US Imposes $1 Fee for Green Card Lottery Registration

Marrakech – The US State Department has announced a new $1 fee for all applicants registering for the Diversity Visa lottery program, commonly known as the “Green Card” lottery. According to a notice published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, the change will take effect immediately.

The State Department explained that the new fee “will more fairly place the burden of the lottery registration on individuals seeking the benefit of gaining access to the DV application process instead of charging only the small percentage of successful registrants for the costs associated with administering the lottery program for all registrants.”

The Department also noted that the fee would “help to reduce specious registrations by actors seeking to exploit unsuspecting potential entrants.” Officials believe the nominal charge may deter fraudulent applications.

The Diversity Visa program, established by the Immigration Act of 1990, began in 1995 and grants 55,000 visas each year. The program aims to diversify the immigrant population in the US by selecting applicants mostly from countries with low rates of immigration to the US in the previous five years.

Those selected through the lottery gain access to the Diversity Visa application process, during which they must pay a nonrefundable $330 fee. This fee remains unchanged under the new rule.

Administration erects barriers to immigrant opportunities

The change comes amid broader immigration policy shifts under President Donald Trump’s second administration. Trump has overseen a crackdown on both legal and illegal immigration as part of his effort to enact what has been described as “the largest mass deportation program in US history.”

Opponents describe such restrictions as draconian anti-immigration measures, condemning his policies as xenophobic and harmful to America’s traditional role as a nation of immigrants. They argue that these crackdowns are both legally dubious and morally corrosive, undermining the country’s foundational ideals of opportunity and inclusion.

In August, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Fox News that the US should change its green card system to prioritize applicants with higher salaries or greater economic potential.

“The average American makes $75,000 a year, and the average green card recipient $66,000,” he said, adding, “We are going to start picking the best people to come into the country.”

Critics view the new registration fee as yet another barrier to legal immigration erected by the administration. Heath Brown, an associate professor of public policy at City University of New York, told Newsweek that “any decision to add paperwork and bureaucracy to the immigration process risks American technological leadership in the world.”

“Even small additions to the process of applying for a diversity lottery visa may dampen interest in immigration to the country,” he added.

A ticket to experience the ‘American dream’

For many Moroccans, the American Green Card lottery serves as a lifeline to prosperity and opportunity – a golden ticket to a new beginning in a land synonymous with economic mobility and individual freedom.

In 2022, Morocco ranked fourth among Arab countries in obtaining US Green Cards, with 4,756 cards issued to Moroccan citizens, according to US Department of Homeland Security figures.

At the global level, Morocco ranked 40th worldwide, surpassing countries like France, Spain, and Germany. The top three positions globally were held by Mexico (138,000), India (127,000), and China (68,000).

A recent report by the Arab Barometer network on migration trends in the Arab world showed that Moroccans increasingly favor North America as their destination of choice for emigration, while interest in Gulf countries has declined.

The report indicates that 26% of Moroccans wishing to emigrate choose America as their destination, ahead of Canada and France (23% each), while Germany ranks fourth at 19%.

Every May, as the announcement of “American lottery” winners approaches, a palpable excitement electrifies Moroccan communities. Young people anxiously await results, obsessively checking emails and the official lottery website.

Coffee shops buzz with discussions about who might secure this coveted opportunity and experience the “American dream,” while social media platforms overflow with tips, success stories, and communal support for those daring to envision a future in Uncle Sam’s country.

However, this dream faces the reality of very limited selection, as the chances of obtaining a Green Card do not exceed approximately 2% of total applicants worldwide. Nevertheless, this low probability does not discourage Moroccan youth from applying.