The US Green Card Lottery Program, known as DV (Diversity Visa) Lottery program, is a good opportunity for potential immigrants to obtain the status as a permanent legal resident of the USA. You may apply by yourself at the U.S. Department of State website, if you wish. This program runs each year and provides 50,000 "Green Cards" to applicants randomly selected in a lottery process.
USEFUL INFORMATION FOR SCHOOLS
Obtaining Approval to Receive Nonimmigrant Students
To obtain approval to receive nonimmigrant students, a school must file "Petition for Approval" (Form I-17) with the USCIS.
There are two types of foreign students: F-1 students and M-1 nonimmigrants. A school may be approved for either type of student. A student's classification depends on his/her educational goals.
F-1 Students
Approval for attendance of F-1 students may be solicited by an accredited college or university that awards bachelors, masters, doctorate or professional degrees;
an accredited community or junior college that provides instruction in the liberal arts or the professions and awards associate degrees; a seminary; a conservatory; an academic high school; a private elementary school; or an institution that provides language training, instruction in the liberal arts, the fine arts or the professions, or instruction in one or more of these disciplines.
M-1 Students
Approval for the attendance of M-1 non-academic students may be solicited by a community college or junior college that provides vocational or technical training and awards associate degrees; a vocational high school; a trade school or a school of nonacademic training other than language training.
Approved Schools
Current USCIS regulations recognize the following as approved schools:
A school operated as a public educational institution by federal, state, or local government; and
A school accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency.
If an institution of higher education does not fall into one of these two categories, it must submit evidence that its course credits are accepted by at least three accredited schools.
If a private elementary or public or private secondary school does not fall into one of these two categories, it must submit evidence that it satisfies the compulsory attendance requirements of the state in which it is located and that it qualifies graduates for acceptance by approved schools at a higher educational level, and in the case of a private elementary or secondary school, that it is accredited by an accrediting organization, certified by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Non-Public Education.
Approval Process
Aside from the filing of Petition for Approval (Form I-17) , the following requirements must be met:
Form I-17 must be signed by an officer of the institution who has authority to sign contracts.
The petitioning school must submit certification indicating that it is licensed, approved, and/or accredited.
Where to Apply
All applications submitted by schools and institutions wishing to accept nonimmigrant students should be mailed to the "Attention of the USCIS Schools Officer" at the USCIS District Office having jurisdiction over the geographic area in which the institution is located.
