If a student gets a green card via the DV lottery (2011, money)

[michaelpog]

If a student gets a green card via the DV lottery can he stay in his country to finish his education?
I know if you get a visa you have to go to the US within half a year but can you come back and finish your studies and then move to the US permanently?
What are the procedures and the rules for this case?
Thanks

[MarcNZ]

It depends how close you are to the end of your studies.

less than 6 months: No problems at all.

6 months - 1.5 years: Enter the US within 6 months, then go back to finish your studies. May have to answer a few more questions at immigration, but it's all within the rules so no real problems.

1.5 years - 2.5 years: Enter the US within 6 months and apply for a re-entry permit
(which is valid for 2 years), then go back to finish your studies.

more than 2.5 years: Be prepared to give up either your green card or your education in your home country because you probably won't be able to have both. Maybe consider looking into finishing your education somewhere in the US.

[michaelpog]

Is it something you take from an official document, or you just know it from experience?

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by michaelpog

If a student gets a green card via the DV lottery can he stay in his country to finish his education?
I know if you get a visa you have to go to the US within half a year but can you come back and finish your studies and then move to the US permanently?
What are the procedures and the rules for this case?
Thanks

How many more yrs do you have to do to finish your education?

[michaelpog]

3 more years at least

[MarcNZ]

Originally Posted by michaelpog

Is it something you take from an official document, or you just know it from experience?

Official information (Rules for DV lottery winner are no different than any other permanent resident once their green card has been issued):
Returning Resident Alien

Have you actually won the lottery or are you just planning ahead?

Don't forget that if you are entering the next lottery (which you can enter later this year), then you won't find out whether you have won for at least a few months, then the first visas start being issued in October of next year and possibly as late as September of 2011. So you may be quite a bit further through your studies by the time you actually have your visa issued.

[bentlebee]

You have to make a disicion to go further in the process or not and if you already have spend a lot of money, you could keep your card if you obey the rules of the GC...if not your card will be cancelled and that isn't much fun if you have spend a lot of money....