To understand how to apply for green card there are several things that you should know. If you want to apply through the green card lottery, it is important to know that they are usually conducting the lottery two years ahead. As an example, next year the lottery will be held for the year 2011.

The green card lottery isn’t like the money lotteries. In a money lottery everyone who purchases a ticket has an equal chance of winning. With the green card lottery only people from certain countries are eligible to participate and they must meet educational and work experience criteria.

Why Register for The Green Card Lottery

It is to your advantage to register for the green card lottery rather than applying to get a green card in the normal way if you are from one of the countries that the U.S. Department of State is allowing in. The basic reason to register is because you will become a permanent resident through the lottery if your name or your family’s name is chosen. In other words, you do not have to go through getting a visitor’s VISA or spending time waiting if you are one of the people fortunate enough to get picked in the lottery.

Who Is Eligible for the Green Card Lottery?

Section 203 Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) specifies each year, who is eligible for the green card lottery. They will specify the countries that are eligible to apply for green card and the work and education requirements. In most cases the eligibility requirements are:

• You or your spouse must be from a country that is on the “eligible” list.
• You have worked at least two years in the last five years in an eligible profession. This profession must have also included two years of training.
• You must apply online before the deadline in order for your application to be accepted.

When you apply for green card you must be from one of the six different regions where the United States has designated. The reason for this is that the U.S. concentrates on regions where there have been less than 50,000 immigrants that have come into the U.S. within any of the last five years.

What Happens After Your Application?

After you apply for green card lottery you will have to wait until after the deadline of applications. Each year they will tell you the date by which you will receive the “Notice of Approval” from the U.S. Department of State. This letter will tell you exactly what to do to take advantage of your “win.” As an example, for the 2008 Green Card Lottery people who were approved will receive their letter of approval between April and July of 2009.

When you apply green card lottery you want to be sure to get your application in as soon as you can because once the 50,000 visas are given out, the program closes. If you are one of the first few applicants and your application is in order, you will stand a better chance of getting a visa.

All applicants for the Green Card Lottery must apply online at the U.S. Department of State because they are the ones who issue the visas.

You have received your green card in the green card lottery and now you have to know what to do in order to keep it. There are many things to think about once you have received this prestigious honor.

A green card is important to anything you do as a foreigner in the United States. When you get one from the green card lottery it is important to make sure that you understand this is for you to become a permanent citizen of the United States. This means that you will have to be a part of all the rules that every other citizen must do or not do.

The first thing to remember is to stay away from any criminal activity. The other thing is to stay in touch with immigration. There is a rule that says you must report a change of address if you leave one residence for another. You have ten days in which to change your address.

How People Break The Law

Although many people think that the only way that they can break the law is through something really big, many people are deported for things they may not think about. As an example, helping someone into the country illegally can get you in trouble with the law. Other things like beating up a family member or having a small amount of drugs could also get you deported.

The challenge is that there is no list of things that could get you deported so you have to be very careful. If you are arrested you will need the help of a criminal lawyer but also with an immigration lawyer. Both of these will have to help you defend your case because the laws will be different.

Criminal lawyers understand criminal law but they do not always understand immigration law. They may consult with you and give you the wrong advice based only on criminal law. This is why you must use both.

Going To Another Country

You can travel to other countries but after green card if you decide to make that other country home, you will lose your green card for the United States. The United States does not offer duo-citizenship like some other countries have; so be very careful. Some people think that you just have to come into the U.S. once a year to keep your status but this is not true. There are many differences in the immigration laws because of the Homeland Security Act and you cannot be sure unless you know the laws well.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure you are living in the United States and if you have to go out of the country for any extended period make sure you are back within six months. If you know that you will be out for a longer time, you must get a reentry permit before you leave.

Become a Permanent Citizen After Green Card

Once you secure your green card it is a good idea to apply for citizenship as soon as you can after green card. Usually you will have to live in the U.S. for five years after green card.

There a couple of exceptions to that five year rule. First, if you were married to a U.S. Citizen when you received your green card this time could go down to three years. If you received your green card because of political asylum you will only have to wait four years.

More important than anything after green card is to make sure you become the best citizen you can.

Permanent members of the United States who come from foreign countries usually are sponsored by someone. This means that an employer or a family member usually will sponsor their way over. However, the Green Card Lottery also is a way that many people win permanent visas.

However you enter the United States you will want to know more about the processing of the green card. In the beginning of the green card processing you will have to be patient. There are generally three steps to the process.

Step 1: Immigration Petition

This first step happens when an individual from a foreign country makes application to the United States. This could be through the Green Card Lottery or it could be through a family member already living in the U.S. as a citizen.

Step 2: Immigrant Visa Availability

There is a quota of numbers that is presented to the U.S. Department of State (DOS) that will issue a number to new people coming into the country. However, this may take awhile if they did not go through the Green Card Lottery or if they do not have a family member already living in the United States. Sometimes getting a number can take several years.

Step 3: Immigrant Visa Adjudication

This happens after an individual receives a number who is coming to the country in a way other than having a family member or through the Green Card Lottery. They will need to apply with USCIS to change their status to “permanent” or apply with DOS for an immigrant visa. They will have to go to the nearest US Consulate for this action.

During this step a criminal background check is done and the USCIS can decide either to approve the application or reject it. During the green card processing time they can live in the U.S. but they will have to stay in the country until the full green card processing is completed.

The entire green card processing can take several years so an individual applying must be patient.

Advantages of Green Card Lottery Application

If an individual knows they are coming to the United States to live within the next 3-5 years it may be a good idea to apply for the Green Card Lottery. This is an easier way to live in the country if you meet the qualifications. The point to the lottery is to give people permanent residency that come from countries that are under represented.

The U.S. Department of State determines which countries are eligible and the criteria they must have in order to be eligible to apply. If you know when you want to come, it is a good idea to apply sooner than later. As an example, if you are planning to come in 2011, you will need to apply in 2009. If you want to come sooner you will need to choose a different route than the Green Card Lottery.

There is no guarantee that you will “win” a place through the lottery but many people feel it is a better chance and takes less time for green card processing than other methods. You have a certain time you must apply within and then they have a few months to give you the visa or not. You are notified if you have received one through this process.

There is a lot of waiting and work that happens when you are gong through green card processing so it is important to know the best route for you. The Green Card Lottery has helped millions of people so it is an option that should be on your list.

When an individual first applies for a green card in the United States it can take many years to get one unless they have applied for the Green Card Lottery or they have a family member living in the United States. This is a process that is on a first come first served basis in order to make sure everyone’s application is processed.

In order to check on your status you will need an idea of the processing time it takes from application to final approval. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services the best way to check green card status is to go to their website. They list every application that they are currently working on and they list the date that the individual applied and their status. They do this for each USCIS service center.

In order to keep things fair all cases of the same type are processed in the order that the Immigration Services office receives them. They will then send out a letter to let each individual know whether their case was accepted, rejected or whether they need to send more information.

The challenge with the processing time is that it will be difficult to predict your green card status because the list is too long. There is no way of knowing how many cases came before you and how many you will have to wait to be processed before your application comes up.

Another way to check on your green card status is to call the customer service number listed on their website. They can give a better idea of the time when you give them your specific information. Processing times can also change as they continue to work on many visas. So, it is a good idea to check periodically.

Many visa applications that are received get a receipt number. This number is what you will use to check your green card status whether you go online or call customer service. With your receipt number you can check online for the most up to date green card status information.

There are two things to keep in mind when you are checking green card status:

• Your case is most likely in the pending pile because they are working on other applications. This means that you may have to wait until they get to the end of the current processing time.
• They will give you only basic information about your case because they are processing applications. They cannot do a thorough investigation to find out the exact green card status of each individual.

When you make your application some people will receive an “A” number that does not correspond to their green card status. This is just a number that corresponds to your account number. This will not let you track your application or get information from customer service.

Accelerated Processing

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has an accelerated processing if you have filled out form I-129. In other cases they can only decide to take a case out of its original order if there is a life or death situation, or if there is another type of emergency. They do not like to do this but if their processing will have an effect on the emergency situation they will consider accelerating your green card status.

Although they offer this opportunity it is very restrictive and they very rarely grant an accelerated green card status based on an emergency. This keeps the application process and the green card status processing fair for all applicants.

When you want to come to the United States and work or you want to come as a permanent citizen you must obtain a green card visa. You must apply for the visa and then wait through the processing time for them to make a decision.

Many people wait and try for the green card lottery. Also called the Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery, it is one way that many people get their green card visa quicker than the normal procedure.

Each year 50,000 people are granted their green card visa through this lottery. It is not like the money type lotteries because it is nothing that you “win.” Instead, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) will process applications quickly and decide which applications will get a card visa through this process and which will not. They randomly select the applications and once they have exhausted the number, they quit.

The application process is free and the green card visa processing is also free. Sometimes people will hire someone to help them go through the process and make sure they have all the information they need. This should not be confused with the U.S. Department of State’s information. They are the only official way to obtain your green card visa through their online application.

Other Ways To Get a Green Card Visa

There are other ways to get a permanent green card but the process will take time. Many come to the U.S. through a family member who already lives here. Others will get their employer to sponsor them. You can also apply to stay in the United States after you have been visiting.

Immigrant Status Towards Your Green Card Visa
Many people are already visiting and decide they want to stay in the United States. In most cases the individual has family or an employer who is willing to help in this matter. There must be an application made to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in order to start the process.

You will also have to have a green card visa number given to you if one is available. Since you are already in the United States after your receive your number you will have to apply again to adjust to permanent resident status which is the next step in the process.

You can receive a conditional green card visa if you have been married to a U.S. citizen for less than two years. They want to make sure that the marriage is going to last. If you go the route to ask a family member you must meet the following criteria:

• The relative has to be a citizen or they must have lawful permanent residency and they must be able to submit documentation that they have this status.
• The have to prove that they can support you through filling out an Affidavit of Support. They must be able to support you at 125% above the poverty line for the United States.

If you fall into any of the following categories you will not have to wait for a visa number before you get your green card visa:

• Unmarried adult sons and daughter over the age of 21 of U.S. citizens.
• If you are married to someone already a permanent resident of the U.S., if your children under 21.
• Married sons and daughters who are already U.S. citizens
• Brother and sisters of adults who are already U.S. citizens

As you can see getting a green card visa takes time so the Green Card Lottery can be a better alternative.

There are several different ways to get a green card but one of the first things that everyone has to do is make an application. There are several ways to make this application but they all must go through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

One of the best ways to make an application is through the Green Card Lottery if you know that you will be immigrating to the United States within the next three years. The reason this is so is that the Green Card Lottery usually is applied for about two years out. As an example, the 2010 lottery is already finished and was applied for in 2008.

A green card allows an individual to either work in the United States or become a permanent citizen. The Green Card Lottery automatically allows an individual to have permanent resident status. Once they receive this status it will take another five years to become a U.S. citizen in most cases.

This reason is one of the ways that people have found when they are seeking how to get a green card because the process takes less time. The names in the lottery are picked randomly by computer and once everything is in order the individual is able to come to the United States easily. There are 50,000 people who are chosen each year.

How To Get a Green Card Outside of the Lottery

An individual may have an employer that is able to sponsor them and bring them to the United States permanently. This would require the individual to have a skill that could be used in the U.S. and they may have to retrain in some areas. As an example, a doctor might be able to come to the U.S. but they would not be able to be a doctor immediately in the U.S. until they had other training.

An individual can also get a green card if they have a family member living in the United States. As an example, if you are the spouse of someone already living in the U.S. who is a citizen, they can help you immigrate to the United States if they also sign an Affidavit of Support saying that they can support you at 125% above the poverty line.

If you are already in the U.S. and visiting a family member when you decide that you want to immigrate instead, how to get a green card is also a lengthy process. You can make the application to immigrate with form I-485 and submit it to the USCIS. They will process the information and give you a visa number. Once you have that number you apply again using the same form, and ask them to Adjust Status to a permanent resident.

When you have a family member who is willing to sponsor you this is the fastest way of how to get a green card if you are within the preferences that they have listed. Generally speaking, if you are a part of a family unit they will allow you to get a green card.

There are many documents that you will have to submit to USCIS with the first application. Some of these documents include:

• Biographic Data Sheet – Form G-325A
• Medical Examination Sheet – Form I-693
• 2 colored photos that are taken within 30 days
• Affidavit of Support (to be filled out by your sponsor) – Form I-864

It is important to know what you need and make sure you supply all of the information so that you do not have to wait longer for the USCIS to get more information.

An immigration green card refers to a document that allows you to live permanently or work in the United States. If you are from a foreign country you are considered to be an “alien” and you must have a status that makes you “legal” if you are going to stay within the country.

With an immigration green card you are able to work as an American and you can within about five years (in most cases) apply to be a permanent citizen. It is important to note that in order to keep your immigration green card you will have to be in the country most of the time.

Some people think that if they are in the United States at least once a year and they are living in another country, they will retain their immigration green card. This is not true and in most cases is only hearsay. The important thing to note is that you must have a way to make yourself legal in order to keep within the law.

The challenge with an immigration green card is that it can be a lengthy process to get one. Many people opt to apply for the Green Card Lottery in hopes that they will get to stay in the United States without all of the red tape that goes into getting a regular green card.

The United States allows 50,000 aliens to come into the country via the lottery each year; however the lottery is always granting status two years after the application. As an example, if you want to come to the United States through the Green Card Lottery you will have to apply in 2009 for the year 2011.

When you want an immigration green card it is a good idea to know why you want to come to the United States. Perhaps you see it as a better opportunity for you and your family. Perhaps working in the U.S. is going to gain you better wages and give you the ability to help your family in your country.

The reason it is a good idea to make sure that you have some idea of why you want to come to the United States is because you will have to pay fees that go with your application. You must also go through all of the forms and check points that the USCIS has set up in order to help you through the process. It may take a long time to get an immigration green card if you have not submitted all of the paperwork needed.

After the green card many people strive to become U.S. citizens. There are classes that an individual must take and then there is a test in order to become a citizen. Many people apply for this each year. Some of the benefits of becoming a U.S. citizen include:

• You can vote in the various elections that the U.S. holds
• If you want to run for an office you can do so
• You can apply to have a government job
• You can help other family members immigrate to the U.S.
• You will not have to remember to renew your immigration green card
• You can have an American passport when you are traveling

If you are really interested in becoming a part of the United States the immigration green card is the first place to start. This is the only way that aliens can legally come to the U.S. and stay for any length of time. This is very important to note since Homeland Security has made stricter rules about entering.

The reason that this is so is because the United States wants to welcome people from different countries but they also want to make sure that all people are safe within the borders. Because of this all people coming into the country to stay for any period of time will have to obtain a visa.

When you want to work the USA, you will need to obtain a non-immigration visa. This allows an individual to work in the United States for a period of time. This visa is called an H-1B Visa and it allows professional people who have “Specialty occupations” to contribute to the American economy.

This is important because not everyone who has a profession can come to the U.S. to work. Each year 65,000 H-1B Visas are issued and people can have them for three years. At the end of those three years it can be extended under certain circumstances for another three years. Usually these are sponsored by the company where the individual is working.

This visa is considered a non-immigration work visa and it is only for those people who are seeking temporary work. It is not something that can be received for a period longer than six years. When you want to work the USA you are more likely to obtain this visa if you are working in computers in any capacity, if you are a financial analyst, doctor, nurse, architect, scientist or lawyer. The individual should have a bachelor’s degree or experience that would represent a decree and many should have a master’s degree.

It is a good idea to check the USCIS website for information because there are several exceptions that apply to certain situations or certain countries that can be beneficial when you want to work the USA.

If you decide that you want to continue to stay in the United States after the three or six years that you have come to work you will want to obtain a permanent resident visa. You cannot become a permanent resident on the work visa alone. You must apply to become a citizen through the USCIS so that you can stay a longer time.

Many people decide that they want to stay and they go through the process. One of the most popular ways to work the USA after the three or six year period is to enter the Green Card Lottery. Each year the U.S. allows 50,000 from many different countries to enter the U.S. If you are from one of those countries it can be a good idea to make an application to the lottery.

Some employers will sponsor you for permanent citizenship if you have been a hard worker and they feel they need you for a longer time. It is a good idea to ask them first before you make application for the Green Card Lottery because this can be the simplest solution.

When you want to work the USA it is very important to do it in a legal way because it can become very difficult for people when they have come to the U.S. illegally. The United States frowns on this type of activity because of 9/11 and other challenges.

If you want to work the USA make sure that you get the appropriate visa for what you want to do.

The Lottery Green Card also called the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is a way that many aliens from other countries can come to live as permanent residents of the United States. Each year 50,000 people are admitted to the United States that are given permanent status froth Green Card Lottery.

The names of these 50,000 people are randomly selected through a computer from all the applications that have been submitted online. The people who are eligible come from countries where there is a low rate of immigration. In other words, some countries are under represented in the U.S. and these are the ones that are given priority to receive the lottery green card.

If you are interested in applying for the Green Card Lottery you will have to wait until about October of 2009 which will be the time when the next lottery green card will be issued for 2011. The lotteries for 2009 and 2010 have been completed.

The process is a simple one. When a person wants to get a lottery green card they first apply online at the U.S. Department of State website. They complete the form to the best of their ability then submit it. After the deadline for applications several applications are picked randomly by the computer.

Each computer pick is scrutinized by someone in the U.S. Department of State to make sure they have all the information requested. From these applications, 50,000 people are chosen. These applicants are then sent a letter from the U.S. Department of State to let them know they have won a space, tell them about fees they will need to pay and any other information that is necessary to convey.

It is important to note that an individual who is successful in securing a lottery green card is only told by regular mail; they do not send out emails notifying the individual of the process. Also, there is no charge to make the online application. If you do not receive the lottery you are not notified.

The U.S. Department of State warns that there are some websites that saying that they can help an individual make the application and get a space in the line for a lottery green card but they cannot. Only the U.S. Department of State can legitimately offer the Green Card Lottery.

Word and Education Criteria for Green Card Lottery

In order to receive a lottery green card an individual must meet several criteria. One of the first criteria is that they must have an occupation that falls within five “job zones.” These categories are listed in the Department of Labor (DOL) O*Net Online database.

In order to fulfill this criterion you must also have a high school diploma or its equivalent, have gone through a successful 12 year course of elementary and secondary education or have the two years of work experience.

In addition, there must be digital photos of the individual submitted that are current and there is a specific way that the photos have to be submitted. The photographs are very important to the application. The point is to have a picture that clearly shows the face of everyone applying on your application.

It is also important to note that in order to receive a lottery green card an individual must meet all the eligibility requirements that the U.S. law has created. Because of this people will be scrutinized more especially when they come for a country that has been identified as sponsors of terrorism. It is important to check to make sure that your country is eligible to apply.

When you receive your green card it is important to make sure that you renew green card on time. There is a simple process to do this and everyone who carries a green card must be mindful of the dates to make sure that you get your information in on time.

It is very important to renew green card because if your card expires you can be denied entry back into the United States. This is part of your permanent residence status and you must make sure that is always current and valid to avoid problems. Always check the front of your card for the expiration date especially when you were issued a green card at least ten years ago.

You can get renew green card on your own and without the assistance of an attorney by getting a copy of the Green Card Renewal Application Guide. The guide gives all of the needed instructions and application forms that are required and is offered in a step-by-step guide. This will help you renew your application quickly.

Currently the cost of renew green card is $370 and there is a $49.95 fee for the download of the application guide.

When you have a green card that is expired, about to expire or that is an older card, it is very important to renew green card right away. This will make sure that you do not have problems if you are trying to come back into the United States or if you get stopped by the police for any reason.

Who Should Renew Green Card?

Anyone who has been a permanent resident of the U.S. and has a green card and it is either within six months of expiration or expired now must renew green card.

In order to renew green card the following items have to be taken in person to the USCIS office nearest you:

• The form I-90
• $130 file fee in a money order or a check that is made out to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
• Two photos of the individual that are in color that meet the requirements that are listed in the I-90 renew application information.
• Your old green card
• Photocopies of your old card that includes front and back.
• Another form of government identification like a valid driver’s license, a state issued identification card, a military i.d., or a passport from your country.

If you have all of these pieces of identification ahead of time it will make processing of your application easier and faster. It is also important that if you have a child that needs to renew green card and they are 14 years old or over, that you bring a $50 fee for fingerprinting because they will now need their fingerprints on file.

As part of the process to renew green card it is very important to get your application in as soon as possible because your green card must be used to authorize your current status. This means that they will give you the authorization to use your expired card as “temporary evidence” that you have permanent resident status. The new card will be valid for 10 years.

It is also important to note that green cards that were issued between 1979 and 1988 did not have expiration dates so you will not have to renew green card.

If you have an expiration date and you do not renew green card you could have problems with obtaining benefits or employment or getting back into the U.S. after you have been outside the country.