It is the dream of many people to work in the US, at least for some period of time. There could be many reasons why people think so. But whatever be the motivation factor, you must apply for green card to work in this country. The green card lottery is held by the US State Department and about 50,000 visas are issued, annually. There are of course, certain eligibility criteria that need to be fulfilled by those who would like to apply for the visa. This lottery is generally held two years ahead; in case you want to go and work in the US in 2015, you must have applied for the green card in 2013.

After applying for the green card, a set of documents should be submitted that is then verified by the respective authorities. There are several factors that could affect your chances at this lottery. Unlike the money lotteries where each person has an equal chance of winning, the green card lottery favors people with a certain background; each year citizens from only certain countries are allowed to participate in this lottery and they also need to meet the stipulated educational and work experience to even be considered for the green card.

Why Register for The Green Card Lottery?

There are only certain ways of legally becoming a US citizen. Either you would have to wait a couple of years and then apply for the green card or register for the green card lottery right away. If you have the requisite education and work experience qualifications, and your country is one of those mentioned in the US Department of State list for that specific year, you’re at a greater advantage of winning the green card lottery. If your name or the family’s name is chosen, you become a permanent resident through this method, without having to wait for an extended period of time.

Who Is Eligible for the Green Card Lottery?

Before you submit the application for the green card lottery, it would be a sensible idea to gather some information on how strong your candidature would be for the green card. Section 203 Immigration and the Nationality Act would specify the countries that are eligible to apply for the green card that particular year. The US looks at the six regions which haven’t had more than 50,000 immigrants extending over the last five years. To increase your chance at the green card lottery you need to be from one of these six countries. Additionally, the requirements include:

• Ensure that the online application reaches well before the deadline to avoid being rejected on the grounds that you submitted the form after the last date.
• At least two years of your professional experience must include training. Also, two years of your last five years, you must have worked in an “eligible” profession—a profession that is on the list issued by the US State Department, as one of the criteria for entering into the green card lottery.

What Happens After Your Application?

To enter in the green card lottery “competition”, you must submit an online application at the US Department of State as soon as you the year’s eligibility list is announced. Since only 50,000 visas are issued, you have to get your application well within time. If all the applications are in order, then those people who are the firsts to have applied have a greater chance at acing this “game”. Once you have applied for the green card, you just have to wait until the last date for submission of the forms. You would be told when you would receive your “Notice of Approval” from the State Department. For instance, the 2008 applicants would be told of their “win” in 2009, sometime between April and July.