Question: How Many Diversity Visas Are Issued Each Year?
The Immigration and Nationality Act makes 55,000 immigrant visas available each fiscal year to people from countries that have low rates of immigration to the United States as part of the diversity visa program. However, not all of these visas are allocated to the green card lottery.
Answer:
On November 19, 1997, President Bill Clinton signed the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) into law, providing immigration benefits and relief from deportation to certain Nicaraguans, Cubans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, nationals of former Soviet bloc countries and their dependents.
The Act specifies that beginning with DV-1999, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 diversity visas will be made available to the NACARA program. This reallocation is in place for as long as necessary, making 50,000 immigrant visas available annually to the green card lottery.
Source: USCIS, U.S. Dept. of State
