The green card lottery, officially known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, is a U.S. government program that makes 55,000 permanent resident cards available annually to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. The green card lottery aims to diversify the immigrant population in the U.S. by selecting applicants mostly from countries with fewer than 50,000 immigrants admitted to the U.S. in the previous 5 years.
How the Green Card Lottery Works
Each year, the U.S. Department of State accepts electronic registrations for the green card lottery during a designated registration period. There is no fee to register for the lottery. Individuals who meet the eligibility requirements can submit one registration per year during the registration period. An online entry form must be completed with basic biographical information. Registrants must also meet certain education or work experience requirements.
After the registration period ends, the State Department uses a computer-generated random lottery drawing to select applicants. Only the first 50,000 to 55,000 registrations are included in the lottery. Not all registrations will result in permanent residency. The selected applicants are notified by mail and given instructions on how to apply for immigrant visas. They, along with qualifying family members, can then apply for permanent residence if they meet eligibility requirements related to education, work experience, and background checks.
Overall, around 100,000 green cards are made available through the diversity visa program every year. However, only up to 55,000 diversity visas are issued to lottery winners. The rest are issued to lottery winners’ spouses and children under 21 years old. This brings the total green cards issued through the lottery to just over 100,000 annually when you include the derivatives.
Eligibility Requirements
To enter the green card lottery, you must be a native of a qualifying country. In general, countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. over the past 5 years do not qualify. The list of eligible countries is updated each year. For the 2023 lottery, natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply:
– Bangladesh
– Brazil
– Canada
– China
– Colombia
– Dominican Republic
– El Salvador
– Haiti
– Honduras
– India
– Jamaica
– Mexico
– Nigeria
– Pakistan
– Philippines
– South Korea
– United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland)
– Vietnam
In addition, you must meet one of the following requirements:
– Have a high school education or its equivalent
– Have 2 years of work experience within the past 5 years in an occupation that requires at least 2 years of training or experience
Some other requirements include:
– Being a native of an eligible country
– Meeting physical presence requirements
– Being otherwise admissible to the U.S. based on immigration law
People born in ineligible countries can still qualify through their spouse’s country of birth if it is eligible. The selection process also takes into account the applicant’s highest level of education and any qualifying work experience. Those with more education and skills are selected before applicants with less.
Number of Winners
Each year, approximately 11.4 million people register for the diversity visa lottery. However, only up to 55,000 applicants are randomly selected as winners.
The following table shows the number of people who registered for the lottery compared to the number of people who won green cards over the past 5 years:
| Fiscal Year | Total Registrations | Green Cards Issued to Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 11,427,908 | 50,845 |
| 2022 | 11,302,548 | 46,089 |
| 2021 | 12,135,172 | 59,618 |
| 2020 | 14,637,627 | 48,168 |
| 2019 | 13,442,861 | 46,702 |
As you can see from the table, the number of people who enter the green card lottery each year is far greater than the 50,000 to 55,000 who are selected. While millions enter, only around 1% actually receive green cards through the program.
The number of green cards issued to winners can fluctuate year to year, but generally remains around 50,000. In 2021 there was an unusually high number of 59,618 green cards issued to winners. This was due to unused green cards from prior years being made available. Typically, all 55,000 diversity visas allocated per year are not used.
Reasons Why All Green Cards Are Not Issued
There are several reasons why the full 55,000 diversity green cards may not be issued to lottery winners each fiscal year:
– Some lottery winners fail to pursue the green card application process. They either choose not to apply or do not properly complete all required paperwork.
– A portion of winners and their derivatives are found ineligible for green cards when they apply. They may not actually meet the education/work requirements, have a criminal history, or have other immigration violations.
– Processing and security checks cause delays that prevent some cases from being completed by the end of the fiscal year. There are only a certain number of green cards available each fiscal year.
– Entire families are selected together based on the lottery winner’s application. Not all derivatives end up applying. For example, some may get married and no longer qualify as children under 21 years old.
So while up to 55,000 lottery winners are chosen, the number who ultimately receive green cards is often several thousand less. From 2019 to 2022, between 46,000 and 50,000 green cards were issued to lottery winners each year.
Probability of Winning
The chances of winning the green card lottery depend on how many people enter from your country of eligibility. While millions enter the lottery every year, only about 1% of applicants are selected. Your individual odds increase if you are from a country that has relatively few applicants.
The following table shows the odds of winning for the top 10 countries based on registrations received in 2022:
| Country | Registrations | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Ghana | 666,366 | 1 in 132 |
| Ukraine | 600,329 | 1 in 150 |
| Egypt | 561,968 | 1 in 162 |
| Cameroon | 413,367 | 1 in 227 |
| Morocco | 406,194 | 1 in 230 |
| Nepal | 401,008 | 1 in 233 |
| Uzbekistan | 356,152 | 1 in 258 |
| Turkey | 280,865 | 1 in 324 |
| Iran | 268,402 | 1 in 333 |
| Ethiopia | 261,262 | 1 in 342 |
As you can see, applicants from countries with the most registrations have the lowest odds of winning. Meanwhile, people from countries with fewer applicants have better chances.
Someone from Ghana entering in 2022 had around a 1 in 132 chance of being selected. However, for someone from Mexico, which had 978,333 registrations, the odds were only about 1 in 1,772.
Keep in mind that winning the lottery does not guarantee receiving a green card. An estimate is that only about 50% of selectees actually get green cards.
Factors That Impact the Odds
In addition to your country of eligibility, other factors impact your probability of winning the green card lottery:
– **Education and work experience** – Applicants are selected at random by region and then ranked based on highest level of education and work experience in high-demand fields. Having more education and desired skills increases your chances.
– **Number of family members** – Your registration can include a spouse and unmarried children under 21. More family members on an entry increases the odds of selection but reduces the overall number of entries.
– **Prior applicants** – Anyone selected in the past 5 years is ineligible to apply again. So new potential applicants increase the pool each year.
– **Country participation** – The more people that enter from your eligible country, the lower your individual odds become. Popularity of the lottery varies greatly by country.
So while the odds may seem daunting, they are not impossible. Tens of thousands do win the green card lottery every year, despite the millions of entries. Your chances of winning largely depend on the population of your country and volume of applicants.
Receiving a Green Card After Selection
If you are lucky enough to beat the odds and win the diversity visa lottery, there are still some major steps required to actually receive a green card.
First, not all lottery winners will be eligible to receive visas. The Department of State randomly selects more applicants than available visas to account for any disqualifications.
Lottery winners must also act quickly to complete required paperwork and visa processing within the fiscal year they were selected. Diversity visas can only be issued during the fiscal year for which the lottery applies.
Below are the general steps required if selected:
1. Confirm Selection and Begin Processing
Lottery winners are notified by mail through the Entry Status Check online tool. You will need to provide required documents to confirm eligibility such as education/work proof, birth certificates, and passports. Processing fees also apply.
2. Submit Visa Application and Attend Interview
Along with your family members, you must complete an application, Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form (DS-260), with the Department of State. You will also attend an in-person interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country.
3. Clear Medical and Security Checks
As part of the visa process, you must complete a medical exam by an approved doctor. Security and background checks will also be done to confirm you do not have a criminal history or other immigration violations.
4. Receive Visa Package
Once all requirements are met, the embassy issues a visa package. This will allow you to enter the U.S. within 6 months and receive your actual green card shortly after.
Keep in mind diversity visa processing times vary greatly by country. It can take many months to complete all required steps. There is a risk of not finishing in time before the fiscal year ends on September 30.
However, if you act promptly once notified of your selection, you’ll maximize your chances of obtaining your green card through the lottery.
Why So Many Apply When Odds Are Low
With the chances of winning the green card lottery only around 1% for most applicants, you may wonder why millions continue to register year after year. There are several reasons so many people around the world see the program as worthwhile despite the long odds:
– **It’s free to register** – There is no fee or cost to submit an entry, so there’s little risk involved unlike other visa programs that require significant fees and investments.
– **Possibility of living/working in U.S.** – Winners are authorized to live and work permanently anywhere in the U.S. This provides opportunities not available in many countries.
– **Program only available to certain countries** – For people in eligible developing countries, it provides one of the few options to easily immigrate to the U.S.
– **Family can immigrate together** – Winners can bring their spouse and unmarried children under 21 to the U.S. with them. This appeals to many with families.
– **People overestimate odds** – Research shows we tend to overestimate small probabilities. Some entrants think their odds are greater than they really are.
– **Low odds still seen as worthwhile** – With potentially life-changing rewards, a 1% chance of winning is worth the minimal effort to register for millions of people around the world.
So while the chances of winning the green card lottery are objectively low, the rewards of living permanently in the U.S. drive millions to continue to see the small odds as worthwhile. With little to lose by registering, many see applying as low risk despite the uncertainty.
Countries With the Most Winners
While applicants from all eligible countries can win the green card lottery, some countries tend to have higher numbers of winners each year. This is primarily driven by how many entries are submitted by people in each country.
The more applications submitted, the more winners typically emerge from that country. While winning is still uncertain, in general countries that submit large numbers of applications see more of their citizens win green cards through the lottery.
Below are estimates of the countries that had the most diversity visa lottery winners over the past 5 years:
| Country | Estimated Winners |
|---|---|
| Ukraine | 8,000-11,000 |
| Egypt | 7,000-10,000 |
| Iran | 6,500-9,000 |
| Nepal | 6,000-8,500 |
| Ghana | 5,000-7,000 |
| Ethiopia | 4,500-6,500 |
| Uzbekistan | 3,000-5,000 |
| Nigeria | 3,000-4,500 |
| Kazakhstan | 2,000-3,500 |
| Albania | 2,000-3,000 |
These estimates are based on country registration volumes and selection rates. Ukraine, Ghana, Egypt, Nepal, and Iran consistently have some of the highest numbers of lottery winners. However, citizens from all eligible countries have some chance of being selected.
While winning the lottery provides opportunities, keep in mind that immigrating and establishing a life in another country also involves challenges. If selected, be prepared that moving to the U.S. will involve hard work adapting to a new culture and way of life. But for many around the world, the benefits are worth pursuing despite the long odds.
Summary
The green card lottery provides 50,000 to 55,000 immigrant visas to applicants around the world through a randomized process each year. Millions register, but only around 1% are selected as winners. Eligibility is limited to natives of most developing countries.
While winning is uncertain, tens of thousands are awarded green cards through the lottery annually. However, even for winners the process requires perseverance through paperwork and interviews. Factors like education and family size impact odds. Countries with the most registrations see the most winners.
Despite low odds, many see the opportunity as worth the minimal effort to register. For people in countries with few other options to immigrate, the green card lottery provides hope of starting a new life in the United States.