Diversity Visa Lottery

The Immigration Act of 1990 established the Diversity Visa (DV) or green card lottery program allowing 55,000 immigrants the chance to enter an annual lottery and receive a visa. The goal of the program was to create a diverse immigrant population by allowing visas to be awarded to countries that generally have had low rates of immigration to the United States. The program is administered by the Department of State.

Countries which have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. over the period of the previous five years are not eligible for the lottery program. These countries include Columbia, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Pakistan and Vietnam. Persons are considered a native in the country in which they are born, although some exceptions do apply. Talk to an immigration lawyer if you have questions about your eligibility for the Diversity Visa (DV) program.