Diversity Visa Lottery Contributes to Our City's Success For well over 100 years, the generations of immigrants who built our country have called New York City "The Gateway to America" - not only a gateway to our great nation, but a gateway to opportunity, to liberty, and to the promise of a better life. New York City owes more to the energy and creativity and hard work of immigrants than does any other place in the nation - and any other place in the world. One of the primary reasons that New York is the capital of the world is because our city is home to people descended from nearly every country on earth. Immigrants continue to come here for the same reasons that my grandparents did - to have the opportunity to build a brighter future for themselves and their families. Over the past decade, New York has attracted record numbers of immigrants - numbers not seen since the turn of the last century. This continuing strong influx of newcomers to our city is a key ingredient of our economic strength and of the revitalization of many neighborhoods. New York's continued welcome to immigrants has allowed our city to thrive in a way that many other cities envy. Of the 971,917 immigrants who came to New York City between 1990 and1998, the chief countries of origin were the Dominican Republic, the former Soviet Union, China, Jamaica, and Guyana. While the Caribbean, Europe and Asia remain major sources of immigrants to the city, New York's status as the pre-eminent global city is reflected in its changing immigrant base. Countries such as Bangladesh. Ghana, Nigeria, and Egypt have emerged as major sources of immigrants to the city. I am always happy to welcome new immigrants to New York, and last week I was pleased to announce the guidelines of the upcoming Federal Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program, a process that will bring our country's proud immigrant tradition into the new century. From October 2nd to November 1st, the United States government will be accepting entries for the Diversity Visa Lottery. Fifty thousand permanent resident visas, commonly known as "green cards," are awarded to the winners of the lottery, providing that they have met all the requirements specified in the visa application. There are two important facts that people interested in entering the Visa Lottery need to keep in mind. First, the lottery is free. And second, winners of the lottery are selected at random, so don't listen to anybody who tells you that if you pay them they can increase your chances of winning. They're lying and committing fraud. The City has established a fraud hotline and offers a pamphlet that provides detailed information on how to spot and avoid con artists of this nature. Consumers who believe they are victims of fraud concerning the green card lottery program are urged to contact the City Department of Consumer Affairs at (212) 487-4276. For a free copy of Beware of Immigration Services Fraud, a brochure available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Haitian Creole, Italian, and Korean, send a self-addressed envelope to the Department of Consumer Affairs, 42 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10004. Also available for free is A Consumer Guide to the Fall 2000 "DV-2002" Permanent-Resident Visa Lottery brochure explaining the rules and restrictions. Send a self-addressed envelope to the above address, or obtain the information by visiting the Consumer Affairs website at www.nyc.gov/consumers. Entering the Visa Lottery is simple and straightforward, and a terrific way to begin the process of becoming an American citizen, even if you do not have a family member already living in America. I encourage all eligible New York City residents to complete the application and participate in this outstanding opportunity for a new and better life in the United States. |
