How to increase your chances of winning a green card: useful tips for lottery participants

Selection of Green Card Lottery Winners (registration is taking place right now) is completely random. The 50 available visas are annually claimed by 000 to 13 million people from around the world eligible for a visa. However, you can increase your and your family's chances of becoming residents of the United States in a variety of legal and acceptable ways. NOLO.

Photo: IStock

Of course, people are always looking for ways to improve their chances of success. For example, some tried to submit more than one application form. This prompted the US State Department to implement a system that automatically disqualifies anyone who submits multiple applications. And disqualification in this case applies to ALL of your applications.

However, there are still a few tricks that can increase your chances of winning.

1. A family can submit two applications

The best way to improve your family's chances of success is to submit applications from all eligible family members. The successful applicant may bring both their spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 with them to the United States.

On the subject: How to take the right photo for the green card lottery application: special tools and services

For example, let's say you and your spouse are New Zealand citizens, you both work in a lottery-eligible job, and you both graduated from high school. Your family now has two people who can win the lottery. You may submit one application on your own behalf, and your spouse may submit another application on their own. Each of you will receive a confirmation number. If one of you wins, the other will also get a green card.

It is important to remember that every person applying for a green card must meet the eligibility requirements. Therefore, if your spouse does not meet the requirements for employment, country of origin, or education, he or she is not eligible to apply on their own.

2. Children must also apply

The number of eligible members of one family is not limited. If you have children who meet the educational or work experience requirements (usually required to be at least 16-18 years old), these children may also participate in the lottery. If they win, they won't be able to transport you to the US immediately; but they will help you and other family members immigrate in the future through family reunification.

For example: You and your 20 year old son are both eligible for a green card and you are both applying. Your son wins and you don't. Your son enters the United States and becomes a legal permanent resident. After five years of residence in the US, your son can become a US citizen. As a US citizen, he can apply for you (considered to be his "immediate family member") to become a US resident and receive a green card.

3. Avoid using third party services

Many people trust visa consultants, agencies, or internet cafe attendants when it comes to registering for the visa lottery. AfricaPage. However, not all of them are good at this job. Some of them are newbies, some of them are very knowledgeable, but sometimes they can be careless in filling out your questionnaire for one reason or another. For example, just because of fatigue. Basically, during the submission of applications, long queues line up at the offices of those who have had more winners in past years. And they are simply unable to control all the nuances and avoid typos under such pressure.

Therefore, it is better for you to fill out the application form yourself, especially since it is very easy to do (here is a detailed instruction from ForumDaily).

4. Don't lie

Write only the truth about yourself: your marital status, your qualifications, your nationality, your date of birth, first and last name (exactly as in your documents), your other personal data and the data of your family members must be accurate. Otherwise, even if you win a green card, you will not be able to get it.

5. Use only English letters

When filling out the form, make sure you use only English letters. It is preferable to use uppercase letters rather than lowercase. For example, if your name is written in French: "Aimé", you'd better write AIME to avoid using an accent mark.

6. Take the right photo

Many applicants fly out before the draw even starts and do not even know about it. The system will automatically disqualify applications whose photos do not meet the requirements. There are many requirements and conditions from background to head size (here we have described everything in detail).

Read the photo instructions carefully and follow them.

7. Try to apply early

In general, applying at the beginning or end of the registration period does not affect your chances of winning in any way. But it is better to fill out the questionnaire not in the last days. Anything can happen: bad internet, slow site loading, etc. If you postpone the process until the last 5 minutes of the registration period, then you may simply miss it.

8. Confirm your application

An African proverb says: "If you kill a snake, cut off its head."

Application confirmation is the most important and last button! Don't forget about it. After clicking it, the site may not accept the application, but highlight some errors in the form if you used the wrong characters. Fix them and click "Apply" (Submit)!

9. Save the confirmation number

After confirming the application, you will receive your "lottery ticket" (confirmation number). Don't lose it! This is a document without which you will never know if you have won or not. Save at least a screenshot of the verification number in your Google Drive or Google Photos if possible.

10. Do not share personal information with strangers

It is generally not recommended to share your details such as full name, date of birth, passport number, or even a copy of your passport with strangers.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants, and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York.

If you are now thinking: “Ha! And how can this affect my chances of winning a green card?”, then the answer is simple: double applications are disqualified. Someone who wants you to fail (and thus hopes to eliminate a competitor) could submit a second application with your personal information.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Four reasons why you can be deprived of a green card

How to treat teeth in America if you do not have insurance and money

How to take the right photo for the green card lottery application: special tools and services

Which of the relatives can be transported to the US by a green card holder

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