#green_card #dv_lottery U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa Program Tutorial

A Green Card (Permanent Resident Card):

• Gives you official immigration statusin the United States
• Entitles you to certain rights and responsibilities
• Is required if you wish to naturalize as a U.S. Citizen

If you have questions about applying for, renewing, or replacing a Green Card, contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

• Find out if you're eligible.
• If you are eligible, file Form I-485 - Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status with USCIS, including all supporting documents and fees.
• USCIS will review your application and schedule an interview with you. 
• Once issued, your Green Card will be valid for 10 years.

Learn how to renew or replace your Green Card:

• Renew your Green Card if your current card expired or will expire in the next six months.
• Replace your Green Card for a number of reasons, including loss or theft.

• Go online to check the status of your case using your receipt number. 

If you are not familiar with the immigration, visa or Green Card process, scammers will try to take advantage of you by getting your personal information or your money. Learn about common immigration scams and identity fraud. You can also file a complaint in your state. 

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You can present a legal document issued in the United States for use in another country. These documents can include court orders, contracts, vital records, and educational diplomas.

The process to get a document authenticated depends on the specific document, the state in which it was issued, and other factors. Check with your state’s document authentication agency and the Authentications and Apostillespage from the Department of State (DOS).

For more information, details on a procedure, or status, call the DOS Office of Authentications at 1-202-485-8000, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday.

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The United States’ Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Lottery program allows for up to 50,000 immigrant visas to be awarded each year. It gives foreign nationals of countries that have low rates of immigration to the U.S. an opportunity to participate in a random drawing for the potential of getting an immigration visa. Check the State Department’s DV lottery site to learn more about the program.

Also known as the Green Card lottery, the DV program makes a limited number of immigrant visas available every year to people meeting certain eligibility requirements:

• You must be a foreign citizen from a country with a low immigration rate to the United States. Each year, the U.S. Department of State puts out a list of eligible and ineligible countries. The list of countries may change each year. See the 2019 DV lottery instructions (PDF, Download Adobe Reader) (PDF, Download Adobe Reader) for the most recent list.
• You must have graduated from high school or its equivalent or have qualifying work experience.

The lottery is open once a year, usually for 4 to 5 weeks in the fall.

• Online registration for the 2019 Diversity Visa Lottery concluded on Wednesday, November 22, 2017.
• If you qualify for a Green Card, 2019 is the year you can enter into the United States. 
• Complete the online application for the lottery. It is a web form only and cannot be downloaded. There is no charge for registering.
• Keep your confirmation number in a safe place; you will need that number to check the status of your entry online. If you lose it, you can recover your confirmation number.

For help, review the DV lottery instructionsor watch a State Department video on how to submit an entry.

• Results for the 2018 DV lottery are available for people who submitted an application in Fall 2016 to enter the U.S. in 2018  You can check your status starting 12 noon on May 2, 2017 until September 30, 2018.
• Results for the 2019 DV lottery are available starting May 15, 2018 for people who submitted an application in Fall 2017 to enter the U.S. in 2019.
• Make sure you have your confirmation number to check your application status. You can only check your status by going online. The State Department will not send you a letter or an email about winning a Green Card. See the fraud warning below.

If you are selected through the random lottery drawing, you can move forward in applying for an immigrant visa  (Green Card).

• Submit your visa application, DS form 260.
• Prepare for your interview.
• If you have a question about your interview, call the Kentucky Consular Center, 1-606-526-7500, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET.