This is the time of year you’ve all been waiting for. No, it’s not Halloween or the presidential election. It’s… the beginning of the green card lottery. Registration for the DV Lottery 2022 opens on Wednesday, October 7 at 12 noon ET / 9am PT on the U.S. Department of State website (exclusively). As usual, please ignore the sirens of the sites that offer to fill out your application for a fee. You have until November 10 to try your luck.

According to the State Department, 55,000 of these “diversity visas” are granted each year through this lottery process. It advises not to wait until the last week to register because of the risk of malfunctions due to heavy traffic. To participate, you must have a high school diploma at minimum, or have at least two years of work experience over the last five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training.

Participation in the “DV Lottery” is free of charge, and filling out the form takes only a few minutes (provided you have a photo that meets the required standards). You will need to keep the confirmation number so that you can verify the results, mailed May 8, 2021. Please note: a selection does not necessarily guarantee that you will receive a Green Card. Winning applications must be processed in a timely manner by the U.S. administration.