Winners of the DV 2020 lottery cannot get green cards: how many managed to get documents
It was a difficult year for 55 foreigners who have won green cards... Why this is so, explains the publication Miami Herald.
Во-первых, в марте посольства и консульства США по всему миру прекратили предоставление неэкстренных визовых услуг из-за пандемии COVID-19 — и только недавно Department of State resumes phased and regular issuance of immigration and tourist visas.
Then, in April, came out U.S. President Donald Trump's Resolution to Suspend the Entry of Immigrantspose a risk to the US labor market. Meanwhile, all of the various visas available for the 2020 fiscal year must be issued no later than September 30, 2020.
The Civil Rights Coalition has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District of Columbia Court challenging Trump's immigration ban. By a court decision the presidential administration is obliged to allow entry to the winners of the lottery for a variety of visas.
Following the ruling, the State Department's Consular Bureau said that "DV-2020 winners can obtain their visas from embassies and consulates whenever possible."
The Immigrant Visa Program provides for up to 55 green cards for immigrants from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. The winners were selected by random computer selection.
End of term
Ahead of the September 30 deadline, foreigners are struggling to find a way to go through a consular interview, which is one of the key requirements for an immigrant visa under the program.
According to immigration attorney Curtis Morrison, who represents over 3000 plaintiffs, the Department of State has so far issued only 14 of the 636 visas allocated for fiscal 55.
On the subject: 4 tips for participating in a green card draw from a winning immigrant
«У госдепартамента было три недели с момента указа о возобновлении выдачи виз, и все же осталось более 40 000 человек, — сказал Моррисон. — Это недопустимо. Они не особо старались».
As of September 24, 2020, consular officers have approved 523 visas for different categories of main applicants.
A State Department spokesman expressed doubts that the United States will be able to accept all applicants before September 30 due to restrictions caused by the pandemic. "
But the applicants and their attorneys do hope that US District Judge Amit P. Mehta, who is presiding over these cases, will extend the deadline.
«Все победители лотереи очень обеспокоены, потому что без вмешательства суда их возможности иммиграции в США будут утрачены», — сказал Моррисон.
Judge Mehta has set a hearing for Monday at 15:00. Public line: +1 (404) 443-2170. Access code: 321-8747.
Obstacles for the winners
Many winners, such as Cuban and Venezuelan citizens, face additional hurdles as there are no consular services in their countries and they have to travel to other countries.
But due to travel restrictions and quarantine requirements, they simply cannot travel.
Georgetown, Guyana, for example, has been the designated processing point for Cuban immigrant visas since 2018. Venezuelans must make an appointment in Bogota, Colombia.
Люван Кастильо, победительница DV-2020 из Кубы, поделилась своим разочарованием в Twitter: «Как вы должны знать, аэропорты закрыты, и кубинское правительство не позволит ни одному получателю визы или другим людям покидать остров. Мы настоятельно просили, чтобы все эти факторы были приняты во внимание, а победители DV2020 принимались в Гаване», — написала она.
All visa lottery winners around the world, even if they receive a visa, must wait until January 1, 2021 to come to the United States, unless they are eligible for an exception because the presidential labor declaration bans entry to immigrants, including lottery winners, until the end of the year.
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