How Many Diversity Visas Are Issued Each Year?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program provides individuals from countries with relatively lower levels of recent to the United States an opportunity to apply for a visa and permanent residency (a green card).

About 50,000 diversity visas

are typically issued each year.

How many visas are issued each year?

Each year,

55,000 visas

are allocated randomly through a computer-generated lottery to nationals from countries that have sent fewer than 50,000 immigrants to the United States in the previous five years.

What are the chances of getting a diversity visa?

For the past three decades, the Diversity Visa Program has awarded a path to legal permanent residence to about 55,000 people each year from countries with low levels of immigration to the U.S. Each applicant has a

less than 1% chance of winning a green card

.

How many people have diversity visas?

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program provides individuals from countries with relatively lower levels of recent immigration to the United States an opportunity to apply for a visa and permanent residency (a green card).

About 50,000 diversity visas are typically issued each year

.

How many visas are set aside for the DV program each year?

The statutory annual cap for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is 55,000. However, up to

5,000

of these visas have been set aside annually since 1999 as part of the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act , setting the effective diversity visa cap at 50,000.

Who is eligible for Diversity Visa Lottery?

In order to be eligible to enter in the diversity visa lottery, you must have at

least a high school education

(defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education, comparable to such high school education in the U.S.) or its equivalent or have within the past five years two years …

What are my chances of winning Green Card lottery?

According to our long-term in-house analyses, the chances of winning a Green Card are currently

about 1:25 to 1:75

(depending on the region you live in) – for Europeans, most recently about 1:45. This means that approximately every 45th participant actually wins a Green Card.

How many green cards issued 2020?

A total of

712,044 I-130

petitions (the family-based green card form) were received in FY2020, with 167,118 of those coming in the fourth quarter.

What happens when you win Green Card Lottery?

If you're in the United States in a

temporary immigration status

(technically known as “non-immigrant status”) when you win the Diversity Visa lottery, you'll apply for a green card through United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by filing Form I-485.

How long is a diversity visa valid?

A diversity visa is usually valid for

up to six months from the date of issuance

unless your medical examination expires sooner, which may make your visa valid for less than six months.

What is the maximum age limit for DV lottery?

To apply for the Diversity Visa Lottery, you must reach the age of 18 to fulfill all the educational requirements. However,

there is no Green Card Lottery Maximum Age Limit to apply

. If you meet all the criteria required for the application, you can Start Your Application Now.

How can I increase my chances of winning DV lottery?

The best way to increase your family's chances of success is

to have all eligible family members register for the lottery

. For details on who meets the country, educational, and other eligibility requirements, see Winning a Green Card Through the Visa Lottery.

Which countries are not eligible for DV Lottery 2022?

Natives from these countries are not eligible for the DV-2022:

Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China

(including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its …

Is the green card lottery really random?

Entering the green card lottery is free.

The drawing is random and by computer

. You can only find out whether you have won by going to www.dvlottery.state.gov (typically beginning May 1). If you win and are permitted to apply, you will have to pay a fee, but that will be in person at a U.S. embassy or consulate.

What are the qualifications for a visa?

  • An online nonimmigrant DS-160 application form. You can file the form DS-160 here.
  • Your valid passport. …
  • One photograph. …
  • Receipt proving payment of $160 for a nonimmigrant US visa application. …
  • Social media details.

How long does it take to get a green card after winning the lottery?

If selected, you must complete all the Green card application process requirements. Once this step is completed, you must wait for the U.S Embassy to review your visa request. The process, from the initial lottery process to immigration, will take

about 2 years

.

Rachel Ostrander
Author
Rachel Ostrander
Rachel is a career coach and HR consultant with over 5 years of experience working with job seekers and employers. She holds a degree in human resources management and has worked with leading companies such as Google and Amazon. Rachel is passionate about helping people find fulfilling careers and providing practical advice for navigating the job market.