USA Diversity Visa Lottery
Annually, more than 100 thousand participants of the DV lottery (Diversity Visa Lottery) are fighting for the chance to get a greencard. However, only half of them become holders of the coveted visas.
For each geographic region, and even the country, the US Department of State allocates a certain number of green cards, but not more than 7% of the total. It depends on the level of immigration from a specific country; the more of your fellow citizens immigrated to the United States, the less likely your winnings. Every year, the chances of immigrants from the former Soviet Union winning the Diversity Immigrant Visa decreases, due to the fact that the numbers of participants are growing, especially amid rumors that the Green Card2019 could be the last draw (President Donald trump has repeatedly threatened to close the DV lottery).
There are no Green Card statistics for 2019 yet. But, according to the US Bureau of Consular Relations, during the previous lottery, Green Card 2018, the following number of cards were awarded to these countries:
Ukraine- 4,478
Russia- 4,500
Belarus- 1,466
Kazakhstan- 1,020
Georgia- 1,195
Armenia- 2,844
Azerbaijan- 961
Estonia- 61
Latvia- 91
Lithuania- 257
Tajikistan- 1,209
Turkmenistan- 306
Uzbekistan- 4,494
At the stage of winning the Diversity Immigrant Visa, after you obtain the possibility to become a permanent resident of the United States, about half of the applicants are eliminated. This is due to factors such as:
Incorrect paperwork; the lack of funds to pay the visa fee, medical check-up or first months of residence in the United States; violation of terms of submission of the application for a visa (until 30 September of the current year); refusal based on interview results.
Even if you execute all documents and signed up for an interview with an immigration officer, it does not guarantee you obtaining a residence permit because of the existence of a certain quota of green cards that may just end before it is your turn.
By Shawn Wayne