UK enters US Green Card Lottery for the first time

The United Kingdom is participating in the annual Green Card Lottery for permanent US residence this year. It will be the first time since its inception in 1994. Applications must be submitted on or before 7th November.

The US State Department made a historic announcement today. Individuals born in the United Kingdom and all its dependent territories will be eligible to apply for permanent residence under the US Diversity Visa Programme this year.

What is the US Green Card Lottery?

The Green Card Lottery, as it is popularly known, is an official immigration programme run by the US government to keep immigration diverse. Every year, 55,000 green cards are drawn among participants from countries with low immigration rates to the US. The United Kingdom has been added to the list of eligible countries for the first time, as the number of immigrants from the UK has declined over the past five years.

Holger Zimmermann, managing director of The American Dream, Europe´s leading US immigration agency, urges interested Britons to enter as soon as possible: “The drop in immigration from the UK to the US was probably only due to Covid restrictions.” He reckons that the numbers will already be back to old levels very soon. This year might be the only chance for British citizens to participate in this popular programme, Zimmermann adds.

Requirements and Chances

Millions of people participate in the programme every year, but with 55,000 green cards at stake, the odds are still high, especially in Europe. Internal statistics show a success rate of about 1 in 45. For married couples, the chances are twice as high. Applications are free and must be submitted by 7 November 2023. Winners will be announced in May 2024. Since more than 60 % of all applications are regularly disqualified due to minor errors, accredited immigration agencies such as The American Dream ensure that applications are submitted correctly and help winners with further processing.

About The American Dream

The government-licensed immigration consultants at The American Dream have assisted people with all aspects of immigration and travel to the USA since 1996 - from applying for the Green Card Lottery to planning immigration to applying for business or tourist visas and sending employees to the USA.

The American Dream has helped over 21,000 immigrants on their way to a Green Card and has helped over 0,000 leisure and business travellers obtain a visa or ESTA.

www.the-american-dream.com

Global Economic Forecast

The following report is written by staff at the EIU and is carried in its entirety by That's Business for the benefit of our readers:- 

The Economist Intelligence Unit has reduced its 2012 GDP forecast for the euro zone. We now expect the economy to contract by 0.3% compared with our previous forecast of growth of 0.8%. The debt crisis in the euro zone periphery shows little sign of prompt resolution, despite greater efforts from political leaders in recent weeks. Stress on euro zone banks is deepening; a much-discussed bank recapitalisation, if it happens, will be positive for sentiment, but it is likely to be a contentious process. Most euro zone economic indicators have turned negative, and a recession seems inevitable.

• We have also lowered our forecast for US economic growth in 2012 to 1.3% (from 2% previously). Contagion effects from the euro zone crisis, mainly on US financial markets and banks, will curb business investment and consumer spending. We now expect only some elements of Barack Obama's jobs plan, which would have been supportive for the economy, to be enacted. Unlike in the euro zone, though, most US economic indicators remain mildly positive, suggesting a measure of resilience by consumers in the face of severe economic shocks.

• Following on from our downgrades to euro zone and US economic growth next year, we have also reduced our growth forecasts for most emerging markets. Countries with significant trade exposure to the large Western economies will feel the greatest impact. We have lowered our 2012 GDP growth forecast for China to 8.2% (from 8.6% previously). China's government has the motivation and the means to stimulate the domestic economy if external demand falls too sharply.

• Asset markets continue to veer almost daily from a risk-tolerant to a risk-averse posture, based largely on developments in the euro zone, but also on economic data, especially from the US and China. Our forecast for slower growth in most countries next year implies a strengthening of safe-haven assets, such as the US dollar and developed-country bonds, and a weaker performance for risk-related assets, including equities, commodities and commodity-related currencies.

Global Economic Forecast, November 2011 is available to download, for free, at http://gfs.eiu.com