Who can enroll in the Green Card Lottery? All individuals
worldwide are free to enroll.
There are two main entry requirements:
1. Country Eligibility
You or your spouse (husband/wife) must be native of an eligible
country (click here for the list of Eligible Countries). A
native is someone who was born in an eligible country. If
you were born in a non-eligible country you may still apply
by charging eligibility by a different country (Click here
to read more).
2. Education OR Work experience
You must comply with one of the following two requirements
(Option 1 or Option 2 below):
OPTION 1 - Every applicant must have at least a high
school education or its equivalent. A "high school education
or equivalent" is defined as successful completion of
a twelve-year course of elementary and secondary education
in the United States or successful completion in another country
of a formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable
to a high school education in the United States. Documentary
proof of education should not be submitted with the lottery
entry, but must be presented to the consular officer at the
time of the visa interview.
OR
OPTION 2 - Every applicant must have within the past
five years two years of work experience in an occupation requiring
at least two years training or experience. Documentary proof
of work experience should not be submitted with the lottery
entry, but must be presented to the consular officer at the
time of the visa interview. To determine eligibility based
on work experience, definitions from the Department of Labor’s
O*Net OnLine database will be used.
You must have at least one of the two options above: either
Education or Work Experience or both.
