It is a great feeling to win the Green Card Lottery, but just winning in the lottery will not guarantee a green card to live in U.S. You must apply for the immigrant visa (green card) and once a visa is available for your rank number you must schedule an interview. If you finish the interview process and you are granted a visa, you can go to U.S. You should also be allowed through at a port of entry, mostly an airport. If they approve you then you enter as a green card holder. For more details about steps to take after winning green card lottery, please click here .
A green card looks like your debit card or credit card.
The image shown above may not be exact, it is just a representation.It is a proof given by the Government to let others know that you are a permanent resident in the U.S. You must carry your green card always and provide it to officers if they require to check your identity. This permanent resident status is the status which can lead you to become a U.S citizen. A temporary visa holder cannot become a U.S citizen, only a permanent resident can become a U.S citizen after meeting certain eligibility requirements.
The benefits of being a green card holder are high. When you win the green card lottery and get your green card, you have only a certain duration to enter U.S. and become a green card holder. If this duration is exceeded you cannot go to U.S. so be prepared to enter U.S within the time limit and do not try to go in the last day or last week because if your medical examination expires sooner than your visa then you will have to get another examination completed within a shorter time. I personally feel but I don’t endorse that within 3 or 4 months after visa has been approved one should go to U.S.
A green card holder or permanent resident can live and work anywhere in the United States. It doesn’t mean that you will get a job when you enter the country. Instead, you must search for a job and a place to live. You can choose any place to live in the country. Most people would stay with their family members or friends until they find a place to live and a job. If you are financially sound then you can rent a house right away. Please save money as much as possible before entering the country so you don’t have to look entirely for someone’s help.
Most people would have enough financial resource to support them until they get a job. They can go looking for a job and step by step settle in the United States and build their own life. If you get help from friends, then you can find a job with his/her help and move on to make a life. But if you have no financial support or no job you cannot sustain life in U.S. During the interview for visa you would have provided proof for financial support and your visa will be approved only after verifying you can support yourself financially in U.S.
Now you must decide where to live or where to go in the United States once you enter. As you can live anywhere, find a job and settle nearby.
As a green card holder you have certain rights and responsibilities to take care of. If you do not fulfil these responsibilities you would be in trouble. The U.S. Government has a guide for the immigrants and to know more go here http://www.uscis.gov/tools/green-card-resources/welcome-united-states
In the upcoming articles we shall learn more about cities in U.S.
Green Card Lottery 