The 2002 Diversity immigrant visa

THE “GREEN CARD LOTTO”

Entry Deadline:

Noon, Monday, October 2, 2000 through Noon, Wednesday, November 1, 2000

This year the U.S. Department of State will award 50,000 Green Cards (permanent resident visas), through the Diversity Visa Program (aka the “Green Card Lotto”).  The recipients are chosen in a computer “lottery” (at random), with no one country awarded more than 7% of the Green Cards.  For Belizeans, the results have been as follows:  1996 – 9; 1997 – 7; 1998 – 18; 1999 – 4. 

This year, Belize is again a qualifying country because of its low admission rates (less than 50,000 over the last 5 years) to the U.S.  According to U.S. figures, a total of 5,848 Belizeans were admitted to the U.S. legally from 1991 to 1995.  These figures also show a steady decline in the number of Belizean immigrants from 3,867 in 1990 to 644 in 1995.

You may apply each year the program is in effect but only one entry must be submitted.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: 

¨       You must be have been born in a qualifying country.  (Belize is a qualifying country.)

¨       You must have at least a high school education or equivalent OR 2 years work experience within the past 5 years in an occupation requiring at least 2 years of training or experience to perform.  You must be able to work and support yourself.  You cannot be a criminal, cannot be mentally disturbed, and not be a threat to the U.S. national interest.  You need not be English speaking and there’s is no need to have relatives living in the U.S.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURES: 

1.       You must submit only one entry. (Your entry must be received only between the specified period of  October 2nd to November 1st. So do not mail your entry too early.)

2.       You must sign the entry form.

3.       You must attach a recent photograph with your name printed on the back of the photograph.

{You may use the sample form on the opposite page.  This format is recommended by the U.S. Department of State}

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING YOUR ENTRY: 

  1. FULL NAME

You must use your full name.  Underline your last name.

Example: Smith, John Paul

 

  1. DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH

Example: Date of birth: 14 December 1970

Place of birth:  Orange Walk, Belize

 

  1. NATIVE COUNTRY

(Only if different from country of birth).

                You can claim nativity from a country other than the one you were born in if you were born in an ineligible country.  You can claim your spouse’s country of birth if they were born in an eligible country, providing both you and your spouse are issued visas and enter the U.S. simultaneously.  Also, you can claim nativity of your parents’ country of birth if neither of your parents were born where you were born or resided there at the time of your birth.

 

  1. NAME, DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH OF YOUR SPOUSE AND CHILDREN

You must provide this information if you have a spouse (even if you are separated) and/or children under 21 years old.  Failure to do so will disqualify you.  You must list both your children and your spouse’s children even if from a previous marriage and even if they don’t live with you.  (Any one of your children do not necessarily need to accept the Green Card if your name is selected.)  You do not need to list your spouse if you are divorced. 

Both you and your spouse may each submit one entry but you must each sign your own entry.  If either one of you wins, the other will of course also receive a Green Card.

 

  1. Full mailing address

This is where you will receive correspondence so give a complete and clear address.  You may put a telephone number but it’s not required.  Since you may be in the U.S., your entry can be mailed from the U.S.  A word of caution here - You will be able to adjust your status if you are in the U.S. but you must be eligible to do so under the INS terms.

 

  1. Photograph

Submit only your photograph (do not send your spouse’s or children’s photos).  The photo must be recent (less than 6 months old), 1˝ inch by 1˝ inch in size.  Your name must be printed on the back of the photo.  Attach the photograph to the entry with clear tape (do not use staples or paper clips).

 

  1. Signature

You must sign your entry.  If you fail to sign the entry, you will be disqualified.

 

Mailing your entry

1.   The envelope must be between 6 and 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) long and 3 ˝ and 4 ˝ inches (9 to 11 cm) wide.

2.   Postcards or envelopes inside express or oversized mail packets are NOT acceptable.

3.  Write the word BELIZE in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope followed by your name and full return address. Failure to provide this information will disqualify the entry.

4.   Send by regular or airmail.   DO NOT send by express or priority mail, fax, hand, messenger, or any means requiring special handling, otherwise the entry will not be accepted.

 

Belizeans must mail their entry to:

                DV-2002 Program

                Kentucky Consular Center

                Lexington, KY 41904

                U.S.A.

 

You may use the sample form prepared by LABEN or a plain piece of paper with the rquired information.  Applications are selected at random by a computer and will be notified by mail between May through July 2001.  You will not be notified if you are not selected. The DV-2002 visas will be issued between October 1, 2001 and September 30, 2002.  Although fear abounds in the Belizean community that once the Department of State gets your application, you will be placed on a “To Be Deported” list; no one can recount any such deportations occurring as a result of applying for the lottery.   d

PLEASE NOTE

  • Those selected will be notified by mail during April to July of 2001 and persons not selected will not be notified. 

  • Spouses and unmarried children of successful applicants under age 21 may also apply for visas to accompany or follow the principal applicant. 

  • The winners will receive their visas between October 1, 2001 and September 30, 2002. 

  • There is no carry-over of applications from one year to the next.  Unsuccessful applicants may reapply each year.

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For pre-recorded information on how to obtain instructions by mail, call the U.S. Department of State's Visa Lottery Information Center 24-hour hotline at 1-900-884-8840 (costs $5.10 per call).
Think you've been cheated by someone or a company who made unfulfilled promises regarding the "Green Card Lotto"?  Do you want to report a company committing fraud or illegal scams with the Green Card Lotto" program? Call the Federal Trade Commission, at 1-877-382-4357
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