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The U.S. Lottery Visa (Diversity Visa)

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The United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ is the only country in the world that offers a Diversity Visa.

The U.S. Lottery Visa (Diversity Visa)

Diversity Visa, also known as the Lottery Visa or Green Card Lottery, is a permanent resident visa that allows its holders to move to and live in the United States indefinitely like any other permanent residents or green card holders.

The two main requirements for the Diversity Visa are:

  1. Luck ๐Ÿ€
  2. Citizenship

    The Diversity Visa is only offered to citizens of countries with lower immigration rates to the U.S.

    For examples, citizens of Canada ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ, Brazil ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท, Mexico ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ, South Korea ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท, Phillipines ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญ, and more than 10 other countries cannot apply for this visa because historically, there has been a high level of immigration from these countries.

    • You can check the list of citizenships that are not eligible to apply here (Source: The U.S. Department of State).

    Citizens of all other countries would be eligible to apply.

    Although luck is a big factor in getting this visa, the green card is not handed to just about anyone.

    There are still other requirements, such as:

    • The completion of high school education or equivalent at the minimum, and
    • Having at least two years of work experience in an eligible occupation

    More About This Visa

    Unlike other types of immigration streams, the US Diversity Visa does not require applicants to prove that they can speak English, but they do need to provide proof of finances and pass a police background check as well.

    The Green Card Lottery is one of the simplest ways to obtain permanent residency, because of its relatively easier requirements and there is no need to become a temporary resident first. However, it is largely dependent on luck, and there is a limited quota for this visa every year (only around 50,000โ€“55,000 annually).

    Want to Move Abroad?

    Learn about the cons of moving abroad, and how to get a visa if you think moving is right for you. More about this here.