If you win the green card lottery, this does not mean that you will now automatically receive a green card. This is just the beginning of the journey. Lottery winners need to take the following steps: ⠀
- Complete Form DS-260 (in English). It indicates marital status, personal data, information about studies, work, and criminal records.
- In response to the form, you will receive an email with the text “Your inquiry or message has been received and routed to the appropriate group”. This is a standard message indicating that your form has been received. On average, after 7-10 days you receive a letter stating that your application is being processed.
- Then you need to collect all the necessary documents and their translations (passports, diplomas, work records, certificates of no criminal record, etc.)
- Pass a medical examination. This can only be done in special certified centers; their addresses can be found on the website www.usembassy.gov. Get a certificate of vaccinations and do the missing vaccinations, or get a doctor’s report explaining why you cannot be vaccinated for health reasons.
- Interview. It is recommended to prepare for it with an immigration lawyer. Winning the green card lottery does not mean that the interview will be light and you need not preparation for it. If you successfully pass it, you will be issued a visa for 6 months, during which time you need to enter the United States.
You can fill out Form DS-260 and prepare all the documents yourself. But if you are not confident in your abilities and do not want to miss your chance due to annoying mistakes and ignorance of all the intricacies of the process, it is recommended to contact an immigration lawyer. This is especially recommended for those who have already tried to get a US visa and were refused or had any other problems related to immigration or US visas
The lucky winners of the green card lottery can schedule a consultation using the form below.