Here’s the story of an Aussie couple who achieved their dream of living and working in America, through the Green Card Lottery, that originally appeared on the CanberraTimes.com.au.
Gemma Peckham and her husband Kane Grose, wished to settle in the U.S. The couple who had been applying for the Green Card Lottery for the past five years finally won the lottery last year. After they won the lottery and received their visas, they shifted to New York. Gemma said that they were issued immigrant visas only after they went through a very lengthy application and interview process.
Gemma now works in the publishing industry, while her husband works as a writer and an animator in New York. She said that the City is the best fit for them and that there are a lot of opportunities for publishing in New York. In Australia, Gemma worked as an editor for eight years with Executive Media. When she told Executive Media that she was moving to the States, the company asked her to oversee development of their office in New York. So Gemma was also able to keep her job.
Gemma says that people entering and winning the Green Card Lottery must first make sure where they want to settle in the U.S. They need to select a place that will be a good fit for the work they do.
The U.S. is not too difficult for Gemma as there are not many cultural differences between the U.S. and Australia. She says New York is very friendly and the people there seem like Australians, which she says helps her a lot. Though her move to the U.S. has a lot of advantages, there are also some drawback that she says are normal.
For Gemma, this is an opportunity of a lifetime and she is happy about living and working in New York. It was hard for her to achieve her dream but this is something that many are still dreaming of.
Diversity immigrant visas issued under the Green Card Lottery program will let the recipients live and work in the U.S. Only 50,000 visas are issued every year and winners of these visas can settle in the U.S. However, these winners will need to undergo medical examinations, file applications and attend visa interviews before they are issued immigrant visas. Only those winners eligible for permanent resident status in the U.S. will be granted an immigrant visa through the lottery program.
If you have been dreaming about settling in the U.S. just like Gemma and her husband, the time for you to apply for the Green Card Lottery is now!