FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE US GREEN CARD LOTTERY
1. WHY DO NATIVES OF CERTAIN COUNTRIES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE GREEN CARD LOTTERY PROGRAM?
Diversity Green Card Lottery Visas are intended
to provide an immigration opportunity for persons from countries other than
the countries which send large numbers of immigrants to the U.S. The law states
that no diversity visas shall be provided for natives of "high admission"
countries. The law defines this to mean countries from which a total of 50,000
persons in the Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based visa categories immigrated
to the United States during the previous five years.
2. WHAT IS THE NUMERICAL LIMIT FOR GREENCARD LOTTERY DV-2010?
By law, the U.S. diversity
immigration program makes available a maximum of 55,000 permanent residence
visas each year to eligible persons. However, the Nicaraguan Adjustment and
Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulates
that beginning as early as DV-99, and for as long as necessary, 5,000 of the
55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under
the NACARA program.
3 . WHAT ARE THE REGIONAL DIVERSITY VISA (GREEN CARD LOTTERY) LIMITS FOR DV-2010?
The Bureau of Citizenship
and Immigration Services (BCIS) determines the DV regional limits for each
year according to a formula specified in Section 203(c) of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (INA).
4. WHEN WILL ENTRIES FOR THE DV-2010 GREEN CARD LOTTERY PROGRAM BE ACCEPTED?
The DV-2010 green card lottery entry period
will begin on Saturday, November 1, 2003 and will last for 60 days through
Tuesday, December 30, 2003. Each year millions apply for the program during
the registration period.
5. MAY PERSONS WHO ARE IN THE U.S. APPLY FOR THE GREEN CARD PROGRAM?
Yes, an applicant may
be in the U.S. or in another country, and the entry may be submitted from
the U.S. or from abroad.
6. IS EACH APPLICANT LIMITED TO ONLY ONE ENTRY DURING THE ANNUAL GREEN CARD LOTTERY REGISTRATION PERIOD?
Yes, the law allows only
one entry by or for each person during each registration period; applicants
for whom more than one entry is submitted will be disqualified. The
Department of State will employ sophisticated technology and other means to
identify individuals that submit multiple entries during the registration
period.
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