024-04-18T08:44:41","slug":"diversity-immigrant-visa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usgreencardoffice.com\/blog\/diversity-immigrant-visa","title":{"rendered":"The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Live, work or study in The United States with a Diversity Immigrant Visa!
<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Apply Today to get a guaranteed submission in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

All Green Cards are valid for 10 years and renewable for life<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Every year in the Green Card Lottery (Diversity Immigrant Visa Program) between 100,000 and 125,000 applications are selected as winners and up to 50,000 Green Cards (Permanent Residency Visas) are issued to new immigrants from all over the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The United States of America has always believed in its immigrants. After all, this is how the country started, and immigrants form the backbone of many of America\u2019s important industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to research, immigrants who move to the US legally benefit the country in many ways. From boosting America\u2019s economy to unlocking their potential by not letting go of opportunities, immigrants can improve their lives and the lives of their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

America itself takes pride in its nature of celebrating diversity to the full \u2013 this is why it offers multiple chances and opportunities for outsiders by offering green cards, citizenship and, now one of the most unique of its kind. In this blog post, you can read about the next Diversity Visa Program<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n
\n
\"Diversity<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What is the Green Card Lottery?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Green Card Lottery<\/strong> is another alternative name for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program or simply the Diversity Visa Program (DV). Its goal is to provide immigration opportunities to countries with lower volumes of legal migrants to the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eligible countries must have sent fewer than 50,000 people to America in the previous 5 years. As a result, the list changes each year, although there is some consistency to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, you\u2019ll never see countries like Canada or the UK on there, or much of Western Europe. The point is to provide equal opportunities to countries that might not otherwise get a look in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The History of the Diversity Immigrant Visa<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Beginning in 1986, the United States of America started establishing various immigrant visa programs. In these early stages, they were limited in scope and temporary in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The NP-5, the first-ever program that ran from 1987-89, involved limited issuance of visas on a first come first serve basis. Following this, the OP-1, running between 1989-91, welcomed foreigners whose country had the lowest number of immigrants in recent years. Finally, the AA-1, the third program running from 1992-94, was exclusively for those foreigners that had been adversely affected by previous laws of immigration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Diversity Immigrant Visa<\/strong> program was brought to life by The Immigration Act of 1990<\/a>, passed and signed into law by George W. Bush. As mentioned, it enabled the issuance of 50,000 Green Cards through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Lottery) annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The winners are selected randomly through a lottery draw to individuals from countries only with low rates of immigration. The law states that no diversity visas shall be provided for \u201chigh admission\u201d countries, that is, countries from which during the previous five years there were more than 55,000 immigrants in the Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based visa categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A further requirement of the lottery is that no country can receive more than 7% of winning visas. Again, this is to keep everything as fair as possible for those applying.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"George<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Diversity Immigrant Visa in the Modern Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Over the following 2 decades, very little changed in how the Diversity Visa Lottery worked. Its control bounced around different departments based on immigration reform, but this didn\u2019t have much impact on the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in 2020, Donald Trump suspended the Diversity Visa Lottery, along with other types of US immigration. It was his goal to reduce immigration, and the Covid-19 pandemic was a good excuse for this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, President Biden lifted this ban in 2021 and even has plans to increase access to green cards<\/a>. The US Citizenship Act will increase the cap, mainly to clear the backlog. Even so, it\u2019s a positive step for immigration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Diversity Immigrant Visa Requirements for Eligibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Although the list of eligible countries changes each year, the other requirements are fairly simple. You can check a list of countries currently eligible here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other than that, you must have a valid passport from your home country, and either:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. At least 12 years of formal education (the equivalent to an American high school diploma); or<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. At least 2 years of work experience in a job that required 2 years of training. This must be within the last 5 years.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    You don\u2019t have to be an English speaker or have family currently living in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Further, your family can come with you, as can your pets if they\u2019re allowed in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/div>\n\n\n\n
    Applying for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery
    <\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Although there aren\u2019t many eligibility requirements, you must still go through an application process. This involves filling in forms and submitting evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    However, many applicants get something relatively simple wrong (such as incorrect photos). It means that up to 65% of applications get rejected<\/a> before consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Of course, it\u2019s not something you\u2019d necessarily know how to do if you\u2019ve never filled in a visa application before. A more secure option is to apply through a registered application agency, particularly one that specializes in green card lottery services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Providing your application is successful, you\u2019ll then have to attend the diversity visa interview<\/a> at your local US consulate or embassy. Luckily, these aren\u2019t too complicated and it\u2019s pretty easy to prepare for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Each year\u2019s application has an opening and a closing date, although this changes. Sometime after the closing date, the winners are announced. If you\u2019re one of the lucky ones, you can begin your journey to the USA!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Also, an application agency may help you move to the US, as organizing this can be incredibly stressful. We at the US Green Card Office provide just such a service as part of your application package with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/div>\n\n\n\n
    The Purpose of the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cGive me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    These words written on the Statue Of Liberty greatly reflect the sentiments of the diversity visa program. As the name suggests, it is held to celebrate diversity for what America is famous for, by giving chances to outsiders to live in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Immigrants shaped the present and the future of America by bringing together their culture and values, and this is the reason why America believes in keeping this title of being the most diverse country in the world intact by opening its route through the Diversity Immigrant Visa program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/div>\n\n\n\n
    How Can we Help you with a Diversity Immigrant Visa?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n