In order to better understand the US immigration procedure, USAFIS believes it is important to learn more about American immigration terminology. Below, are definitions provided by the experts at the USAFIS Organization for several key terms often used when discussing American immigration through the US Diversity Visa Lottery Program.

Diversity Visa – A US immigration visa that is valid for up to six months and is stamped inside the passport of a foreign national who has been approved to immigrate to the United States through the Diversity Visa Lottery Program.

Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery Program – Also known as the Green Card Lottery, the DV-Lottery is a US immigration program which selects approximately 100,000 people from six regions of the world each year to have the opportunity to apply for up to 50,000 Diversity Visas authorized to be issued annually. USAFIS helps thousands of clients around the world to correctly prepare and submit their applications and photos to the DV-Lottery for a chance to immigrate to the United States.

Green Card – A Green Card is the common term for a United States Permanent Resident Card, which is an official form of identification carried by foreign nationals who have been authorized to live, study and work in the USA long-term through the DV-Lottery Program or other US immigration program.

Selectee – This is an individual who is randomly selected in the Diversity Visa Lottery for the opportunity to continue the American immigration process to apply for a Diversity Visa and Green Card. Over 45,000 USAFIS clients have been selected in the DV-Lottery since 2001 and many of them live and work in the USA as permanent residents or citizens of the United States.

DS-260 Form – After being selected in the DV-Lottery, a “winner” must next file the DS-260 Form, also known as the Online Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application, which contains detailed information about the DV-Lottery selectee and his/her family members and is processed by the US State Department’s Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), which schedules the Consular Interview.

Consular Interview – At this important meeting held at the US Embassy or Consulate, a DV-Lottery selectee and his/her family will meet with a US consular official, provide the required documents, photos and fees, and a decision will be made regarding approval of a Diversity Visa to immigrate to the United States. USAFIS works with US immigration lawyers to help clients during the Consular Interview process.