Green Card Lottery for US- anyone know how to apply?

[captainhotknife]

Although I'm English and parents are English I was born in an obscure place (Parents lived there briefly ) that I've just discovered is actually listed in the Green card lottery's list of eligible nationalities that can apply for the lottery. I'd like to give it a go. Lived in the US as a child for a while and have a lot of friends/contacts there. And bit sick of the uk right now. I google to try to find where and how to apply but there seem so many websites purporting to be the place to apply that I can't tell which is the official one. Can anyone help? Advise?

[captainhotknife]

"Bump, bump, bump" P. Diddy

[Bluestocking]

The official info is here. The key criterion is nationality not birthplace, as far as I can tell. Do you have a passport from your birthplace as well as a UK one?

[captainhotknife]

Thanks Bluestocking. I found that site but it seemed you could only check the status of your application on it. I couldn't see how to actually MAKE an application! The only link on ti seems to lead to a form to check what the status of your application is. Am I being dense?
I have duel nationality. Two passports etc.

[rootypig]

travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/diversity-visa/entry.html

You need to look for diversity visa, since this is what it's officially known as.

[captainhotknife]

Ooh Rootypig that seems the right one. Thank you. It seems they only have about a one month period each year in which you can apply. It doesn't list what month that is for this year. so I'll have to keep an eye on it I guess. Last two years its been Oct to Nov so maybe I have a bit of time. How exciting. Worth a go.

[rootypig]

Yeah it's every autumn. US immigration, and life here generally, is stupidly bureaucratic. The crappy websites are just early warning

[spockaroundtheclock]

Is there any way you can apply for a Greencard another way?

[rootypig]

Marry an American.

But really, don't. Life here is a pain in the arse. Marry an Indian or a Turk and move there instead. I am deadly serious!

[Nolim]

US immigration, and life here generally, is stupidly bureaucratic.

Unlike immigration and life in general in the UK. Oh, wait.…

Sorry op have no information to add.

[rootypig]

Nolim, have you been through the immigration process for both the US and the UK? I have. Healthcare? I have. Housing, education? I have.

If you'd like to discuss the differences, I'd be happy to. Or chime in with your own experience

[Nolim]

Yes i have, except education.
Being an immigrant is not easy anywhere. But burocracy in every day life in the uk is worst imo.

[rootypig]

In my experience US processes are longer, more bureaucratic (more agencies, more paperwork, more requirements), more demanding, and more expensive. And the officials totally lack a public service mindset.

The UK, on the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised by. Quicker, more simple and straightforward.

[Nolim]

The grass is always greener on the other side of the pond it seems

[rootypig]

actually, when I was in the UK I v much enjoyed how green the grass was

[AKnickerfulOfMenace]

Good luck OP

[ChunkyPickle]

Good god Nolim - I've not done anything more than visas for work and tax returns in a few places in the world, and I'd say the US and Canada were total buggers - My Canadian tax return took me 3 days to do (and I had to do it on paper, twice, due to not being in the country for a full tax year).

Singapore was by far the easiest, and the UK a happy medium (UK tax returns aren't quite as easy as Singapore ones, but they're pretty close)

[Nolim]

Ah yeah, the paper return.
I had to fill out quite a few paper returns in the us for similar reasons. Fair point.
But in level of complexity in my experience the us return is easier than the uk. The instructions are long but idiot proof.
Having to fill out taxes for several jurisdictiona is one of the drawbacks of being a serial expat, isnt it?

[Nolim]

And i apologize to op for all the boring tax opinions on a thread about green card lottery.

Good luck.

[rootypig]

oh my gawwwwwd I have to do my taxes

Imagine how much more miserable I'll be after that!

[Wibblypiglikesbananas]

I have to agree with Rooty here - we have lived all over, are now in the US, and I have never lived anywhere with such ridiculous bureaucracy. We all speak English and it should be simple, right? WRONG! Three letters: DMV.

Good luck with the lottery OP!

[Gabois]

I made an application I think it was in October, there's a six week or so window, and the results are in May. We were able to do this on the basis of my husband's birthplace.

There are loads of websites offering the service for a fee, but the official advice is to do it directly on the official government website. We did this it's absolutely free and straightforward. The only thing I did invest in were the mugshots. They are massively fussy about size, pixels, head height to overall image size ratio. I had to go back to the photo shop to get them to redo the digital images per the spec. There are free online tools to upload your pics, which will check if they are acceptable. This is crucial as apparently a significant number of applications are disqualified on this.

Good luck...you'll have to wait until autumn for the 2016 lottery however!