US Green Card Lottery – Everything You Need To Know

Here’s everything you need to know about the US Green Card Lottery. This article will explain the timeline, cost, eligibility requirements, and how to apply for the green card lottery. The US green card lottery, also known as the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery, is a programme designed to provide a chance for individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States to apply for an opportunity to obtain a green card, which grants permanent residency in the United States. Every year, the Green Card Lottery enables 55,000 people worldwide to permanently live and work in the United States.

The green card allows winners to live and work permanently in the United States, as well as free travel in and out of the country. They also have access to many of the same benefits and privileges as US citizens, such as attending school, applying for certain jobs, and starting their businesses.

However, green card holders have some limitations in comparison to US citizens. They cannot, for example, vote in US elections or hold certain government positions. Furthermore, if a green card holder commits a serious crime or violates certain immigration laws, they may face deportation and the loss of their green card status.

How to Apply for US Green Card Lottery

The process starts with an annual application period, which usually takes place every year from early October through early November, during which eligible participants can submit an online application through the official US Department of State website (https://dvprogram.state.gov/). The exact dates of the application period may vary each year, so it is essential to check the official website for updates.

US Green Card Lottery Application Cost

There is no cost to enter the Diversity Visa Program. You should not have to pay to enter.

Green Card Lottery Eligibility Requirements

Individuals must be citizens of a country that is eligible for the DV lottery to be eligible. Countries’ eligibility varies by year, and they must meet certain education or work experience requirements. The exact requirements may also differ from year to year, so it is critical to carefully read the official guidelines.

To apply for the US Diversity Lottery, also known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, you will need to meet the eligibility requirements and provide the following information:

• Eligibility

You must be a native of a qualifying country that has low immigration rates to the United States. In addition, you must have either a high school education or its equivalent, or have at least two years of work experience within the past five years in a qualifying occupation.

• Passport

You must have a valid passport that will not expire for at least six months after your intended period of stay in the US. Though the passport requirement at the application stage was scrapped in 2023. Therefore you can apply without, then the passport later.

• Photographs

You must provide passport-style photographs that meet the US Department of State’s specifications.

• Application Form 

You will need to complete and submit the online Diversity Visa Application form, which is available on the US Department of State’s website (https://dvprogram.state.gov/) during the application period.

Note: Applicants can include their spouse and children on their DV lottery application. if you are selected in the DV lottery and obtain a Green Card, your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 may also submit documentation to receive a Green Card as well.

Green Card Lottery Ineligible Countries

Each year, citizens of nations with large numbers of citizens immigrating to the United States are not eligible for the Green Card Lottery. The list may change slightly each year. If your country is ineligible it means more than 50,000 nationals from your country have already arrived in the United States in the past five years.

Citizens born in one of the following countries are excluded from entering the DV-2025 Green Card Lottery program this year:

• Bangladesh
• Brazil
• Canada
• China (mainland and Hong Kong)
• Colombia
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Haiti
• Honduras
• India
• Jamaica
• Mexico
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• South Korea
• United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories
• Venezuela
• Vietnam

US Green Card (DV) Lottery Timeline

After the application period has closed, a computer-generated random selection process is used to choose winners from among the eligible applicants. The winners of the green card lottery are usually notified 7 months after submitting their application. Depending on how soon you apply for your visa, it can take up to 14 months to be scheduled for an interview and receive your visa

For example, if you apply for the 2025 US green card lottery during the application period (October-November 2023), the winners would be announced in May 2024. You would only be able to apply for your visa during the fiscal year 2025, which runs from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. The sooner you apply during that year, the sooner you will be scheduled for your visa interview and issued your visa.

It should be noted that meeting the eligibility requirements and submitting a complete application does not guarantee selection for the program. The selection process is based on a random lottery system, and only a limited number of visas are available each year.

Unfortunately, scammers sometimes take advantage of the US green card lottery programme to defraud hopeful immigrants. Here are a couple of pointers to help you avoid common Diversity Visa scams:

• It is completely free to enter the Diversity Visa lottery. Anyone claiming to collect a fee on behalf of the Department of State is defrauding potential immigrants.
• The Department of State does not notify winners by mail or email; the only way to find out if you’ve been chosen is to check your application using Entrant Status Check.

If you have any further questions about the application process, entry status, or anything else related to immigrant visas you can contact the U.S. Embassy in Kenya via;

Email Address: ImmigrationVisaNairobi@state.gov

Telephone number: +254 020 363 6622
Calling days – Monday to Thursday
Calling hours – 1 pm to 4 pm