Has anyone ever considered applying for the Green Card Lottery?
The Diversity Lottery to get into the United States, that is.
I dont know why it popped into my head. I love South Africa, I dont really want to move. I guess its just the thought that perhaps its something to consider before it all goes downhill?
Apparently, people from the continent of Africa have a chance of winning of over 40%, according to wikipedia.
Do any MyBB members live in the states?
Its sounds like you have 40% chance of getting a VISA, after you are selected as one of the 50,000- but you still have to pass round 1Originally Posted by Ancalagon
Nope, if you are one of the 50k, you are getting a VISA.
The Act makes available 55,000[1] permanent resident visas annually to natives of countries deemed to have low rates of immigration to the United States.
....text...
The Immigration Act of 1990 established the Diversity Visa (DV) program, where 55,000 immigrant visas would be available in an annual lottery, starting in fiscal year 1995. The lottery aims to diversify the immigrant population in the United States, by selecting applicants mostly from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States in the previous five years.
Starting in fiscal year 1999, 5,000 of the visas from the DV program are reserved for use by the NACARA program, so the number of immigrant visas available in the lottery is reduced to 50,000
Yip - I applied for it - figured it can't hurt. We have an office in the US and if .. no when I do win, it'll make moving me over there a lot easier for the company (there is a plan to do it in any case soon)
Check when the applications open. As far as I remember it is during October sometime.
Good luck
I've applied almost every year for the past 6 years but never got one
My brothers wife won one though... and then didn't use it so she lost it again
Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes.
-Walt Whitman
So glad I dragged my lazy @rse down to Cpt to register my kid's birth so they never have to go through all this.
Good luck to you all though - just make sure if you get it you're going to use it.
"Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien." FM Arouet
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke
"Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience" Unknown
read the whole article
with africa and europe receiving 80% of the places that would mean 40,000 places are reserved for them.In order to allow for those who do not pursue immigrant visas, and for the applicants who do not qualify, more 'winners' are selected in the lottery than there are visas available. Hence being selected from the lottery does not guarantee an immigrant visa to the U.S. To receive a diversity visa and immigrate to the United States, 'winners' must meet all eligibility requirements under U.S. law to qualify, and must be interviewed before the 50,000 green cards are distributed. Requirements include at least a high school diploma, or its equivalent, or two years of work experience in an occupation requiring at least two years training.
Chances to get visa for a winner
Africa 41.01% 43.47% 46.12%
lets assume those 80% are split 50/50 that would mean 20,000 places for african residents.
if you have a 40% chance of getting in, then that means that only 50,000 people register for the green card in the whole of africa.
With 13.5 million applicants in 2007, those figures just dont add up
yeah.... I read more of it. Pity though.
The thing is, if you read the chances of winning per continent, unless I misread, they appear to add up to more than 100%. The second set of figures, that is.
So let's say you "win", can you then go there let's say on holiday and come back and live in SA and maintain your resident status? How does that work? I have a 10 year Visa but it would be nice to know I can easily move over and start working there with no issues if I wanted to. Perhaps selfish "holding onto" a Green Card but so what.
I dont think you can. I think you have 6 months to activate it, from there you have 5 years. End of those 5 years - living in the states - you can apply for citizen ship.
The only way to "hold on" to it would be to apply, live there for 5 years, and become a citizen. then you can do what you want.
I havent applied, been meaning to for the last 10 years just keep forgetting.
BTW if you do apply, avoid all the companies that charge, its free to apply.
Last edited by lived666; 24-02-2012 at 03:07 PM.
according to mr wiki
If permanent residence is granted, the winner (and his/her family, if applicable) receives an immigrant visa in their passport(s) that has to be "activated" within six months of issuance at any port of entry to the United States.
Under certain conditions, permanent residence status can be lost involuntarily. This includes committing a criminal act that makes a person removable from the United States. A person might also be found to have abandoned their status if he or she moves to another country to live there permanently, stays outside the USA for more than 365 days (without getting a re-entry permit before leaving), or does not file an income tax returnIf the green card is not relinquished then the holder is subject to double taxation when living or working outside of the United States, whether or not within their home nation, although double taxation may be mitigated by foreign tax credits.
This is a real pain in the butt, not just for green card holders but citizens as well.
"Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien." FM Arouet
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke
"Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience" Unknown
There's 150 000 people chosen out of the lottery. Only 50 000 actually get a green card. Friend of mine won and it takes approx. 3 years before you enter the US and that's only if you pass the interviews (hence why 150k gets chosen)
In South Africa I think about 800-1000 people get's chosen each year
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