USA Green Card Lottery for Citizens of Japan
The USA Green Card Lottery is a unique opportunity to become a U.S. permanent resident, without the need for a family or employer sponsor. If you live in Japan, you may be eligible to apply.
The Green Card Lottery is a global program, available in most countries throughout the world. Fifty-thousand winners are selected each year to receive a green card. Different qualifying countries are chosen every year, based on which countries and regions sent the fewest numbers of immigrants to the United States. If you do not live in Japan, check the list of eligible countries for the next green card lottery.
If you need help registering, we provide a review and submission service to help ensure you submit an eligible entry.
What Are the Requirements to Enter the USA Green Card Lottery in Japan?
The qualifying countries for the 2018 Green Card Lottery (DV-2020 Program) have not yet been declared. However, Japan is commonly an eligible country. No matter which country you apply from, there are only two requirements to enter:
- Have been born in an eligible country.
- Meet the education/work experience requirement
Born in eligible country
If you do not meet this requirement, you may still be eligible to apply if your spouse was born in a qualifying country or if one of your parents is from a qualifying country. To meet the education or work requirements, both of your parents must have been born in different country from you OR both of your parents must have been illegally residing in the country of your birth at the time of your birth.
Education or work experience
- Have at least a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of formal elementary and secondary education; OR
- Have two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform. The Department of State will use the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net Online database to determine qualifying work experience.
Open Dates: When Can I Apply for the Green Card Lottery?
The open dates for the upcoming Green Card Lottery (2020) have not yet been announced. However, the registration period typically begins in October and carries into November of each year. It’s important to note that the registration year does not match the year the winners are announced. While the upcoming registration period will take place in the fall of 2018, the winners will not be announced until 2020.
What Are My Chances of Winning the Green Card Lottery in Japan?
Millions of people apply for the Green Card Lottery every year and only 50,000 winners are selected. Different qualifying countries are chosen each year, based on which countries and regions sent the fewest numbers of immigrants to the U.S. in the last five years, proportionate to its population size. Each region is allocated no more than 7% of the total green cards. Applicants are selected randomly by a computerized lottery system, meaning every entrant has an equal chance of being selected. The next winner could be you!
There have been 40 million entrants in the last three lotteries. Japan had 86,000 entrants and only 760 were selected as winners.
What Happens If I Win?
Winning the lottery does not automatically mean you will receive a green card. In fact, only half of winners actually get green cards each year. The government requires Green Card Lottery winners to apply for a green card through the traditional process. This is where many winners are disqualified.
The green card application process is lengthy and complicated. It has its own additional set of qualifications you should meet including attending an interview, passing a medical exam and a criminal background check. You should also be able to prove that you will be able to financially support yourself in the United States. If you don’t respond to the U.S. government quick enough after receiving the notification that you won or receive your interview on time, the supply of green cards could run out. If you don’t meet a basic immigration requirement, then you will be disqualified.