TRUMP PROMISED TO END IT, BUT THE GREEN CARD LOTTERY PERSISTS

Despite President Donald Trump’s promises to eliminate the green card lottery, thousands of people around the world will still have the chance to legally immigrate to the U.S. and realize the American dream through this program.

NO ABOLITION OF THE LOTTERY FOR THE TIME BEING

Renewal of the program, created 30 years ago to boost immigration to the U.S., had been uncertain for a year, when Donald Trump announced he would ask Congress to eliminate it. The lottery is one of the most popular U.S. visa programs for foreigners who have no sponsors in the U.S. and want to immigrate legally. But President Trump had attacked the program, claiming that the “worst of the worst” could be selected under the free lottery.

The U.S. State Department, which administers the Diversity Immigrant Visa program, better known as the “green card lottery”, has announced that it will go ahead with the lottery and is putting 50,000 permanent resident cards up for grabs for fiscal year 2020.

Online registration for the 2020 program began on October 3 and will close on November 6. No country can receive more than 7% of the visas. Foreign nationals from countries with historically low immigration rates to the U.S. can register at www.dvlottery.state.gov now by filling out the free registration form.

The authorities have clarified that people who submit more than one application will be automatically disqualified. They also warned against fraudulent websites requesting money from “lottery winners”.

Applicants for the 2020 visa lottery must meet two conditions in order to participate:

• Firstly, they must have been born in an eligible country. Ineligible countries for 2020 are: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and Vietnam;
• They must also have at least a high school diploma or two years of work experience in a qualifying field requiring at least two years of training within the last five years;
• The names of the DV-2020 lottery winners will be published on the State Department website between May 7, 2019 and September 30, 2020.

All selected candidates must undergo criminal background checks and medical examinations. They will be called for interviews with U.S. consular or immigration officials, where they will be required to present, among other things, proof of education or professional experience.