There is only a limited time within which you can get a green card through the diversity visa lottery in Wisconsin. Every year, the Department of State releases detailed guidelines for entering the DV Program. If you are an applicant and you are new to this, contacting an immigration attorney is a must.
At Miller & Miller Immigration Attorneys, we treat every immigration concern with respect and urgency. We acknowledge the fact that time flies so fast. That’s why we act on your case with promptness and efficiency. Our legal team is dedicated to assisting immigrants with their complex situations and is ready to answer all their legal concerns. With over 20 years of experience, you can be assured that your case will be in good hands. If you are confused and in need of assistance, schedule a free initial consultation now!
Why do I need an Immigration Attorney in Wisconsin?
Entering the lottery is quite simple and doesn’t necessitate a lawyer’s assistance. However, after winning the lottery, that’s where a complicated process takes place. Hiring a seasoned immigration lawyer is well worth the investment of money to ensure that government delays don’t end up wasting your winning diversity lottery ticket. Before hiring one, consider the following characteristics of a good immigration lawyer:
- Personalized Immigration Assistance – Every person, regardless of legal issue, deserves a lawyer who commits to not only helping you understand but also to dealing with your specific concerns and personalizing its assistance for you. Choose a law firm that can deal with the technicalities of your case to ensure that you will be getting the right help.
- Understanding and Compassionate – Take your time evaluating the background of the immigration firm you intend to hire. Choose someone who is deeply committed to the preservation of justice and community service, whether in their professional or personal lives. This reassures you that your immigration attorney is understanding, and is committed to assisting you.
- Solid Reputation – Choosing a reputable immigration law firm does not only give you another level of assurance, but it also helps you prevent unwanted government delays. Hire someone who has substantial experience in legal practice with several affiliations. This will benefit you in a variety of ways.
For more than 20 years, Miller & Miller Immigration Attorneys has been a reputable immigration law firm in Wisconsin with a strong dedication to giving back to the community. Attorney James L. Miller has served as Board Chair at the Jewish Community Center in Milwaukee, providing for the whole community’s recreational, educational, and cultural programming. In helping individuals, we provide highly personalized services that specifically target their needs.
Our prudent services have helped thousands of individuals achieve their immigration goals. Solve your immigration problem now and schedule a free initial consultation with us today!
What is the Diversity Visa Lottery?
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, otherwise known as DV Lottery, is duly administered and supervised by the Department of State as a method to strengthen the diversity of immigrants entering the United States. Every year, the Diversity Visa Program grants lawful permanent resident status to 50,000 people chosen at random. It is worth noting, however, that the United States only applies this to countries that do not send a large number of immigrants to the country. It is a unique way for families and individuals who are ineligible to lawfully immigrate to the United States to obtain a green card.
Cost of Diversity Visa
When entering the green card lottery, no fee is required. However, if you’re one of the selected applicants for a Diversity Visa and you choose to apply, you will have to pay the green card application fees. Once you are selected, you will get the details and additional resources about the mandatory fees on the Diversity Visa website.
Overview of the Diversity Visa Process
The green card lottery winners are normally notified seven months after the day they submit their entry. After being selected, it may take up to 14 months to have a schedule for the interview and get your visa, depending on how soon you apply for your visa.
For example, if you applied for the green card lottery this year during the registration period (Oct – Nov), the winners will be announced in the month of May this year. The sooner you apply for the green card lottery, the sooner you will get the schedule for your visa interview. After receiving your visa, you have to enter the United States before the validity expires. A Diversity Visa is normally valid for a maximum of six months from the day of issuance.
Eligibility Requirements of Diversity Visa
When applying for a Diversity Visa, two main requirements must be present:
- Born in a qualifying country – To be qualified for a Diversity Visa, you should have been born in an eligible country with fewer than 50,000 immigrants to the US over the last five years. Notably, China, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and India were never included in the list since these are the countries that send a significant amount of immigrants to the US every year. For more information about the list of countries, the US Department of State enumerates the entire list.
Education – Another essential requirement for all Diversity Visa applicants is a high school diploma or two years of experience in work in the last five years in a career that requires a minimum of two years of experience, as recognized by the US Department of Labor.
Entering Green Card Lottery
It is totally easy to participate in the lottery. You just need to fill out a form on the US State Department’s website as soon as it is available, from October until early November. After you submit the application, it is imperative to keep the confirmation number since this will be the only proof you can use when you are selected.
Selection and Notification of Diversity Visa Winners
The proclaimed Diversity Visa Lottery winners are fairly chosen by a computer application, with a specific number of visas allotted to every region of the globe to prevent any country from getting much more than 7% of the diversity visas available.
Even though the specific dates can vary, applicants can still monitor the status of their entry through the Entrant Status Check found on the official Diversity Visa website. That’s the exact reason why the confirmation number is so crucial to remember. In the event that you cannot remember it, you lose the ability to see whether or not you have been selected.
If your entry is chosen in the green card lottery, you and your family members must comply with the same requirements as US green card applicants. People with criminal records are automatically disqualified.
What Will Happen Next?
It is critical to act as quickly as possible. While there are many opportunities to visit the United States, you should keep the following two factors in mind:
- First, your application should be processed and your diversity visa issued by the end of the fiscal year in which you are chosen.
- Second, there are more people chosen than there are Diversity Visas available. This means that if you wait too long, you may miss out on your own.
Avoiding Scams
Inevitably, even the Diversity Visa can sometimes be abused by scammers. They do this to defraud immigrants. To avoid this, consider the following helpful tips:
- As previously stated, there is no fee for entering the Diversity Visa. These are scammers if you see someone asking for a fee and claiming to be from the Department of State.
- If you receive notification that you have been selected as a lottery winner through email, this is not from the Department of State. You can only see whether or not you have been selected through the Entrant Status Check. Be cautious and always verify whether it is the official Department of State website. Don’t get confused with other scam internet sites.
Call our Wisconsin Immigration Attorney Now!
The entire process of earning a green card through the diversity visa lottery is not simple. Perhaps, every green card holder knows that the terminology used in US immigration is perplexing, as is the process. You don’t want to lose your winning lottery ticket. Hiring an experienced immigration attorney gives you peace of mind because he or she can guide you through any questions or confusion you may have.
Miller & Miller Immigration Attorneys have the experience and competence that you need. We offer highly personalized immigration assistance and effective solutions for your legal needs. With strong dedication, our legal team will thoroughly understand your situation with prudence and respect. For over 20 years, we’ve been helping thousands of individuals in Wisconsin solve their immigration problems.
Other than immigration, we also handle bankruptcy and personal injury. If you need assistance in any of the practice areas, book a free initial consultation now!
