Diversity Immigrant Visa

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program ( English for Immigrant Diversity Visa Program , abbreviated: DV , also Green Card Lottery ) is a program implemented by the State Department of the United States , under which permanent resident cards ("Green Cards") will be awarded according to the raffle principle to applicants from countries from which, according to the US government, more immigrants should come. The number of green cards to be issued is 55,000, of which 5,000 are currently reserved for residents of these countries as part of the NACARA program (for Nicaragua , Guatemala , Cuba and El Salvador ).

Green card lottery winners do not directly win a green card, but rather the right to apply for one.

History and basics

The lottery was created in 1987 on the initiative of the then US President Ronald Reagan . Nationality diversity had faltered because of excessive immigrants entering the United States from some countries. Reagan wanted to maintain diversity through a lottery. This is where the name of the program comes from.

As a result, countries that had a high rate of immigration in previous years will be excluded from participating in the green card lottery. In 2016 these were: Bangladesh , Brazil , Canada , China (mainland) , Colombia , Dominican Republic , El Salvador , Haiti , India , Jamaica , Mexico , Nigeria , Pakistan , Peru , Philippines , South Korea , the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland ) and its dependent territories, Vietnam . Participants born in Hong Kong (SAR), Macau, and Taiwan are allowed to participate.

The number of available green cards will be divided into six regions according to diversity criteria and drawn according to this key. Around 80% of all green cards come from Europe and Africa. In addition, no single country may receive more than 7% of all green cards awarded.

After the alleged perpetrator of an attack in New York on October 31, 2017 turned out to be the winner of the green card lottery, US President Donald Trump announced that he wanted to end the diversity immigrant visa program as soon as possible. However, as of March 2020, this has not yet been implemented.

procedure

Participation in the lottery is initially free and has been online since 2004. The registration period runs in autumn each year. Participants must register themselves and their spouses as well as unmarried children under the age of 21, even if they do not live in the same household. In the case of a visa allocation for the main participant, these persons are also entitled to apply for a green card.

Although the participation can be filled out independently by anyone, fee-based agencies offer to take over this process. The advantage of the participant is that an agency checks the data and also the photo of the participant for compliance with the requirements and thus a disqualification due to incorrect information can be avoided. However, the agency has no influence on the actual chances of winning.

The results are made available online in spring. Each participant can independently check their status using the access data they received when they registered. Since it is assumed that not every winner fulfills all the criteria for obtaining a green card or will not pursue the process of obtaining a visa at all, a higher number of winners will be drawn than the actual number of green cards awarded. In the 2015 fiscal year, 125,514 participants were informed as winners, with only 55,000 green cards being awarded. The probability that a visa will actually be issued after a win is therefore slightly below 50%. Of the 2188 German winners for the 2010 fiscal year, 964 (44.1%) actually received a green card. In return, however, this also means that some qualified winners are regularly unable to receive a green card after all, as the quota is used up before their registration is checked.

Selected winners will incur a fee of US $ 330 during the approval process plus a mandatory medical examination of EUR 140  .

Eligibility criteria

Lottery winners must meet various criteria in order to qualify for an immigrant visa that leads to permanent resident status upon first entry, including:

• Proof of vocational training with work experience or a minimum training comparable to high school . In Germany, a secondary school certificate is sufficient and in Switzerland a nine-year school education with a three-year apprenticeship is sufficient.
• The country of birth of the participant who completes the registration must be admitted to the green card lottery.

According to INA: ACT 212 (a) there are further reasons for exclusion such as

• Health reasons (medical examination necessary with medical examiner of the US embassies abroad, e.g. even the slightest drug abuse leads to exclusion)
• criminal or similar reasons (including prostitution , human trafficking , money laundering, etc.). In this case, it is advantageous to present a (green) certificate of good conduct (applies to all countries in which you have stayed for more than three months since you came of age).
• Security reasons or similar (i.e. not a terrorist, not involved in sabotage and / or (e-) espionage , no membership in totalitarian parties or connections to terrorist organizations etc.)
• Public charge, i.e. not running the risk of becoming financially dependent on the state . This can be credibly denied by sufficient start-up capital, job offer, or a credible guarantor (this path does not guarantee qualification) ( SGB ​​II and SGB ​​XII recipients actually have an increased burden of proof here).
• Illegal immigration or previous violations of immigration laws (e.g. also someone who falsely pretended to be a US citizen, smuggler, abuse of US student visas, other visa abuse, stowaways, etc.)
• not being able to present a valid ID or passport (document required)
• does not qualify to (ever) obtain US citizenship
• previously expelled by US authorities
• other reasons, such as B. polygamist, child abduction, unauthorized participation in democratic elections or falsifying democratic elections, as well as former US citizens who have resigned their citizenship in order to evade the tax.

Finally, there is a personal conversation at the American embassy. You do not yet receive the actual card, just an immigrant visa. This must be used for the first entry into the USA within six months of the mandatory medical examination. A minimum stay is not required for this first entry.

Odds of winning

The chances of winning the lottery depend on the country of birth, as the number of participants and the number of winners per country varies greatly.

The following table shows the chances of winning participants from selected countries based on DV-2012. Countries with very few participants or winners (e.g. Kiribati , San Marino  or Liechtenstein ) were not taken into account as the low values ​​are not statistically meaningful.

country	Participants (persons)	winner	Chance of winning
New Zealand	5707	309	5.41%
Australia	17.163	900	5.24%
Hungary	15,503	325	2.10%
Switzerland	11,590	229	1.98%
Germany	102,375	1709	1.67%
Austria	8139	130	1.60%
Russia	167,600	2353	1.40%
Ukraine	1,122,086	5799	0.52%
Nigeria	2,005,876	6024	0.30%
Bangladesh	8,562,251	2373	0.03%

Individual implementation

execution	Registration period	Announcement of the winners	Participants worldwide	winner
DV-2021	October 2 - November 5, 2019	originally planned for May 5, 2020, postponed to June 6, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
DV-2020	October 3 - November 6, 2018	May 7, 2019
DV-2019	October 18 - November 22, 2017 (originally October 3 to November 7, 2017)	18th May 2018
DV-2018	October 4 - November 7, 2016	2nd May 2017	23,088,613 people in 14,692,258 registrations	Worldwide: 115,968 Germany : 886 Switzerland : 85 Austria : 89 Liechtenstein : 0
DV-2017	October 1st - November 3rd, 2015	May 3, 2016	19,344,586 people in 12,437,190 registrations	Worldwide: 83,910 Germany: 532 Switzerland: 96 Austria: 71 Liechtenstein: 3
DV-2016	October 1 - November 3, 2014	May 5, 2015	17,573,350 people in 11,391,134 registrations	Worldwide: 91,563 Germany: 678 Switzerland: 122 Austria: 50 Liechtenstein: 0
DV-2015	October 1 - November 2, 2013	May 1, 2014	14,397,781 people in 9,388,986 registrations	Worldwide: 125,514 Germany: 1354 Switzerland: 194 Austria: 134 Liechtenstein: 3
DV-2014	October 2 - November 3, 2012	1st of May 2013	14,633,767 people in 9,374,191 registrations	Worldwide: 140,660 Germany: 1696 Switzerland: 224 Austria: 150 Liechtenstein: 1
DV-2013	October 4 - November 5, 2011	May 1, 2012	12,577,463 people in 7,941,400 registrations	Worldwide: 105,628 Germany: 1253 Switzerland: 131 Austria: 108 Liechtenstein: 0
DV-2012	October 5 - November 3, 2010	May 1, 2011 (canceled) July 15, 2011	19,672,268 people in 14,768,658 registrations	Worldwide: 100,021 Germany: 1709 Switzerland: 229 Austria: 130 Liechtenstein: 0
DV-2011	October 2 - November 30, 2009		16,511,508 people in 12,001,578 registrations	Germany: 1895 Switzerland: 195 Austria: 147 Liechtenstein: 1
DV-2010	October 2 - December 1, 2008		13,597,828 people in 9,534,011 registrations	Germany: 2188 Switzerland: 185 Austria: 181 Liechtenstein: 0
DV-2009			13,185,013 people in 9,147,340 registrations	Germany: 1973 Switzerland: 230 Austria: 145 Liechtenstein: 1
DV-2008	October 4, 2006 - December 3, 2006		10,064,316 people in 6,455,167 registrations	Germany: 1469 Switzerland: 132 Austria: 70 Liechtenstein: 0
DV-2007	October 5, 2005 - December 4, 2005		9,070,227 people in 5,565,562 registrations	Germany: 1047 Switzerland: 104 Austria: 74 Liechtenstein: 0
DV-2006	November 5, 2004 to January 7, 2005		approx. 6,300,000 registrations	Germany: 998 Switzerland: 139 Austria: 62 Liechtenstein: 1
DV-2005	November 1, 2003 - December 30, 2003		approx. 9,500,000 registrations	Germany: 1275 Switzerland: 136 Austria: 91 Liechtenstein: 1
DV-2004	October 7, 2002 - November 6, 2002		approx. 7,300,000 registrations	Germany: 1227 Switzerland: 183 Austria: 64 Liechtenstein: 1
DV-2003	October 1, 2001 - October 31, 2001		approx. 6,200,000 registrations	Germany: 850 Switzerland: 163 Austria: 64 Liechtenstein: 0
DV-2002	October 2, 2000 - November 1, 2000		around 10,000,000 registrations	Germany: 1090 Switzerland: 105 Austria: 56 Liechtenstein: 0
DV-2001			approx. 13,000,000 registrations	Germany: 1902 Switzerland: 167 Austria: 90 Liechtenstein: 0
DV-2000	October 1, 1998 to October 31, 1998		approx. 2,600,000 registrations	Germany: 3417 Switzerland: 420 Austria: 170 Liechtenstein: 1
DV-1999			approx. 3,400,000 registrations	Germany: 2972 Switzerland: 180 Austria: 151 Liechtenstein: 11
DV-1998			approx. 4,700,000 registrations	Germany: 2510 Switzerland: 570 Austria: 152 Liechtenstein: 0
DV-1997			approx.6,500,000 registrations	Germany: 2330 Switzerland: 772 Austria: 213 Liechtenstein: 2
DV-1996			approx. 4,500,000 registrations	Germany: 2179 Switzerland: 398 Austria: 205 Liechtenstein: 7
DV-1995			approx.6,500,000 registrations	Germany: 2013 Switzerland: 361 Austria: 301 Liechtenstein: 0

particularities

DV-2012

On May 14, 2011, it was announced that the random algorithm used to select the green card applicants had not worked correctly. The US Department of the Interior withdrew the results published a few days earlier and announced new results for July 15, 2011. The algorithm accidentally preferred early applications. A class action lawsuit on behalf of 22,000 alleged winners from the incorrect raffle was dismissed on July 14, 2011.

DV-2016

While in previous years many winners had already reported online in social media  or internet forums just a few hours after the results were announced to express their joy or to seek help for the further process, there were no such reactions after May 5, 2015. In the first few days after the results were announced, no credible lottery winner was identified. Many participants reported having received the notification that they were not among the winners, while others only received an error message continuously. The responsible authorities first assured that there were no technical problems and that around 12,000 winners were able to successfully inquire about their status in the first 24 hours. More than 50 hours after the announcement of the results was opened, however, an error was admitted, whereupon the results query worked again as usual and winners could also be determined.

DV-2018

In the first few hours after the results were announced, there were again noticeably few winners. Many participants received an error message after entering their identification data. The competent authority confirmed the existence of an error after two days. A day later the problem was resolved and winners were also determined who previously received the error.

DV-2019

On October 16, 2017, the US State Department announced that due to technical problems, all applications filed between October 3 and 10, 2017 had been invalidated. This after the registration form was no longer available online for several days. The cause was an error in the validation of the participant's eligibility due to their country of birth. A repetition of the registration phase between October 18 and November 22, 2017 was agreed.

Web links

• Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, US website. Department of State

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Official instructions for DV-2015 ( Memento of the original from September 12, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. the US State Department (English)  
2. ↑ Kelly Jefferys: Characteristics of Diversity Legal Permanent Residents: 2004 , PDF, (English), accessed on May 7, 2015
3. ↑ Torsten Teichmann: Trump after attack: green card lottery "abolish as soon as possible". In: tagesschau.de. November 1, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017 . 
4. ↑ Frequently asked questions about the DV lottery ( Memento of the original from May 18, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. from the website of the US Embassy in Germany , accessed May 7, 2015  
5. ↑ Are there any advantages to participating in the Green Card Lottery with a Green Card Agency? ( Memento of the original from September 15, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. from greencardlotterie.org, accessed May 7, 2015 
6. ↑ Page 4 Official Statistics ( Memento of the original from March 7, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. the US State Department (English)  
7. ↑ Official price list for visa issuances ( Memento of the original from January 28, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. of the U.S. Department of State , accessed May 7, 2015  
8. ↑ INA: ACT 212 (a) of the United States (English)
9. ↑ Official statistics of the number of participants 2010-2012 ( Memento of the original from May 9, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. the US State Department (English) 
10. ↑ ^{a b} Notice on the official Facebook website of the US Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs , accessed November 2, 2017
11. ↑ US Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs - Visa Bulletin For July 2017
12. ↑ US Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs - Visa Bulletin For July 2016
13. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2016 of the US State Department (English)
14. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2015 ( Memento of the original from May 8, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. the US State Department (English) 
15. ↑ Official statistics DV-2014 ( Memento of the original from January 24, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. the US State Department (English)  
16. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2013 ( Memento of the original from May 7, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. the US State Department (English) 
17. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2012 ( Memento of the original from May 18, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. the US State Department (English) 
18. ↑ Statistics DV-2011 immigrationroad.com (English)
19. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2011 ( Memento of the original from May 18, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. the US State Department (English) 
20. ↑ Statistics DV-2010 immigrationroad.com (English)
21. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2010 ( Memento of the original from May 18, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. the US State Department (English) 
22. ↑ Statistics DV-2009 immigrationroad.com/, accessed on May 7, 2015
23. ↑ Statistics DV-2008 immigrationroad.com (English)
24. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2008 of the US State Department (English)
25. ↑ Statistics DV-2007 immigrationroad.com (English)
26. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2007 of the US State Department (English)
27. ↑ Statistics DV-2006 on usadiversitylottery.com
28. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2005 of the US State Department (English)
29. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2004 of the US State Department (English)
30. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2003 of the US State Department (English)
31. ↑ Official Statistics DV-2002 of the US State Department (English)
32. ↑ Statistics DV-2001 on brama.com (English)
33. ↑ Statistics DV-2000 on brama.com (English)
34. ↑ Statistics DV-1999 ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on ulitka.com (English)  
35. ↑ Statistics DV-1998 ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on ulitka.com (English)  
36. ↑ Statistics DV-1997 ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on ulitka.com (English)  
37. ↑ Statistics DV-1996 ( Memento of the original from July 30, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on ulitka.com (English)  
38. ↑ Statistics DV-1995 ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on ulitka.com (English)  
39. ↑ Official announcement ( Memento of the original from May 18, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , archived on the US Embassy in Costa Rica website , accessed May 7, 2015  
40. ↑ Green card raffle will be repeated at heise online due to software errors , accessed on May 7, 2015
41. ^ Court's Decision on the White & Associates law firm website , accessed May 7, 2015
42. ↑ Notice on the official Facebook website of the US State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs , accessed May 7, 2015
43. ↑ DV2018 Information entered not valid on britsimonsays.com (English), accessed on May 3, 2017
44. ^ Travel - State Dept on Twitter . In: Twitter . ( twitter.com [accessed May 4, 2017]).
45. ↑ DV2018 information entered not valid Fixed ~ BritSimonSays.com . In: BritSimonSays.com . May 4, 2017 ( britsimonsays.com [accessed May 4, 2017]).
46. ↑ Diversity Visa Lottery Entry Form taken off-line. In: immigrationinto.us. Retrieved October 11, 2017 . 
47. ↑ Announcement on the official website of the US Embassy in Ecuador , accessed on November 2, 2017