Greece & The Diversity Visa Lottery (DV-2015)
Overview
The United States is a land full of opportunities that welcomes
adding cultural diversity to its soil. It encourages immigrants
from all over the world to come live and work in the Unites States.
The US Green Card Lottery makes it accessible for everyone to have a
residence in the US. This article will give you an insight on how to
apply for a green card through the Diversity Visa Program.
What is the Diversity Visa Program?
The Department of State's Green Card lottery, officially known as the
Diversity Visa Program, is a ticket to those who permanently want to
work and live in the US. This program awards 55,000 residence visas annually
to eligible citizens of other countries.
Certain criteria defines the eligibility of a person to avail the benefits
of the program. If you qualify and are among the ones selected randomly
for a lifetime visa to the US, you can also bring along your spouse and
any unmarried children under the age of 21.
Eligibility of Greece for the Diversity Visa Program
Any country that has sent more than 50,000 immigrants in the past five years
is ineligible for the program. Luckily, Greece is not in that list which is
why its citizens are eligible to apply for the Green Card lottery.
You therefore have a chance to move permanently to the US, work and live
in the land of opportunity if you are a native of Greece. (i.e. If you or
either of your parents or spouse were born in Greece).
In 2010, the US granted 105 Greek citizens residence visas through the
Diversity Visa Program allowing them to live and work permanently in the US.
This year, you can be among the lucky ones to get a green card and improve
your life by moving to the United States!
Non Immigrant Visa Alternatives
Apart from the Green Card lottery program, there are other ways of obtaining
visas to the US. These non-immigrant visas are available for the following purposes:
Student Exchange (J-1 Visa), journalism, tourism, business, Temporary Work (H-1 Visa)
and education. These non-immigrant visas are relatively easy to obtain but
the downside is that they are given for a short period of time and do not provide you
the rights a US citizen normally has.
The relationship between Greece and USA
The United States and Greece have had historical, cultural and political ties since long
based not only on a common heritage, shared democratic values, but also as Allies during
World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War. Moreover, the US has been doing a lot of
foreign investment in Greece standing at $4.5 billion in 2006.
Immigration from Greece to United States
Back in the late 19th century, the very first Greek citizens who immigtated to the US
settled in America to take advantage of the popular migrant destination.
The first wave of Greek immigrants consisted of 40 orphans who had survived the Greek
Revolution of 1821 brought by American missionaries. They also included the survivors
of the 1822 massacre of Chios by the Turks and merchant sailors who settled in the Americas.
By the end of 1920s, 40,000 Greeks had sought their livelihoods in different parts of America.
Today, the crippling debt crisis looming over Greece has reached a critical phase due
to which a growing number of Greeks are skeptical about the economy and planning on
migrating to a more stable environment.
Communities of Greek citizens in the US
According to the US census conducted in 2000, about 1,153,295 Greeks are living in the US
and 3 million Americans have Greek origins. Greek concentrations can be found in Tarpon Springs,
Chicago, Detroit and Queens. Winning this diversity visa program means you will be entitled to
all the benefits that a US citizen has such as working, owning property, studying and living
in the USA.
It is FREE to apply for the Green Card Lottery, so what are you waiting for?
You can be the next one to win a Green Card!
