Each year the US government makes available permanent immigrant visas under the Diversity Visa Program known as Green Cards.

A Green Card offers a person the right to live, work and study permanently in the United States and to enter and leave the country freely.

No. There is no guarantee that you will be awarded a Green Card. Winners are generated on a random basis.

The lottery is open to any citizen of the Republic of Ireland, as well as most European countries. The following are excluded: BRAZIL, CANADA, CHINA (mainland-born), COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, EL SALVADOR, HAITI, INDIA, JAMAICA, MEXICO, PAKISTAN, PHILIPPINES, PERU, POLAND, RUSSIA, SOUTH KOREA, UNITED KINGDOM (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and VIETNAM.

Applicants must have at least a high school education or its equivalent or, within the past five years, have two years of work experience in an occupation requiring at least two years training or experience.

No. There are no age limits on the Green Card lottery.

There are 55,000 visas made available each year.

Only one application per person is allowed.

In order for your application to be submitted on time to the United States government you must send your completed registration form to VISA FIRST by 20 November 2008.

Entries are computer generated on a random basis by the U.S. government at the end of the application period. Successful applicants are notified by post and requested to visit their local U.S. Consular office for interview.

Candidates who are successfully awarded visas will be notified by the U.S. Government by post between May and July 2009.

No. If you are not selected as a winner in the Green Card Lottery, you will receive no notification from the U.S. government.

DV-2010 visas will be issued between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010. Once your visa is issued you must enter the United States within 6 months in order to validate it.

Yes. You do not have to be outside the United States to apply.

Yes. You may apply for a Green Card even if you currently hold a U.S. visa. If your application is successful you may then adjust your visa status.

VISA FIRST provides an easy and convenient registration service for the Green Card Lottery. We ensure that your entry complies with the U.S. Department of State criteria. On average each year 50% of applications are rejected due to errors. We make certain your application stands a full chance in this program and will not be disqualified for any formal reason.

Yes. Once we have received and processed your application we will confirm your entry by email.

VISA FIRST charges €49.99 for the 1 year Green Card application and €75 for a 2 year application. We guarantee that your application is submitted correctly and in the proper format to be eligible for selection.

To apply for the Green Card lottery you must complete the application form and send it, along with a passport photograph and payment to your nearest VISA FIRST location. For a list of our offices worldwide, click here.