US Green Card: Record Number of Winners Published

New York, NY, September 02, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The US government has recently released the statistical breakdown of the DV-2010 diversity visa program, the so-called green card lottery.

Approximately 110.000 successful applications for US permanent residence were randomly selected from more than 13.6 million entries which were received during the 60-day submission period last year.

However, only half of the selectees will actually receive a green card. The other half is expected to either not follow through with the application process or be disqualified due to strict educational and financial requirements requested from all winners.

More than half of all applicants were born in a developing country. The top three countries in terms of winning entries were Ghana, Nigeria and Bangladesh, Together they account for more than 15% of the total number of winners.

Due to per-country limitations, only 3,500 winners per country are allowed to receive a green card. Even if educational requirements are met, more than half of Ghana´s 8,752 winners will therefor not be able to actually come to the USA.

While the green card lottery is especially popular in less developed countries, interest is rising in Europe as well. A new research by the Pew Institute in Washington has shown that confidence in Obama has lifted the US image considerably around the world, especially in Germany, where US favorability has risen from 31% during the Bush years to 64% this June.

This research is supported by a record number of green card applicants from Germany last year. Holger Zimmermann, founder of The American Dream, Europe´s largest US Immigration agency (http://www.green-card.com), explains: "The submission period for the 2008 green card lottery lasted for about four weeks after the last presidential election. During that time, we saw an increase of almost 150% in applications from most European countries." More applicants result in a relatively higher number of successful participants as well. In Germany, for example, 2,188 people actually won the green card - the highest number recorded during the last decade.

###

The American Dream (www.green-card.com) is the largest European US immigration agency and one of the largest green card agencies in the world. It is the only such service licensed by a government authority (§1 AuswSG, 1976, Federal German Law).

Since the foundation of the company in 1996 more than 13,000 green card winners could be notified and more than 1,000 US business and work visas are issued each year after successful applications prepared by The American Dream.

Full translations are available in nine languages. Offices are maintained in New York and Berlin.

The American Dream USA Services Ltd.
350 Fifth Ave, Ste. 3304
New York, NY 10118
USA
Tel.: (347) 342 0095

or

The American Dream USA Services GmbH
Mehringdamm 62
10961 Berlin
Germany
Tel.: +49-30-511 0 511