One of the most popular ways to immigrate legally to the U.S. is through the annual lottery organized by the State Department, also known as the “Diversity Visa Program.”

The requirements for participation in the annual lottery are as follows:

• Birth in a country that has not sent a large number of immigrants to the U.S. in the last five years. The exact list of eligible countries changes every year, but generally, those born in the EU are eligible to participate. Even individuals born in countries that have sent a large number of immigrants, such as Mexico or China, may be eligible under certain conditions, such as if they have a spouse or parent born in a country eligible to participate.
• A high school diploma or an equivalent qualification, determined by the successful completion of 12 years of education, or two years of professional work experience in the past five years in a job that requires at least two years of training or experience.

The entry for the lottery is done every year between October and November through the U.S. Department of State’s website: https://dvprogram.state.gov. For more information, you should check the State Department website in the final months of each year. WARNING: There are many other websites operated by intermediaries attempting to scam potential immigrants by charging fees for alleged participation in the lottery. The only official website for the lottery is https://dvprogram.state.gov. Intermediaries or others offering assistance with the application process are acting without approval from the State Department. The FTC and the State Department have issued warnings regarding the risks of scams by such intermediaries at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-immigration-scams-and-get-real-help.

The chances of success in the lottery differ by geographic region. For individuals born in Europe, the chances of selection are approximately one in sixty. The odds of success are the same for all those born in Europe, but because no country can claim more than 7% of all immigrant visas, countries with a large number of participants have slightly lower odds of selection.

As mentioned, registration takes place each year in October-November, and the results of the lottery are announced in May-June of the following year. Winners can immigrate between October 1st and September 30th of the year after the announcement. Every year, only 50,000 people can immigrate through the lottery, though more than 50,000 are selected (and each winner can immigrate with their spouse and unmarried children under 21). Therefore, some selectees may not be able to complete the immigration process. Finally, winning the lottery alone is not enough to immigrate to the U.S.; there are additional requirements, such as not having been convicted of certain crimes, proving that the individual will not be a public charge to the U.S. government, etc.