REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible to enter the lottery, you must meet general and education/training requirements. Both are described below.

General Requirements

To enter the lottery, an applicant must be able to claim nativity in an eligible country and must meet either the education or training requirement of the lottery program. Nativity in most cases is determined by the applicant's place of birth. However, if a person was born in an ineligible country but his/her spouse was born in an eligible country, such person can claim the spouse's country of birth rather than his/her own. Also, if a person was born in an ineligible country, but neither of his/her parents was born there or resided there at the time of the birth, such person may be able to claim nativity in one of the parent's country of birth.

If you were born in any of the following countries, you cannot participate in this year's Green Card Lottery:

CANADA
CHINA (mainland, except Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan)
COLOMBIA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
EL SALVADOR
GREAT BRITAIN and its dependent territories (except Northern Ireland)
HAITI
INDIA
JAMAICA
MEXICO
PAKISTAN
PHILIPPINES
SOUTH KOREA
VIETNAM

You may still qualify even if you were born in one of the countries listed above. There are two exceptions.  If your spouse was born in an eligible country, then you can claim your spouse's country of birth and be eligible to enter the lottery. If you were born in a country of which neither parent was a native, then you may claim the country of birth of either parent and be eligible to enter the lottery. A short statement explaining how you meet this exception must be included with your application.

Education/Training Requirements

To enter, an applicant must have EITHER a high school education or its equivalent, defined in the US as successful completion of a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education, OR two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform.

If you meet the general and education/training requirements, complete your application today! If you do not meet the above requirements, you cannot participate in this year's Green Card Lottery Program.

Photo Requirements

The entry will be disqualified if all required photos are not attached. Recent photographs of the applicant and his/her spouse and each child, including all natural children as well as all legally-adopted and stepchildren, excepting a child who is already a U.S. citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident, even if a child no longer resides with the applicant, must be attached to the entry. The name and date of birth of each family member must be printed on the back of their photo. Group or family photos will not be accepted; there must be a separate photo for each family member. Photos should be attached with tape and not stapled to the entry. If there is insufficient room on the front of the entry, applicants may tape photos to the back of the page.

If photos do not conform to the following specifications, the entry will be disqualified:

SIZE: Between 1 ½ by 1 ½ and 2 by 2 inches (37-50 mm) square, with the applicant’s, spouse's, or child's name and date of birth printed on the back.

Applicant, spouse, or child must be directly facing the camera; the head of the person being photographed should not be tilted up, down or to the side, and should cover about 50% of the area of the photo.

The photo should be taken with the person being photographed in front of a neutral, light-colored background. Photos taken with very dark or patterned, busy backgrounds will not be accepted.

Photos in which the face of the person being photographed is not in focus will not be accepted.

Photos in which the person being photographed is wearing sunglasses or other paraphernalia which detracts from the face will not be accepted.

Photos of applicants wearing head coverings or hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and even then, may not obscure any portion of the face of the applicant. Photos of applicants with tribal or other headgear not specifically religious in nature is not acceptable. Photos of military, airline or other personnel wearing hats will not be accepted.

Photos may be either color or black and white.