There is perhaps no step more crucial for any immigrant who wishes to become a United States citizen than obtaining a green card. It is an essential component of the naturalization process that grants applicants the privilege to not only legally reside in the United States of America, but also the ability to seek employment. However, because the application process for green cards can vary depending on the circumstances of the individual, it can take applicants years to be approved, while some may not even be eligible at all.
Although, the Diversity Immigration Visa Program (DV Program), commonly referred to as the green card lottery, gives individuals the ability to bypass a lot of the hurdles of the standard green card application process. Regardless of what stage you may find yourself in when it comes to the immigration process, it is always beneficial to have strong legal representation by your side. Please contact an Essex County immigration attorney at The Law Offices of Christopher T. Howell, Esq. to learn more about your next steps to becoming a U.S. citizen.
How does the green card lottery work?
Compared to the usual green card application process, the green card lottery has far fewer restrictive elements to it. While typical green card applications may require exceptional qualifications pertaining to skilled labor, relatives who are already U.S. citizens, or a potential place of employment, the threshold to qualify for the green card lottery is nowhere near as extensive. To be eligible for the DV Program, all you would need to do is provide proof of your country of birth and level of education.
However, there are only 55,000 visas made available through this program each year. It should also be noted that depending on your country of birth, you may not qualify for the green card lottery. If you were born in a country that has exceeded 50,000 green card holders through other means of legal immigration in the last five years, you may be disqualified for eligibility. Although, because of how the rule is designed, the list of countries excluded from the green card lottery can change.
Even if you were born in an excluded country, there are exceptions that would still make you eligible for the DV program. For example, if your spouse was born in a country that is not on the exclusion list, you can still qualify for the process. Another exception to this rule is if your parents were born in a country that is not excluded from the program, while also only temporarily living in the country of your birth due to education or work purposes. In either case, you can list the country of your parents or spouse as your native country when submitting your application.
