The Diversity Lottery: What Is The Cost?

Many immigrants who want to come to America do not understand how the diversity lottery works, or what the cost is to apply for a greencard in this way. This lottery is operated by the US State Department, and each year up to fifty thousand lawful permanent resident cards are given out to immigrants who have qualified, and these individuals are drawn randomly from the pool of applicants. There are some fraudulent companies who offer immigrants a better chance to be drawn in this lottery in exchange for a fee, and these companies are scams. There is no legitimate way to improve the odds of having a specific name or number drawn in this lottery, and companies who promise otherwise are simply defrauding immigrants with high hopes. Any immigrant outside the USA who has been defrauded in this way should contact the American embassy in their home country.

Is This Really Free?

Applying for and being selected in the diversity lottery does not cost anything, but there may be some costs associated with meeting the requirements for applying for or receiving the green card. Any individual who submits an application for the lottery must include a passport photo of themselves and any spouse or dependents. Certain documentation may also be required to be submitted to the American embassy for verification purposes. In some cases there may be a fee in the home country of the immigrant to obtain these documents. There should never be any charge to apply for the lottery however, and any company which claims to help in this area should be reported immediately. These businesses will not improve the chances of being drawn in the diversity lottery, but they will take money for these bogus services.

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