The Diversity Visa Program comprises a ten-step process: submitting an entry, applicant selection, confirmation of selection, confirming qualifications, submitting the visa application, providing supporting documents, attending an interview, preparing for it, undergoing the interview, and managing post-interview procedures. This systematic approach guides applicants through the program’s stages toward potential immigration opportunities.
Successful candidates and their immediate families, upon selection, gain the opportunity to secure permanent residency in the United States. Notably, the application process is free, and winners are chosen randomly by a computer. Those selected must fulfill the same criteria as any other US Green Card applicant. Notification for successful applicants generally occurs approximately 7 months after submission, and the government may take up to 14 months to arrange interviews and issue visas.
According to Travel.State.Gov, the entry window for the DV-2025 Diversity Visa Program was open from October 4, 2023, to November 7, 2023. As of now, no entries are being accepted. As of September 5, 2023, over 54,000 status issuances/adjustments have been recorded globally out of the 54,833 Diversity Visas (DVs) allocated for fiscal 2023. Moreover, according to US immigration regulations, no individual country can obtain more than 7% of the total available DVs within a single fiscal year.
The American Dream highlights restrictions on Green Card Lottery participation, barring individuals from specific countries. According to the current regulations, those born in Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam cannot apply for the program. These exclusions are based on historical immigration rates to the United States and aim to diversify the pool of immigrants entering the country through this particular visa program.
In certain regions, particularly in Africa, the Green Card Lottery can yield more than 3,500 winners due to the random selection process. Countries with higher applicant numbers, like Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Cameroon, and the Congo, might generate more winners proportionally. However, the actual successful applicants tend to be lower due to factors like some winners not proceeding with the application, educational and professional disparities, and financial constraints.
To maintain immigration diversity, a cap of 3,500 Green Cards per participating country is set, processing only the first 3,500 qualified responses in cases of overflow. Countries with fewer winners have higher chances of obtaining the desired immigrant visa if all requirements are met during the acceptance process, usually assisted within the service tariff for customers.
Diversity Immigrant Visa Program: Impact on the US Economy
The Green Card lottery enables immigrants from less represented nations to enrich diverse sectors such as technology, healthcare, and entrepreneurship. Their presence fuels innovation and economic expansion, evidenced by their entrepreneurial ventures, elevated rates of business inception, and substantial tax contributions. This not only boosts consumer expenditure and government revenue but also aids in tackling demographic hurdles.
According to The White House, immigrants significantly contribute to the U.S. economy by expanding the labor force and boosting productivity. Economists find that immigrants, being more mobile in response to economic changes, help labor markets function more efficiently. Research also shows that a 1% increase in immigrant college graduates leads to a 9% to 18% rise in patents per capita, highlighting their substantial impact on innovation.
American companies are industry pioneers. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) sets design and user experience standards with its iconic iPhone, Mac, and iPad. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) revolutionizes automotive technology, promoting electric vehicles and advancing autonomous driving. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has transformed retail through its online platform, branching into cloud computing (Amazon Web Services) and entertainment (Amazon Prime Video).
On November 30, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) revealed its partnership with the new Amkor manufacturing and packaging facility in Peoria, Arizona. Amkor, investing approximately $2 billion, will package Apple silicon from the nearby TSMC fab, where Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is the primary customer. This collaboration aims to establish the largest outsourced advanced packaging facility in the U.S., creating over 2,000 jobs upon completion. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) remains committed to its $430 billion investment in the U.S. economy over five years, progressing steadily through direct spending with American suppliers, data center investments, U.S. capital expenditures, and other domestic initiatives.
On November 30, Bloomberg reported that Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has begun delivering Cybertrucks resembling Blade Runner’s aesthetic. CEO Elon Musk handed over a few trucks, including one to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. The base model costs $60,990, up over 50% from the initially speculated price four years ago. However, this model won’t be available until 2025. Reservations are open for models priced at $79,990 and $99,990, with the highest battery range at around 340 miles, falling short of the initially advertised 500 miles.
On December 1, CNBC reported that Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has purchased three rocket launches from SpaceX for its Project Kuiper internet satellites. This unexpected decision from Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) comes as the company’s Kuiper system seeks to enter the competitive satellite broadband market, directly challenging Elon Musk’s Starlink. Despite SpaceX’s assertive stance on launching competitors to its own Starlink program, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) opted to collaborate with the prolific rocket operator for its satellite deployment needs.
Let’s now move to the 15 top countries that qualify for the DV lottery.
Methodology
Our approach to rank the 15 largest countries eligible for the Green Card Lottery involved an analysis of The American Dream‘s 2023 data, specifically focusing on global winner statistics. The ranking was determined by identifying the countries with the highest number of global winners. The list is in ascending order of winner statistics of the diversity visa program.
15 Biggest Countries that Qualify for the Green Card Lottery
- Yemen
Winner Statistics DV-24: 3485
The U.S. Department of State has designated the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti as the location responsible for handling the processing of Diversity Visa (DV) applications submitted by individuals from Yemen. This could involve managing the selection process, conducting interviews, and processing the necessary paperwork for Yemeni citizens who have applied for the Diversity Visa Program to potentially obtain a Green Card and immigrate to the US. Facilitating this process aims to provide opportunities for individuals from Yemen to pursue residency in the United States and contribute to its diverse cultural landscape.