Getting a Green Card through the lottery is, for many, a chance for a new life in the United States. But as with any lottery, not everyone wins, about 40% of applications are rejected due to errors in the paperwork, such as an incorrect photo or incomplete form.

It is precisely the fear of making mistakes during the Green Card application process that has given rise to an entire industry. Despite the risk of the program being discontinued after Donald Trump, an opponent of the program, won the U.S. presidential election, people are still willing to pay for assistance with correctly filling out the application form, hoping to increase their chances of success.

Demand creates supply, and in response, companies and individual consultants offer their services for filling out forms and preparing all the necessary documents, assuring clients that their expertise will help avoid common mistakes. Whether one should trust those who promise 100% success and how such a specialist can help was explained to the Akchabar editorial team by Nurgul Osmonova, who has years of experience in visa matters.

It is essential to know what their services include to understand whether consulting a specialist affects your chances of getting a Green Card.

"The first step, of course, is consultation. We explain to clients how the lottery process works, what documents and information are required for submitting the application. The second is verifying and preparing photos," — said Nurgul Osmonova.

Preparing photos is a crucial step where many make mistakes, as even experienced photographers may not be aware of the strict requirements.

"There have been instances where many photos taken by even professional photographers turned out to be unsuitable. The main issue is that they edit the background, which leads to the disqualification of the application. It was particularly surprising that such mistakes occurred in Bishkek, in the regions and even abroad. For example, we had a case where a client was in Turkey and the photographer who took her pictures insisted that he hadn't edited the background. However, when we requested the original files, it was immediately clear that the background was completely different in the original," — recalls the expert.

Nurgul even uses specialized software to minimize the risk of disqualification to avoid mistakes.

In addition, the specialist handling your application has a challenging task, as they need to consider many nuances when answering the questions.

"I met a woman who won the Green Card but couldn't take advantage of the opportunity because she was not granted a visa. The reason lies in the fact that at the time of applying, she was legally married but in the application form she indicated that she was divorced. Although she had already divorced by the time of the interview and had the divorce certificate, everything was in order, she was told at the interview that she had lied on her application because she was married at that time. As a result, she was denied a visa. She eventually made it to the U.S. but went through Mexico. Winning the Green Card, she could not utilize it due to the incorrect information provided in the application at the initial stage," — shared Nurgul Osmonova.

Nurgul noted that when filling out applications for others, many questions arise, especially from men. They would like to apply for the Green Card lottery alone and go abroad for work without their families. However, this is not possible; such an approach not only does not increase the chances of winning the lottery but can also lead to disqualification, resulting in a visa denial.

"For the application, the entire family is needed, even children under 21 who may not live with them, adopted children and others. At the time of application, photos and information of everyone are required, and after winning, only those who wish can apply for a visa and go. One person can even go alone. But at the time of filling out the application, the details and photos of everyone are necessary," — the expert noted.

Thus, each specialist offering Green Card application services has more or less the same tools at their disposal.

"In essence, anyone can visit the website and fill out the application independently and for free. For some, the challenge may lie in language barriers, while for others, it may be a lack of experience and knowledge of the nuances. By paying for services, you are guaranteed to receive an application without errors," — says Nurgul Osmonova.

"But what is the price of the service? According to the specialist, the price range in Kyrgyzstan is between 500 to 1,000 KGS, while in neighboring Kazakhstan, the price is slightly higher at around 10,000 tenge (approximately 2,000 KGS). This pricing is offered for just the first stage of filling out the application, and if you win the green card, you will need to fill out a more detailed application, for which the average cost exceeds $200."

There are cases where the price for a simple application can reach up to $80. Typically, this price is set by those who have already moved to America and share their successful cases on social media, guaranteeing their clients a win.

"There was even a case where a girl promoted her blog, advertised her services for filling out the application and charged $30 for it. However, it later turned out that she had moved to the U.S. illegally through Mexico," — said Nurgul Osmonova.

In general, companies and specialists who make any guarantees in their advertising should raise immediate suspicion. Why? You might be surprised, but the winning percentage in the country is very low.

"When filling out the application on the website, there is no indication of whether the person completed it themselves or received help. This information is not tracked, and therefore, no statistics are kept on this matter. The data on Green Card wins varies significantly across different countries, but on average, the chances of winning are between 1 to 1.5%. This means that 1-2 people out of 100 win," — the expert explains.

Competition in the Green Card business is significant and some operate with nonexistent figures to shape their image. Nurgul Osmonova openly admits that she has never won a Green Card herself, but her experience can help avoid mistakes, and thus disqualification. It is important to remember that a lottery remains a lottery and no company or specialist can guarantee you a 100% chance of winning.