Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program
The Diversity Visa (DV) program offers immigration to persons in countries that do not send large numbers of immigrants to the United States. Lao citizens are eligible for this program. Applicants are selected at random from qualifying entries, and those winners who qualify at the time of their interview are issued visas and, upon entering the United States are granted Legal Permanent Residence ("Green Card" status in the United States. There are 55,000 DV winners each year. Each winner is allowed to request visas on behalf of his/her spouse and any unmarried children under the age of 21.
To qualify for a DV, an applicant must:
1- have completed twelve years of formal education (the equivalent of graduating from a U.S. high school)
OR
2- have at least two years of qualifying work experience at the time of applying for the DV. The U.S. Department of Labor sets the standards for work qualifications. It is extremely difficult to qualify for a DV on work experience alone, as most qualifying work experience requires higher education.
More information is available on the State Department's Diversity Visa Webpage.