Category Archives: Green Card & Citizenship

Information to become a permanent resident, get a passport, vote and becoming a US citizen

Green Card Lottery Results 2011 (DV-2011)

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The green card lottery (diversity visa lottery) winners are starting to be announced for Dv-2011 held online from October to December in 2009. So as we did last year we thought we do a general announcement post as well answer a couple of common questions we received over the past 12 monts.

You should note that being selected as a winner does not guarantee you a green card as you must pass some additional criteria as well in the application process. The actual DV-2011 visas will be issued between the period of October 1, 2010, and September 30, 2011. Applicants must obtain the diversity visa or adjust status by the end of the fiscal year.

Unfortunately those who missed out on the green card and permanent residency will NOT receive any notification but for the second year running, you will be able to check the status of their entry through the E-DV website.
You must have kept the confirmation page information from when you entered the DV Lottery between October and December 2009. The Status information for DV-2011 lotter is available online from July 1, 2010, until June 30, 2011.

Between May and July 2010 results should be sent out to the lucky applicants with an official letter from the U.S. Department of State Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky. All notifications are by mail to your nominated address and you should note that there is NOT any email notification. It seems like already people have started receiving their winning letters so hopefully this will be the case for all of you that read this post and applied!

The notification letters will have additional instructions, including information about additional forms and other documentation required as well as immigrant visa application fees.

The Interviews for the DV-2010 visa lottery program begin in October 2009 and foreigners who applied overseas will receive an appointment letter from the Kentucky Consular Center about 5 weeks before the scheduled appointment.

A couple of additional points to note.

1. Be patient with receiving the 2nd letter if you have received the first as sometime the mail is slow. The only people that you can contact that will give you any insightful information if you are a winner and received the first letter is the KCC.

2. Check the US government websites to see the current dates for your number if you are a winner

3. If you were a child on a winner’s application and since turned 21 after being 20 at the time of application, you are still eligible as your age is frozen. However you must take up the green card within a year as otherwise you will be ineligible

4. High School education or its equivalent as per the requirements of the primary applicant means the successful completion of a twelve year course of elementary/primary and secondary education in the U.S. or successful completion in another county of a formal course of elementary/primary and secondary education that is comparable to the US 12 year education system.

5. If you are currently residing in the US on another non-immigrant visa, you are able to adjust your status within the US if you are a winner

Also FYI, the Green Card Lottery (DV-2012) will begin in October 2009 for those wanting to enter this year with more information about this lottery due by September.

Good Luck

CJ

US Citizenship Eligibility Requirements

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U.S. citizenship requirements states that, you can obtain U.S. citizenship either by birth or by law. You acquire U.S. citizenship by birth, if you were born in the U.S. or if your parents are U.S. citizens. Obtaining U.S. citizenship by law is through naturalization.

Per USCIS, you must meet the U.S. citizenship requirements to apply for citizenship. The U.S. citizenship requirements include the continuous physical presence requirements and certain general requirements.

U.S. citizenship requirements

To be eligible for U.S. citizenship, the following U.S. citizenship requirements should be satisfied:

  • You should be at least 18 years old.
  • You should be a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
  • You should have resided in the U.S. for at least three to five years and half of the time should be spent in the U.S.
  • The U.S. citizenship requirements states that, if you are married to a U.S. citizen, you can apply for U.S. citizenship after three years of residence in the United States. All others can apply for citizenship only after five years.
  • You have resided in the U.S. from the time you filed your application for U.S. citizenship.
  • You should take an oath, that you are attached to the U.S. constitution.
  • You should have proficient knowledge and fluency in English.
  • You should have knowledge concerning the history, role and functioning of the U.S. government including answering 10 of the 100 possible Citizenship Test Questions
  • You should not be involved in any crime.
  • You should meet the continuous physical presence requirements

Continuous physical presence requirements

If you are married to a U.S. citizen, the following continuous physical presence requirements should be met:

  • You should live physically with your spouse.
  • You should have lived together with your spouse for at least three years before you apply for U.S. citizenship and take the naturalization examination.
  • You should have been physically present in the U.S. for at least 18 months.
  • You should have been residing continuously for the past three months in the state from where you will apply for U.S. citizenship.
  • Your spouse should be a U.S. citizen during the period you have applied for citizenship till the date of examination.

The following are the continuous physical presence requirements for those who are not married to a U.S. citizen:

  • You should have been physically present in the U.S. for at least 30 months.
  • You should have been residing continuously for the past three months in the state from where you will apply for U.S. citizenship.

Physical presence is different from Continuous residence. Physical presence is the number of days you were physically present in the U.S. Continuous residence is the time you resided lawfully in the U.S. without any long absence. If you are physically absent from the United States for one year, you will lose your continuous residence requirement, unless the absence is excused. The U.S. citizenship process is not easy, you have to meet the above requirements to be eligible to apply for citizenship.


Guest Post Author

Immigration Direct is not legal advice site, but its a place for all immigration related issues. Where in you can fill the forms on Visas, Green card Renewal, Naturalization, Student Visa, Work Visa, Tourist Visa, etc. We will make sure your form is 100% error free, before you submit to USCIS.