Japan & The Green Card Lottery

The Diversity Visa program is a great opportunity for Japanese to get
an immigration visa from the US Department of State Diversity. This Green Card Lottery program
is extended to 55,000 people from eligible countries, which includes Japan in the continent of Asia.
Hence Japanese can apply for a green card this year,
if they are eligible as per the criteria of requirement and wait for the random selection process to conclude.

What does the Diversity Visa program mean for Japanese?

Through the Diversity Visa program, citizens from Japan and other eligible countries
from around the world can live & work in the United States, primarily because these eligible countries
have sent fewer rates of immigrants to work in USA in the past.
The Green Card being a legal document, allows you to not only live & work permanently in the USA,
but also enjoy permanent residence in the USA with benefits including owning property and studying,
which are available to other US citizens.

History of Japanese Getting and Immigration to the USA

Historically, the Japanese had an agreement with the USA in the late 19th century,
according to which Japanese workers were allowed to immigrate to USA to live & work there.
This was primarily because the Chinese Exclusion Act in USA led to the demand for workers who could replace the Chinese immigrants.
A few decades later the Gentlemen's Agreement came into force, according to which further immigration from Japan to USA
was stopped. However, it allowed the spouses of Japanese Americans to travel to Japan.
The ban on immigration of Japanese in 1920s almost created two distinct groups of Japanese Americans in the country,
those who immigrated to Japan and those who were born in the USA.

Immigration Statistics for Japanese

With about 1.2 million Japanese Americans, the community is now the 6th largest of all mixed ethnic Asian Americans.
California, Hawaii, Washington and New York are the top 4 places boasting of the largest number of Japanese Americans.
In fact, Japanese roots in California and Hawaii extend well beyond a century when sophisticated techniques of agriculture
were introduced by the Japanese immigrants.
The Diversity Work program winner allocation includes more than 50% Africans and almost 30% from Europe in recent times.
Asia has contributed a mere 15%, with India, Pakistan, China and Japan being the dominant contributors.
Both California and Hawaii boast of 300,000 Japanese Americans with Washington and New York contributing around 50,000
as per the census figures a decade ago.
Japanese students are noticeably present in many Ivy League schools.

Tips to Apply for a Green Card

The statistical breakdown for those registered for the Diversity Work Program in 2011,
by foreign state chargeability includes 298 Japanese although the number of Bangladeshis and Iranians is in thousands.
It is interesting to note that for the Green Card Lottery program,
the list of eligible countries is similar to what it was the previous year, with no countries added or removed.
Those born in Japan but residing in USA and have a valid visa can apply for the Green Card Lottery.
Japanese citizens anywhere in the world can also apply for a green card.