It’s time again for the Department of State’s annual green card lottery which issues 50,000 green cards to persons from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S. This year’s registration  it is open from October 3, 2017 until November 7, 2017.

The requirements are basic but strict and include specific education or work experience requirements, the submission of a digital picture and nationality of a country from a limited list.

Natives of the following countries are NOT eligible to apply, because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan, however, are eligible. If you do not reside in a qualifying country, you may be eligible based on your country of birth, your spouse’s nationality, or your parents’ nationality.

You may apply on your own on the official website of www.dvlottery.state.gov and detailed instructions to the electronic DV Entry Form are available at www.dvlottery.state.gov. The program is highly technical and even the slightest error or minor typo such as the spelling of your name or number error in your birthdate, can result in disqualification. If you like our assistance, please email us at info@fuessel-law.com.

I encourage you to apply early, as in the past, system delays caused by extremely heavy demand in the final days of the registration period have prevented some applicants from registering for the program.

The law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period and the Department of State uses sophisticated technology to detect multiple entries. Individuals with more than one entry will be disqualified.

Selectees are chosen through a randomized computer drawing and starting May 1, 2018, you will be able to check online at www.dvlottery.state.gov by entering your confirmation number to see if you were selected. The Department of State does not send selectee notifications or letters by regular postal mail or by e-mail. It is therefore of utmost importance that you keep a record of your confirmation number.

Please know, entering the lottery is free and it is not necessary to pay any service in order to apply. However, if you are selected as a “winner,” you may want to consider hiring an immigration lawyer to ensure the correct and timely submission of your paperwork, as once your lottery application is drawn, the real application will start and depending on how high or low your winning number, and of course whether you fulfill all the other requirements, your chances of actually getting a Green Card in the fiscal year 2019 will increase. Winning the lottery is only the first step and does not always mean actually getting a Green Card. Please also keep in mind that playing the lottery is not a quick fix for a current immigration needs as the lottery is for Green Cards to be given out for the fiscal year 2019.

Best of luck should you decide you play!