Green Card Lottery FAQs

The diversity visa program, better known as the green card lottery, provides an opportunity for people from countries that have low immigration to the U.S., to live and work permanently in the United States.

Millions of people apply for one of the 55,000 visas available each year. With that kind of popularity, you would think a lot would be known about the lottery, but a lot of people are missing the facts. For example, you may be surprised to learn that "winners" do not automatically receive a green card if they are selected. Application must be made for an immigrant visa, but this will not be processed until an interview date is assigned. And because more winners are notified than the number of visas available, individuals near the bottom of the list may not receive an opportunity to have their application processed.

A list of green card lottery frequently asked questions is available to better explain the diversity program. The list is a work-in progress, so if you have a question related to the green card lottery, feel free to ask it in the comments section below, and I'll add it to the master list.

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