Immigrating to the U.S. is never easy. Though, for about 55,000 people, they won the 2022 Visa Lottery, and they can now get the U.S. green cards.
U.S. Visa Lottery
Every year, millions of people from around the world enter the 2022 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2022), otherwise known as the Visa Lottery, run by the U.S. Department of State. In the Visa Lottery, anyone can submit an application to the DOS to immigrate to the U.S., and a set number of “winners” are allowed permanent resident status. A DOS computer randomly selects the winners, and for fiscal year 2021, almost seven million entries were submitted.
2022 U.S. Visa Lottery winners
For 2022, that number is about 55,000, and the winners were announced Saturday by the DOS. This number is a historically low rate.
How to check if someone is a winner
Lottery winners and losers are now able to check their status at the DOS’s Bureau of Consular Affairs website. Simply check the Entrant Status Check search tool. This is the only way to verify the status of an application, and this the only way that the DOS notifies the lottery participants. Of course, for the next few days, the website may be hard to access, which is why the DOS recommends that applicants check their status during off-peak hours. DOS also recommends that applicants check their status directly and not rely on intermediaries.
The next step for winners
For winners, they must apply for their visa by Sept. 30, 2022, but not before Oct. 1, 2021. Admittance is not automatic though. They still must submit their Online Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application (DOS Form DS-260). In addition, they must also be deemed admissible to the U.S. by the DOS. This includes passing an in-person consular interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, which requires additional documentation. Though, for those currently in the U.S., they can go through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services instead of the consular interview. Of course, navigating this system is why contacting a Lancaster, Pennsylvania, immigration attorney immediately is so important.