The annual Diversity Visa program (better known as the Visa Lottery or Green Card Lottery) makes visas available to persons meeting certain eligibility requirements. A computer-generated, random lottery drawing chooses the winners of diversity visas. The visas are distributed among six geographic regions, with a greater number of visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration, and with no visas going to nationals of countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. over the period of the past five years. Within each region, no single country may receive more than seven percent of the available Diversity Visas in any one year.  

How to Apply

• You may submit your entry until noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), on November 30, 2009 at www.dvlottery.state.gov, OR
• Go to one of our CUNY Immigration Centers for FREE assistance.  Each applicant must come in person to receive assistance. 
  

Note: ONLY ONE ENTRY PER PERSON IS ALLOWED.  The Department of State will disqualify entrants who file more than once

Eligibility Requirements

In addition to being from an eligible country, to qualify you must be over 18 years old, and either be a High School graduate or have worked for two out of the last five years in a job that requires at least two years training or experience.

If you are in the United States unlawfully, you may have a difficult time getting permanent residence even if you win the lottery.  Unlawfully present lottery winners can apply to adjust your status to permanent resident in the United States if either a family or employment case was filed by January 14, 1998 OR, they were in the United States on December 20, 2000 and a family or employment case was filed by April 30, 2001.  Those who are not eligible for adjustment of status in the United States may return home to apply for adjustment at the U.S. Consulate.  However, they may be not be able to return to the United States for three to ten years.  An immigration expert can help you figure out if this is a good option for you.

Ineligible Countries

This year's ineligible countries are: Brazil, Canada, China (Mainland), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, S. Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible.