Requirements to apply for the Green Card Lottery
Practically anyone can participate in the Green Card Lottery, although it is important to meet two fundamental requirements: the country of birth and the level of education attained. When you win the lottery, you will need to provide evidence that you meet these two essential criteria.
Green Card Lottery
Take the opportunity to live in the United States and apply for the Green Card Lottery.
The requirement to present a passport to enter the Green Card Lottery has been overturned by a U.S. federal judge. Learn how it happened and why it is good news.
Country of birth
The country where you were born is key to participating in the Green Card Lottery, as not all countries are eligible. Some are excluded because they have high immigration rates to the United States.
Any country that has received more than 50,000 Green Cards in the last five years through other immigration pathways, such as family reunification or work visas, is automatically out of the lottery. Because of this, the list of eligible and ineligible countries can vary from year to year, so it is very important to check it before each application.
Keep in mind that what matters for participation is not your nationality, but specifically your country of birth according to current borders.
Exceptions for participants born in excluded countries
Even if you were born in a country excluded from the Green Card Lottery, there are exceptions that allow you to participate under certain circumstances:
If your spouse was born in a country eligible for the lottery, you can participate by indicating their country as a reference.
You may also be eligible if your parents were only temporarily in your country of birth (for example, for work or study) at the time of your birth. In this case, both parents must be from a country that can participate.
If you meet any of these special cases, you can use your parents’ or spouse’s country of birth as your “country of eligibility” on the application. If you have questions about your particular situation, feel free to consult us. At Road to The American Dream, our purpose is to help you achieve your goal of living and working in the United States. We are here to advise you!
Check if you can apply for the Green Card
Countries excluded from applying for the Green Card Lottery
Currently, the following countries cannot participate in the Green Card Lottery due to their high immigration rates to the United States:
Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong), Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
However, individuals born in the Special Administrative Region of Macau and in Taiwan are eligible to participate in the lottery.
Training or work requirements
To participate in the Green Card Lottery, you need to meet at least one of the following requirements:
Have a degree equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma, meaning you have completed at least 12 years of formal primary and secondary education, or
Have acquired at least two years of work experience in a qualified occupation during the last five years. A qualified occupation is one that requires a minimum of two years of specialized training. You can check if your profession is eligible in the official database provided by the U.S. Department of State.
If you do not meet at least one of these requirements, unfortunately, you will not be able to participate in the lottery. If you have any questions about your particular situation, at Road to The American Dream we will be happy to assist you.
If you do not qualify to participate in the Green Card Lottery, remember that you still have alternatives to visit the United States, such as traveling using the ESTA permit or applying for an appropriate temporary visa for extended stays.
Age requirements to apply for the Green Card Lottery
In principle, the Green Card Lottery does not set any specific age limit for participation. This means that people of any age could submit their application, as long as they meet the fundamental requirements related to education or work experience.
However, in practical terms, participants under the age of 16 generally cannot meet the educational requirement, as the lottery requires having completed at least an education equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma, which implies 12 full years of formal primary and secondary education. For this reason, although there is no formal age restriction, in practice it is almost impossible for someone under 16 to meet these conditions.
On the other hand, there is no maximum age limit. Adult and retired individuals are also eligible to participate, as long as they can demonstrate that they meet the educational requirements or, alternatively, have at least two years of qualified work experience in the last five years.
If you have specific questions about your situation, your eligibility, or that of a family member regarding age and educational or work requirements, feel free to consult with Road to The American Dream. We will be happy to help clarify any questions and guide you throughout the process.
Don't miss the opportunity to obtain the Green Card.
Information for the application
What information is requested in the application?
Registration for the Green Card Lottery is done exclusively online and is completely free and without obligation. The electronic form requires basic personal information, such as your first and last name, date of birth, city and country of birth, level of education, and a recent digital photograph that meets the official requirements set by the U.S. Department of State.
If you have family, you must also provide the personal details and current photographs of your spouse and all your unmarried children under 21 years old, regardless of whether they intend to emigrate with you. At this initial point, no passport information is required.
From Road to The American Dream, we recommend paying special attention when providing this information, as minimal errors can lead to automatic disqualification of your application.
What level of language skills do I need to participate?
Many people interested in applying for the Green Card Lottery wonder if it is necessary to have a good level of English to participate. The answer is clear: it is not mandatory to demonstrate any prior knowledge of the English language to participate or to win.
In fact, many lottery winners have successfully obtained the Green Card and emigrated without knowing English. Despite this, from Road to The American Dream, we strongly recommend that you start learning English as soon as possible, to be better prepared and able to quickly adapt to everyday and work life in the United States once you win.
Do I need to prove my finances when registering?
Another common question is whether you need to provide proof or documentation related to your financial situation when registering. The answer is no. During the initial registration for the Green Card Lottery, no financial data or proof of economic solvency is requested.
These financial checks are only requested later if you are selected as a winner during the subsequent processing of your Green Card.
If you have more questions about how to correctly complete your application or about any aspect related to the Green Card Lottery, our specialized team at Road to The American Dream will be happy to help clarify them and guide you throughout the process.
