Anticipated by many people around the world, it is perhaps your only chance to establish permanent residence in the US to enjoy privileges like living and working permanently in the US! Not only do participants have rights, but also your families! The DV lottery or the official green card lottery as such is the right option to choose if you have a desire to get a green card and settle in the US.
Five ways to avoid lottery scams:
The DV lottery is administered by the Department of State and the lottery program makes 50,000 visas available to immigrants from countries with low immigration rates and hence the name Diversity Visa Lottery Program. The winners usually obtain permanent residency through the lottery which usually starts in the month of October and ends in the month of November. Each year, the Department of State selects more DV winners than the total number of green cards awarded for that year. If you win, depending on the region of the world you belong to, you will get a number that shows your place in line.
Considering the popularity and benefits of the DV lottery, it is not surprising that people often encounter many scams while participating in the lottery program.
The DV lottery program is a free program. However, there are numerous websites that offer services for a certain sum to people who are willing to participate in the lottery. Not all of these businesses are legitimate and there are chances that innocent people get scammed and lose a lot of money. The US Department of State provides its service by warning applicants about the scam-related business and ways to address such issues.
There is no fee associated with participating in the Green Card lottery program. There are some websites that charge a fee for the service they offer and in this regard you should opt for legitimate companies that follow the same guidelines specified by the government when submitting your registration. Consider whether you really need the service for something you may very well handle yourself.
No body has the right to claim to have a different form to improve their chances of winning. The chances of winning can generally be increased in two ways, either by submitting your application without errors to ensure that you will not be disqualified. Another option may be for you and your spouse, if you are both eligible, to apply separately to double your chances of winning.
Beware of websites posing as government sites. It may look and sound similar to the government in every way, but the website may be an imposter. Basically, a government site will have an as.gov domain, so find the right one.
Winner notifications are not sent via email. The winning notification will be sent as an official letter from the Kentucky Consular Center, US Department of State in Williamsburg. The status of your application can be checked online at the E-DV website to see if you won the lottery.
After selection in the DV lottery, the Department of State will collect the filing fee that is required for the immigrant visa application. No fees are charged prior to declaration of winners.