What Happens if I Don’t Want to Move to the USA Right Away?
What happens in the case where I don't want to move to the USA right away?
Many people who want to live in the USA as permanent residents hesitate to participate in the Green Card Lottery, because they are not sure whether they or their family are ready to move to America.
Immigration to the United States or any country is one of the biggest decisions a person will make, so this hesitancy is understandable.
Nonetheless, if you are serious about living in the USA long-term as a Green Card holder or, perhaps, becoming an American citizen one day, it is important to take the steps necessary to bring you closer to realizing your American Dream.
This article discusses what happens after winning the DV-Lottery, so keep reading for the essential details!
Table of Contents
Do you have to move to the US if you win the Green Card Lottery?
No – You do not have to move to the US if you win the Green Card Lottery.
Being randomly selected as a winner in the Green Card Lottery is an important step in the US immigration process, however, it is your choice whether you take the next step in the procedure.
It is worth noting that being selected as a winner of the Green Card Lottery does not mean you have won a Green Card and it does not mean that you have been approved for a Diversity Immigrant Visa.
Green Card Lottery winners are randomly selected from millions of applicants worldwide for the opportunity to continue the process to apply for one of the 55,000 Diversity Immigrant Visas and Green Card authorized to be granted through this program each year.
Thus, in order for you to move to the US if you win the Green Card Lottery, you would need to file the Form DS-260 Immigrant Visa Electronic Application and complete the consular process successfully.
Should I take part in the Green Card Lottery if I can't move to the US right now?
Only you can answer this question; however, you should keep in mind that the US immigration process takes time.
Consequently, you may not be able to move to the US right now, but by the time you are randomly selected as a winner of the Green Card Lottery and then complete all of the steps for the consular process, you might be in a better situation and ready to start your new life in America.
So, it doesn’t hurt to take part in the Green Card Lottery while you continue to live your life, but if you are selected as a winner, then at least you will have the opportunity to move to the US and can decide then what you want to do.
If I win, when will I be notified? How do I proceed after that?
Participants of the Diversity Visa Lottery (commonly known as the Green Card Lottery) can check if they were selected as a winner starting after a certain date in May by visiting the US State Department’s E-DV website and entering certain required information.
USAFIS provides a service in which it promptly contacts its customers who have been selected in the Green Card Lottery, so they can take the next step in the US immigration process as soon as possible.
Winners of the Green Card Lottery can file the Form DS-260 Immigrant Visa Electronic Application with the KCC on their own and go through the consular process by themselves.
USAFIS offers beneficial services to its customers who are selected as winners of the Green Card Lottery, to make it easier for them to complete the consular process correctly and efficiently.
How to check if you won the Green Card Lottery
As part of the service that it provides, USAFIS will promptly contact its customers who are selected as winners of the Green Card Lottery, so they can start the next step of the US immigration process as soon as possible.
Alternatively, Green Card Lottery participants can go to the US State Department’s E-DV website, enter the required information where indicated and check if they were “selected for further processing” (i.e., selected as a winner).
What is the next step after winning the DV Lottery?
The next step after being selected as a winner of the DV Lottery (commonly known as the Green Card Lottery) is to file the Form DS-260 Immigrant Visa Electronic Application with the US State Department’s Kentucky Consular Center (KCC).
The KCC will review the information and if everything seems in order, it will schedule a consular interview for the DV Lottery winner and his or her family at the US Embassy or Consulate in the DV Lottery winner’s country of residence.
There are certain things that the DV Lottery winner and his or her family must do before the consular interview takes place, such as having a medical exam, getting passport-style photos and paying the Diversity Visa Fee.
If the DV Lottery winner and his or her family members pass the consular interview successfully and are approved for US immigration, they will receive Diversity Immigrant Visas in their passports and they can then pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee online so their Green Cards can be sent to their designated address in the United States.
Final Words
After winning the DV-Lottery, the selectee and his or her family have the option to take the next step to receive a Diversity Immigrant Visa and Green Card or they can choose to not move forward with the US immigration process.
Some people want to wait for the “perfect time” to move to the USA, but that can often result in them never taking the steps necessary for immigration to the United States.
Situations can change over time, so even if you do not want to move to the USA right away, you might be ready a couple years later.
US immigration through the Green Card Lottery takes time, since the winners are randomly selected by computer and the subsequent consular process also has different steps that take several months to complete.
Since 2001, USAFIS has been providing review and submission services (available in several languages) to help people around the world participate in the Green Card Lottery.
USAFIS also offers its customers who are selected as winners of the DV Lottery additional services to help their relocation process go as smoothly as possible.
Are you ready to take the first step on the pathway to a new life in America?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
How do I know if I won the Lottery?
You can know whether you were selected as a “winner” of the DV-Lottery by visiting the US State Department’s E-DV website starting after a certain date in May and entering the required information in order to perform a status check. As part of its service, USAFIS promptly contacts its customers who are selected as winners of the DV-Lottery, so they can take the next step in the US immigration process as soon as possible.
What happens if I don’t want to move to the USA right away?
If you don’t want to move to the USA right away after winning the DV-Lottery, don’t worry, because there are additional steps that must be completed successfully before a DV-Lottery winner can be approved for US immigration and receive a Diversity Immigrant Visa and Green Card. On the other hand, if you are approved for US immigration and receive a Diversity Immigrant Visa in your passport, you will need to enter the United States before your Diversity Immigrant Visa expires. Please note that the Diversity Immigrant Visa is used for initial entry into the USA, but the US Permanent Resident Green Card is carried long-term as proof of Lawful Permanent Resident status and used as official identification while living and working in the United States.
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