Every year, the Department of State conducts a “Green Card Lottery” which gives a Green Card to 50,000 non-citizens of the United States. This allows 50,000 people to become permanent residents of the country. However, only residence from certain countries may apply for the lottery. The following is a list of countries of origin that people may not be from in order to qualify for the lottery:

Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.

The reason for not allowing people from these countries above to qualify for the lottery is something that the government takes a lot of heat for. However, there is a reason. The whole idea of allowing 50,000 people to become new permanent residence is to allow a more diverse group of people into the U.S. There is a class of immigrants called “Diversity Immigrants” that include people from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. The above countries have immigration rates that are over the limit.

Of those people that do qualify for the lottery, the recipients of the Green Card will be selected at total random. Approximately 12 million people qualify and apply for the Green Card Lottery every year.

Today, October 5 is the first day to apply for the lottery. November 3, 2010 is the last day. The winners of the lottery will be notified in May, June and July of 2011. To enter the lottery, it is completely free. All entries must be made on the website at: www.dvlottery.state.gov