Alexander Kovalchuk
Let us recall that applications for the Green Card lottery were accepted during a 60-day registration period, from November 1 to December 30, 2003. Every year, based on the results of the Green Card lottery, about 100,000 applicants are notified of winning in the first stage of the drawing and may apply for an immigrant visa to the United States. But residents of different countries are granted only 50,000 U.S. immigrant visas. For each country, the annual quota is no more than 7% of visas - that is, regardless of the number of winners, no more than 3,500 people emigrate from one country.
Distribution of selection notifications this year is expected to be completed, according to some sources, by the end of July. Winners will receive corresponding notifications from the Consular Center in Kentucky (KCC), which administers the program. There is no other way to learn of one's victory, since over 10 million people take part in the lottery annually, and the KCC is simply unable to respond to inquiries from applicants about the fate of the applications they submitted.
As usual, the notification contains the winning case number assigned to the winner. Since the processing of the case and scheduling of interviews for winners and their family members are carried out in order, those with a lower number will receive immigrant visas faster.
The package sent by the KCC also contains forms for all family members of the lottery winner who are eligible to apply for immigrant visas. Let us recall that these include the winner's spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age. The attached instructions describe how to fill out the forms and all subsequent steps, including attending an interview at a U.S. consulate.
It should not be forgotten that the very fact of being selected in the lottery does not guarantee obtaining immigrant visas and entry into the United States. The winner and his or her family members must meet both the general requirements of U.S. immigration law and the rules established by the Diversity Program. An immigrant visa may be denied due to serious medical conditions, the list of which is approved by the U.S. Department of Health; drug addiction; convictions for certain types of crimes; insufficient financial resources of the applicant making him or her a potential burden on society; prior deportation from the United States; or illegal presence in the United States.
In addition, participants must not violate the established requirements. According to the rules, only those who have at least a secondary education or two years (out of the last five) of work experience in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience may participate in the lottery. Individuals who do not meet this criterion will be disqualified even if they win.
Winners should rush to fill out and return the forms to the KCC, since even a low case number by itself does not guarantee a quick interview if your forms are received late. Do not forget that of the 100,000 people selected in the lottery, only half will receive immigrant visas, as the law allocates just 50,000 visas a year for the program.
After sending the forms, you need to wait for the second package, containing an interview invitation. As a rule, it arrives one or two months before the interview date. You will also receive detailed instructions on undergoing the medical examination and collecting the necessary documents.
You will need to prepare foreign passports and birth certificates for all family members, a secondary school certificate or diploma of the main applicant (if the applicant has a sufficient level of education, a work experience document is not needed), marriage or divorce certificate, military ID, police certificates confirming no criminal record (for all family members over 16 years old), proof of financial solvency, evidence of the good faith of a marriage entered into after receiving the win notification, as well as sealed envelopes with medical examination results and two additional photographs each.
And those who were not lucky this year will be able to try their luck next time - the U.S. State Department has promised to publish the rules and deadlines for the DV-2006 lottery as early as August.