What is the green card lottery?

[Rickyazz]

So recently i just discovered something called the green card lottery and somehow ended up on this forum with a lot of people applying to it. I’m currently a permanent resident in australia (will become citizen next year), i just completed my year 12 qualification and will enroll in to university next year in a bachelor of software engineering. My question is, if i successfully obtained this lottery green card will i be able to live in the us and work there forever? I was born in lebanon but will have my Australian passport very soon. Also since it’s all a probability game, can i start applying to it from this year and keep applying to it yearly until i get it? If i end up getting it before graduating university, do i have to relocate instantly to the us or can i decide when to relocate? (After uni)

Thank you.

 

[SusieQQQ]

So recently i just discovered something called the green card lottery and somehow ended up on this forum with a lot of people applying to it. I’m currently a permanent resident in australia (will become citizen next year), i just completed my year 12 qualification and will enroll in to university next year in a bachelor of software engineering. My question is, if i successfully obtained this lottery green card will i be able to live in the us and work there forever? I was born in lebanon but will have my Australian passport very soon. Also since it’s all a probability game, can i start applying to it from this year and keep applying to it yearly until i get it? If i end up getting it before graduating university, do i have to relocate instantly to the us or can i decide when to relocate? (After uni)

Thank you.

If you get selected, the timeline is: enter in Oct/Nov of a particular year, selection announced May following year, interviews between October of that year and September the next (so example: enter Oct 2020, selected May 2021, interview sometime between Oct 2021 and Sept 2022). If you are issued an immigrant visa after your interview you usually have 6 months in which to use it and yes, you are expected to move to the US then (though there is some leeway, but get selected first ....basically If you do not live mostiy in the US or get a reentry permit, which is limited, you lose the green card.)
You should read the official instructions thoroughly before you enter https://travel.state.gov/content/da...ons/DV-2022-Instructions-and-FAQs-English.pdf
and only enter on the official entry site.
The britsimonsays website also has a lot of info but it’s really only useful info if you win.

 

[Sm1smom]

1. "if i successfully obtained this lottery green card will i be able to live in the us and work there forever?" - Yes. The DV Lottery provides successfully with the opportunity to live and work in the US as LPR (Lawful Permanent Residents)

2. "I was born in lebanon but will have my Australian passport very soon. Also since it’s all a probability game, can i start applying to it from this year and keep applying to it yearly until i get it?" Yes, you can apply every year until selected, for as long as your country of birth is eligible to participate.

3. "If i end up getting it before graduating university, do i have to relocate instantly to the us or can i decide when to relocate?" You may have up to 6 months from when your IV gets issued to enter the US and activate your LPR status, following which you may be able to depart from the US for up to 1 year without being deemed to have abandoned your LPR status or for up to 2 years if you apply for and receive a re-entry permit.

Anyway, you need to be selected first before going down the rabbit hole of can I, what if, and all other scenario questions.

Read DV Instructions, DV Program - Travel States carefully if you plan on applying, and be sure to follow the instructions there.