Green Card Lottery - why?

[Cayenne]

How come there's a Green Card Lottery (!) when it's virtually impossible to acquire American citizenship by applying formally? What's the thought behind having a lottery, I mean, what's in it for the U.S. of A?

Thanks in advance for answering - I can't log in so often, so I may not spend my computer time thanking each and everyone, but your answers will be much appreciated.

[xrayspecs]

I don't think it's an actual lottery - more a saying - to do with the difficulty in obtaining a green card and the apparent arbritary nature of their issue.

[Buenchico]

The United States was founded upon the concept of an 'open door' policy on immigration and the US Congress has always tried to hold to the basic principle behind that policy.

The constraints of reality, however, mean that the US can't permit uncontrolled immigration so they now only invite applications for immigration, under the 'open door' policy, from citizens of countries from where relatively few people gain residence visas through other means. (e.g. because relatively large numbers of UK citizens already obtain US residence visas through having relatives in the US - or because they work in the higher levels of business or academia - UK citizens are barred from this 'open door' route)

Even restricting immigration based solely upon the nationality of the applicants, however, would still lead to a far greater number of immigrants entering the country than the US economy could support. For this reason, the US Congress has approved a scheme under which 50,000 people per year are granted residence visas. Subject to meeting strict immigration criteria, the names of all applicants are entered into an annual (electronic) lottery.

Link:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322 .html

Chris

[Cayenne]

Thanks Buenchico for taking the time to explain it so well - at last it all makes sense! I didn't really think it ever would... And thank you xrayspecs, you may have been wrong but your theory was certainly plausible and your response thus appreciated.

[xrayspecs]

I don't think I'm wrong! There isn't really a Lottery.