Complete guide to immigrating to the United States — visas, requirements, and official resources.
RelocationHub Score™
Overall Score
Score Breakdown
Best when a U.S. employer is ready to sponsor quickly and your role clearly requires specialized education.
Useful for founders, researchers, and senior professionals who can show impact beyond one employer.
A practical route for treaty-country founders who can place substantial capital at risk in an active U.S. business.
Best for full-time study with a clear academic plan and realistic funding strategy.
The United States is one of the world's primary immigration destinations, with legal pathways for workers, investors, students, and families. U.S. immigration is governed by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Department of State (DOS), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
U.S. visas fall into two broad groups:
Nonimmigrant visas grant temporary authorization to enter the United States for a specific purpose and duration (work, study, investment, or tourism). Most require proof of intent to return to your home country, except dual-intent visas like H-1B and L-1.
Immigrant visas (green cards) grant permanent resident status, allowing you to live and work in the United States indefinitely. Paths include family sponsorship, employment sponsorship, and self-petition categories.
The Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program — commonly called the Green Card Lottery — is run annually by the U.S. Department of State and offers up to 55,000 immigrant visas to people from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. Winners become U.S. permanent residents (green card holders). Selection does not guarantee a visa — it gives you the right to apply.
You must meet two conditions on the date you submit your entry:
Country of birth — You must be born in an eligible country. High-immigration countries are excluded each year. For DV-2026, ineligible countries included Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland and Hong Kong), Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
Education or work experience — At least a high school diploma (12 years of schooling) or two years of qualifying work experience in the last five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience.
All entries are submitted free of charge during a limited window each year (typically October–November) at dvprogram.state.gov. No paper applications are accepted.
What you need before starting:
After submitting, you receive a confirmation number — save it. It is the only way to check your status. The U.S. government does not notify winners by email or post.
Results are published in May each year at dvprogram.state.gov (Entrant Status Check). Enter your confirmation number, last name, and year of birth to see if you were selected.
Selection opens the door; it does not guarantee a visa. You must:
All steps must be completed before September 30 of the relevant fiscal year. Once all 55,000 visas are issued or the year ends, no more DV visas can be granted for that program year.
The United States has the world's largest national economy. The job market varies widely by sector and geography. Healthcare is primarily private; coverage options include employer-provided plans and the Health Insurance Marketplace. Taxes are filed annually with the IRS. The U.S. education system runs from public K–12 schools through a large network of accredited universities and community colleges.
All authoritative U.S. immigration information is published by federal government agencies:
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration rules change frequently. Consult a licensed immigration attorney before making decisions.