Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When is the calendar year 2010 diversity visa lottery?

A: Application dates for the calendar year 2010 (DV-2012) lottery have not yet been announced. Last year the U.S. State Department waited until September 12, 2009 to announce the registration dates for DV-2011. The online registration period will likely run from approximately Friday, October 1, 2010 until Tuesday, November 30, 2010. However until the State Department announces the official dates, these dates are not final.

Q: How do I reach an Immigration Attorney?

A: Just visit our Contact Attorney page and provide as much detail as possible. Include your phone number and a day and time you can be reached. Or you can post your question on the Discussion Forum at the United States Association of Immigrants at myUSAi.org.

Q: How do I purchase your booklet?

A: The FULL version of our booklet, Win the Green Card Lottery! is now available from our Resellers including myUSAi.org. The FREE version is available on our Downloads page. It includes the Preface and Chapters 1-3. Visit our Contents page for more information.

If you want to purchase our Visa Lottery Services Report, Please visit the United States Association of Immigrants at myUSAi.org.

Q: Why should I purchase your booklet when I can get the official lottery rules for free?

A: We provide additional information beyond that provided by the U.S. State Department. For example, we include tips to help you prevent common mistakes; rules for family and extended family members; complete reviews and ratings of dozens of visa lottery services; a section explaining alternate state chargeability; detailed information for creating and scanning photographs; an entire chapter devoted to lottery winners, sample winners letter, an immigration glossary, and much more. At least HALF of those who win the lottery FAIL to receive green cards for reasons we describe. The sixth edition of Win the Green Card Lottery! has been edited by immigration attorneys and thoroughly indexed for easy reference. If you are still not convinced of the incredible value of our booklet, compare our Table of Contents with the basic information provided by the State Department. Again, the first three chapters are FREE.

Q: Can I Resell Win the Green Card Lottery! on my website?

A: YES. All you need is a Shopping Cart. Basic information for resellers is available here. Our Resellers Guide with prices, breakeven points, and projected Return on Investment (ROI). If you may be interested in becoming a reseller please email us at: sales[at]mygreencard(dot]com.

Q: Do you accept advertising on myGreencard.com from lottery services?

A: YES. Creative Networks now accepts advertisements. These ads will only link to those services that have been reviewed by us. These ads may appear on our website and in the electronic version of our booklet. Some advertisers may also be Resellers. We made this decision so we can continue to operate myGreencard.com to provide you with the latest immigration news, immigration opinions, and immigration reports. However, we will continue to provide unbiased lottery service ratings.

Q: I was contacted by a representative from myGreencard for payment for a visa. Is this legitimate?

A: NO. This is a scam. We never ask for or money of any kind for visas or "free tickets to the USA".

Q: Can I send myGreencard.com my lottery application?

A: NO. MyGreencard is not a lottery service. We suggest you download our booklet and enter yourself in the lottery. OR use one of the lottery services we reviewed. If you have specific legal questions, you should contact an attorney.

Q: What countries were ineligible for the lottery for last year's DV-2011?

A: Ineligible countries are: BRAZIL, CANADA, CHINA (mainland-born), COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HAITI, INDIA, JAMAICA, MEXICO, PAKISTAN, PHILIPPINES, PERU, POLAND, SOUTH KOREA, UNITED KINGDOM (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and VIETNAM are ineligible. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible.

Q: How can I get a list of lottery winners?

A: There is no list of winners published by the State Department. 

Q: Where can I get the "official" U.S. State Department information?

A: The official rules for DV-2011 are available at the U.S. State Department website.

Q: What are the mailing addresses?

A: Applications must be submitted online, not by mail. However, some of the Web sites we rate accept mail-in entries for a fee. You can also enter at no charge at at the official government Web site at: www.dvlottery.state.gov. This site is only accessible during the open registration period. Mail-in applications to the government are not accepted.

Q: Must each applicant submit his/her own entry, or may someone act on behalf of an applicant?

A: Applicants may prepare and submit their own entries, or have someone submit the entry for them. Regardless of whether an entry is submitted by the applicant directly, or assistance is provided by an attorney, friend, relative, etc., only one entry may be submitted in the name of each person. If the entry is selected, the notification letter will be sent only to the mailing address provided on the entry.

Q: Are signatures and photographs required for each family member, or only for the principal applicant?

A: Signatures are not required on the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form. Recent and individual photos of the applicant, his or her spouse and all children under 21 years of age are required.

Q: May persons who are in the U.S. apply for the program?

A: YES, an applicant may be in the U.S. or in another country, and the entry may be submitted from the U.S. or from abroad.

Q: Is each applicant limited to only one entry during the annual DV registration period?

A: YES, the law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period; applicants for whom more than one entry is submitted will be disqualified. The Department of State employs sophisticated technology and other means to identify individuals that submit multiple entries during the registration period. Applicants submitting more than one entry will be disqualified and an electronic record will be permanently maintained by the Department of State. Applicants may apply for the program each year during the regular registration period.

Q: May a husband and a wife each submit a separate entry?

A: YES, a husband and a wife may each submit one entry if each meets the eligibility requirements. If either were selected, the other would be entitled to "derivative" status.

Q: What family members must I include on my DV entry?

A: On your entry you must list your spouse, that is husband or wife, and all unmarried children under 21 years of age, with the exception of a child who is already a U.S. citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident. You must list your spouse even if you are currently separated from him/her. However, if you are legally divorced, you do not need to list your former spouse. For customary marriages, the important date is the date of the original marriage ceremony, not the date on which the marriage is registered. You must list ALL your children who are unmarried and under 21 years of age, whether they are your natural children, your spouse's children by a previous marriage, or children you have formally adopted in accordance with the laws of your country, unless a child is already a U.S. citizen or Legal Permanent Resident. List all children under 21 years of age even if they no longer reside with you or you do not intend for them to immigrate under the DV program.

The fact that you have listed family members on your entry does not mean that they later must travel with you. They may choose to remain behind. However, if you include an eligible dependent on your visa application forms that you failed to include on your original entry, your case will be disqualified. (This only applies to persons who were dependents at the time the original application was submitted, not those acquired at a later date.) Your spouse may still submit a separate entry, even though he or she is listed on your entry, as long as both entries include details on all dependents in your family.

Q: What are the requirements for education or work experience?

A: The law and regulations require that every applicant must have at least a high school education or its equivalent or, within the past five years, have two years of work experience in an occupation requiring at least two years training or experience. A "high school education or equivalent" is defined as successful completion of a twelve-year course of elementary and secondary education in the United States or successful completion in another country of a formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to a high school education in the United States. Documented proof of education or work experience should not be submitted with the lottery entry, but must be presented to the consular officer at the time of the visa interview. To determine eligibility based on work experience, definitions from the Department of State's O*Net OnLine database will be used.

Q: How will successful entrants be selected?

A: At the Kentucky Consular Center, all entries received from each region will be individually numbered. After the end of the registration period, a computer will randomly select entries from among all the entries received for each geographic region. Within each region, the first entry randomly selected will be the first case registered, the second entry selected the second registration, etc. All entries received during the registration period will have an equal chance of being selected within each region. If you entry has been selected, you will be receive notification letter from the Kentucky Consular Center, with visa application instructions. The Kentucky Consular Center will process your paperwork until those who are selected are instructed to appear for visa interviews. Interviews will be held either at a U.S. consular office abroad, or a CIS office in the United States to change status.

Q: Will applicants who are not selected be informed?

A: Beginning with the calendar year 2008 lottery (DV-2010) applicants can check the status of their entry online, starting July 1, 2009. However, you must have your confirmation page with your entry number. Status information will be available at the official State Department DV website at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov.

If selected, you will also receive a letter from the Kentucky Consular Center by mail sometime between May and July 2009 at the addresses listed on your entry. Persons not selected may check their entry using their confirmation information through the official DV website, but they will not receive any additional official notification by email or by mail.

Q: How many applicants will be selected?

A: There were 50,000 diversity visas available, but more than that number of individuals will be selected. Because it is likely that some of the first 50,000 persons who are selected will not qualify for visas or pursue their cases to visa issuance, more than 50,000 entries will be selected by the Kentucky Consular Center to ensure that all of the available DV visas are issued. However, this also means that there will not be a sufficient number of visas for all those who are initially selected. All applicants who are selected will be informed promptly of their place on the list. Interviews with those selected will begin in early October 2008. The Kentucky Consular Center will send appointment letters to selected applicants four to six weeks before the scheduled interviews with U.S. consular officers at overseas posts. Each month visas will be issued, visa number availability permitting, to those applicants who are ready for issuance during that month. Once all of the 50,000 DV visas have been issued, the program for the year will end. Selected applicants who wish to receive visas must be prepared to act promptly on their cases. Random selection by the Kentucky Consular Center computer does not automatically guarantee that you will receive a visa.

Q: Is there a minimum age for applicants to apply for the DV program?

A: There is no minimum age to apply for the program, but the requirement of a high school education or work experience for each principal applicant at the time of application will effectively disqualify most persons who are under age 18.

Q: Are there any fees for the DV program?

A: There is no fee for submitting an entry. A special DV case processing fee will be payable later by persons whose entries are actually selected and processed at a U.S. consular section for this year's program. DV applicants, like other immigrant visa applicants, must also pay the regular visa fees at the time of visa issuance. Details of required fees will be included with the instructions sent by the Kentucky Consular Center to applicants who are selected.

Q: May persons who are already registered for an immigrant visa in another category apply for the DV program?

A: YES, such persons may apply for the DV program.