Working, studying, starting your own business, buying real estate in the USA – all this may become possible thanks to the Green Card. This cherished card confirms your residency permit and gives you the right to employment in the USA, as well as serves as the key to obtaining the U.S. citizenship.

One of the most popular ways to get a Green Card is to take part in the annual Diversity Visa Lottery. The Diversity Visa Lottery is a drawing for visas that enable one to move to the United States and become a permanent resident.

Before you enter the lottery, read the most important facts about it so you know what to expect.

1. The Diversity visa lottery is organized by the U.S. Department of State every year

It usually starts in October and closes in November, a month after the launch. Lottery results are announced in May. You can always check the official Diversity Visa Lottery website for the most current dates.

2. Participation in the lottery is completely free of charge

All you need is to fill out the application form on the official website, as well as a compliant DV Lottery photo attached to it. Any sites that charge you a fee for submitting an application are fraudulent.

3. The chances of winning the lottery are relatively high

Each year the lottery establishes about 50,000 winners, while there are about 10 million applicants. That is, 1 out of 200 participants becomes a winner. Thus, the chances of winning the visa lottery are much higher than the chances of pulling off a big score in a regular lottery. The winners are determined by the program – a random number generator, so that falsification of the results is excluded. You can calculate your chances of winning the DV Lottery in more detail via this link.

4. Most people can participate in the lottery, but not all

The lottery is open to educated (high school graduation) or professionally experienced (at least 2 years of work experience) residents of countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Generally, lists of countries whose citizens are eligible to participate appear shortly before the start of the lottery. But knowledge of the English language to win and move to the US is not necessary, although it will be needed when filling out the form.

5. You must check the results of the lottery manually

You can check the status of your entry on the lottery’s official website. To do this, you must enter the confirmation number, as well as the applicant’s first name, last name, and year of birth.

Before you receive your Green Card, however, there are several other steps you must complete as quickly as possible. This is the only way to find out the outcome of the lottery. No emails or letters will be sent by the Department of State.

6. Winning the lottery does not guarantee a Green Card

Before you leave for the United States, you must collect documents, pass a medical examination, complete an interview at the embassy, pay the consular fee, and prove that you have enough money to move and settle in your new place. The entire process takes up to a year and a half. Up to half of the successful applicants drop out at this stage and never move to America.

7. The deception won’t work

When filling out the form, provide only accurate data! If you don’t tell the truth, your winning will be annulled. Don’t waste your time.