# Regarding DV Lottery



## np67 (Jan 25, 2010)

Hi just want to know when you can apply for the Green Card lottery next. I was born in London, my mum was born in India and father was born in Uganda so hopefully I should be able to do that. I think thats the only way I am gonna get to the USA.
Thanks.


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## etril (May 26, 2010)

np67 said:


> Hi just want to know when you can apply for the Green Card lottery next. I was born in London, my mum was born in India and father was born in Uganda so hopefully I should be able to do that. I think thats the only way I am gonna get to the USA.
> Thanks.


The next lottery should open in early October. Be sure to check out all the rules (available on travel.state.gov). If you are a UK or Indian citizen, you're probably not eligible.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

np67 said:


> Hi just want to know when you can apply for the Green Card lottery next. I was born in London, my mum was born in India and father was born in Uganda so hopefully I should be able to do that. I think thats the only way I am gonna get to the USA.
> Thanks.


Your sole hope for diversity visa eligibility would be that you could prove your parents were resident in an eligible country (e.g. Uganda) at the time of your birth, i.e. they were only visiting the UK (an ineligible country) when you were born. If they had resettled here at the time of your birth, I'm afraid you're out of luck.


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## MarylandNed (May 11, 2010)

Citizenship is irrelevant - the only thing that matters is where you were born. You must have been born in a qualifying country. The only part of the United Kingdom that qualifies is Northern Ireland - so you don't qualify since you were born in England. However, if you're married and your spouse was born in a qualifying country, you can apply through your spouse.

The lottery is usually open Oct/Nov each year. Applications for 2012 visas will open Oct/Nov 2010.


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## np67 (Jan 25, 2010)

Fatbrit said:


> Your sole hope for diversity visa eligibility would be that you could prove your parents were resident in an eligible country (e.g. Uganda) at the time of your birth, i.e. they were only visiting the UK (an ineligible country) when you were born. If they had resettled here at the time of your birth, I'm afraid you're out of luck.


If that's the case, then I could be out of luck. My parent's were settled here when I was born. Oh and I am a British citizen. Born and raised in London. Look's like I will need to win the lottery here, then I can just buy myself the right to live in the states.


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## MarylandNed (May 11, 2010)

np67 said:


> If that's the case, then I could be out of luck. My parent's were settled here when I was born. Oh and I am a British citizen. Born and raised in London. Look's like I will need to win the lottery here, then I can just buy myself the right to live in the states.


There are other options:
- You could also try an employment based visa - but you'd need to have an in demand skill.
- You could also marry a US citizen.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

MarylandNed said:


> Citizenship is irrelevant - the only thing that matters is where you were born. You must have been born in a qualifying country. The only part of the United Kingdom that qualifies is Northern Ireland - so you don't qualify since you were born in England. However, if you're married and your spouse was born in a qualifying country, you can apply through your spouse.
> 
> The lottery is usually open Oct/Nov each year. Applications for 2012 visas will open Oct/Nov 2010.


Not strictly true. Let's say the OP's parents merely visiting or temporarily stationed in the UK but still residents of Uganda at the time of her birth. And they returned to Uganda, their home, after her birth. In that case, she would qualify.


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## lees78 (May 29, 2010)

I have the same question. My mum is still an irish citizen with an irish passport, she was in the UK when i was born so will i be eligible? thanks


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## MarylandNed (May 11, 2010)

lees78 said:


> I have the same question. My mum is still an irish citizen with an irish passport, she was in the UK when i was born so will i be eligible? thanks


Not unless your parents were only temporarily resident in England at the time of your birth and at least one was a native of a qualifying country (e.g. Ireland or Uganda). If you are married, you can claim your spouse's country of birth (assuming that qualifies).

Read the rules here:

http://www.travel.state.gov/pdf/DV-2011instructions.pdf


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## xtina (Feb 27, 2008)

I don't have any idea of what you do for work currently, so I'm just going to throw this one out there in case...

If the DV lottery won't work for you but you're determined to live in the States, you could try seeking work with a company with offices in both the US and the UK. If, after a year of employment, your company wants to transfer you to the US you might be eligible for an intra-company transfer visa (L1).

There are a stack of eligibility requirements (especially around what qualifies as "specialized knowledge") that both you and the company need to meet, and it's not an easy process, particularly now with such high unemployment figures in the US.

You may be able to find work with a company that is pre-approved for L1 'blanket' visas, which would make the process smoother on their side but YOU still need to meet the knowledge/degree/work experience requirements (which is harder than it sounds). There may be a version of this visa without the knowledge/degree requirement, but if I recall correctly it is for managers.

There's some more information on other websites, but I can't post URLs. Search for something like: immihelp L1


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## mrees007 (Jan 8, 2009)

I was born in Spain... am a British Citizen with a British passport. Father is British and Mother is Spanish. Would I qualify?

I can get a Spanish passport, I used to have one but is now expired (British is the only one I currently have). Would I stand more chance if I apply with a Spanish passport than a British one?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

mrees007 said:


> I was born in Spain... am a British Citizen with a British passport. Father is British and Mother is Spanish. Would I qualify?
> 
> I can get a Spanish passport, I used to have one but is now expired (British is the only one I currently have). Would I stand more chance if I apply with a Spanish passport than a British one?


If you were born in Spain, you qualify. The passport you hold is irrelevant for DV eligibility.


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