Green Card Lottery Eligibility Test

Unfortunately individuals born in the United Kingdom are NOT eligible to apply for the Green Card Lottery.

The Green Card Lottery, officially called Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, is an official U.S. government lottery for people who come from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. The United Kingdom has received over 50,000 Green Cards in the past 5 years, therefore citizens of the United Kingdom are excluded from the Green Card Lottery.

Note: Individuals born in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland are eligible to apply. If your spouse or both of your parents were both in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland you are also eligible (more information below).

YOU MAY STILL QUALIFY - "Native Country" Eligibility
If you were born in an ineligible country, you may still enter the DV Lottery Program if your spouse (legally married husband or wife) or both your parents were born in an eligible country. On the application form enter your parents' or spouse's country of birth in the "Native Country" field, and your country of birth in the "Place of Birth" field.

Example: If you were born in the UK (an ineligible country), but your spouse or your parents were born in Ireland (an eligible country), you can enter the Green Card Lottery. Enter "United Kingdom" as your "Country of Birth" and (in this example) "Ireland" in the "Native Country" field. Applying this way qualifies you to enter the Green Card Lottery.

However, if you are not eligible to apply for the Green Card Lottery, don't worry, there are other ways to legally immigrate to the United States.

Permanent Resident (Green Card) Categories:

Green Card through Marriage
Green Card through Investment
Green Card through Employment
Green Card through Relatives
As a Special Immigrant

For information on other ways to immigrate to the United States, download the Green Card Application Guide.