If you have been struggling to obtain a green card so that you can become a permanent resident of the United States, there is still a chance you may receive one via the green card lottery. Follow along to find out more about this lottery system and how a proficient green card lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at the Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help you better understand this.
How does the green card lottery work?
The green card lottery is a system by the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Each year, this program, which is administered by the United States Department of State, makes up to 50,000 immigrant visas available. They draw these 50,000 immigrant visas from a random selection among all entries. Typically, these entries are mostly made up of individuals who are from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. And with that, most of these entries are made up of individuals who reside outside of the United States and who immigrate through the consular processing of an immigrant visa.
However, a few of these entries are individuals who reside in the United States in a nonimmigrant or other legal status at the time of winning the lottery. And with that, these select individuals will have their adjustment of status applications processed by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
What are the eligibility criteria for a green card through this program?
Say, for instance, that you are one of the lucky winners of the green card lottery. You will then have to confirm that you are eligible to adjust your status under the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. That is, you must establish the following as true:
- You have been selected for a diversity visa by the United States Department of State’s green card lottery.
- You have an immigrant visa immediately available at the time of filing for an adjustment application, otherwise known as Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
- You are admissible to the United States.
What evidence do I need to obtain a green card through this program?
As far as Form I-485 goes, you will have to provide the following pieces of evidence to finally receive a green card through this lottery system:
- Two passport-style photos of yourself.
- A copy of your birth certificate.
- A copy of your passport page with a nonimmigrant visa, admission, or parole stamp, whatever is applicable.
- A copy of your selection letter for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program lottery from the Department of State.
- A copy of your receipt from the Department of State for the lottery processing fee.
- A certifiable copy of court records, if you have ever been arrested.
- Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record.
- Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record.
- Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, if applicable.
- Applicable fees.
If you are a winner of the green card lottery, you must talk to a talented family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI as soon as possible.