[US Green Card Lottery] DV Lottery Application Guide: Required Documents, Eligibility, and Tips

I'm sure plenty of people interested in immigrating to the US want to know what options there are for coming to live here. One of them is the DV Lottery, a green card lottery the US government offers. Since the chance is there, you might as well give it a shot. After all, if you enter, there's hope XD. Let's start by getting a good look at what the DV Lottery is and how to apply.

What is the DV Lottery?

Its official name is the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV for short). It's also called the lottery immigrant visa or the green card lottery (Visa Lottery), and some people call it the lotto green card. The US government runs it every year: all you have to do is apply online for a chance to get a US permanent resident visa (that is, a green card). It's meant to attract eligible applicants to immigrate to the US. Each year there are only 50,000 spots worldwide, applying is completely free, if you're selected you have a shot, and winners can even bring their family along. It really is like a lottery~ I only found out this existed after I came to the US XD.

When to apply

Usually October to November each year; the officially announced dates are what count.
This year's application period is: Eastern Time 2023/10/4 12 noon – 2023/11/7 12 noon.

What you need to apply

• A digital US visa photo
  It must be 5 * 5 cm, taken within the last six months, and above all you absolutely cannot wear glasses. If you go to a photo studio and say you need a US visa photo, they'll usually know what to watch for, and having a professional take it is the safer bet. For more details, see the official guidelines and examples.

• Passport (keep it next to you for reference; when filling in the form, it's best to go by the information on your passport)

• If you have dependents (a spouse or children under 21), each member also needs a photo file and passport information.

Eligibility

• First, check that your place of birth is on the eligible list. Luckily Taiwan is on it! For the full list of restrictions, see this page.

• A high school education or higher, or the equivalent (12 years of schooling), or two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation on this US list.

• As long as they meet the requirements above, every member of the same family can apply, even if they're listed as each other's dependents, which raises your odds of winning.

• You can apply even if you don't know English, but the form must be filled out in English.

Things to watch out for

• Each person can only enter once. Entering more than once automatically disqualifies you.

• Your photo must meet the requirements. A photo that doesn't will also disqualify you automatically. For example, if you accidentally upload a photo with glasses on, you're usually out right away.

• Make sure you fill in everything truthfully. Any missing or false information will also disqualify you.

• The online form has a 30-minute time limit, so you have to finish it in one go. I suggest reading my detailed step-by-step guide first, getting familiar with the form, and having all the required information and photo files ready before you start.

How to fill out the lottery form

Application site: https://dvprogram.state.gov
Full explanation, easy-to-read version: How to Apply for the US Green Card Lottery – Overview
Super detailed guide with screenshots here: Filling Out the US Green Card Lottery Form – Tutorial
The application form is basically similar every year, so you can use these for reference~
Good luck to everyone with an American dream!
Have a good dream：）

For more about life in the US, follow: 比如說美國Blog｜Instagram｜Facebook