Green Card Lottery Information
Each year, the green card lottery grants up to 50,000 immigration visas. The green card lottery is also referred to as the diversity lottery program. Through this program, individuals can speed up their immigration process and live and work permanently in the United States.
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Function
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The green card lottery is run by the U.S. Department of State and is conducted through the Immigration and Nationality Act. The act was instituted to encourage the migration of people from countries of low immigration rates to the United States.
Considerations
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Many countries are excluded from participating in the green card lottery. For example, natives of Canada, China, Brazil, Dominican Republic and the United Kingdom are all ineligible to enter the green card lottery.
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Lottery Winners
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In 2010, more than 80 percent of green card lottery winners came from Africa and Europe. Ghana and the Ukraine were the two countries with the highest number of visas granted through the green card lottery.
Misconceptions
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Individuals that enter the lottery all have an equal chance of winning, and no preferential treatment is given to certain nations. The green card lottery is drawn from a random selection of all the entries.
Requirements
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There are certain requirements for individuals who want to enter the green card lottery. For example, every entrant must at least have a high school education or the equivalent. They must also have work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of experience or training.
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