"The American Green Card Lottery?" WTF?!?

[EstimatedProphet]

http://www.usafis.org/_sys/EN/adz7.asp?af=RMA2_en_63811

This came as a popup. It looks very suspicious, but I'm not sure in what way it's intended. Is it to take advantage of aliens? Or is it to piss people off at the government's immigration policy, so that McCain or Paul can take advantage?

Has anyone ever seen this?

[enlightenment]

1. Try this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_Immigrant_Visa

[EstimatedProphet]

4. Weird. The idea looks suspicious on its face

To me, simply giving away immigrant visas in a lottery is extremely bizarre, and not very well thought-out.

[kywildcat]

5. It is bizare, but well thought out.

To enhance diversity, so many green cards are allotted to various 3rd world countries-hoping to appeal to low skill or no skill labor that would not otherwise gain entry. The lottery is geared toward many african countries and former soviet block countries with percentages decided each year by how many entered the US last year, and economic status of each country.

[EstimatedProphet]

6. OK

I had never heard of it, and the idea looked like it was designed to take advantage of the desperate. But that, and the links, make more sense.

[percussivemadness]

2. its legit

each year the US gives away by means of a lottery a certain number of GC`s

[kywildcat]

3. It's one of many 'services' that

enable people from 3rd world countries to enter the green card lottery. The lottery is designed to allow people who would not be eligible for various student or work visas, to come to the US. I know several moroccans and mauritanians that are here, having won the lottery. It's been around a long time, and I doubt that either candidate has any real ties to it.

[BunkerHill24]

7. FTC Consumer Alert website is your friend

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt003.shtm