The Nicaraguan couple made up of Daviana Rodríguez and Marlon Quedo are still perplexed by the speed with which they obtained their Green Cardas permanent residence is known, after having obtained it one month after arriving in the United States.
Stay, 38 years old, and Rodríguez, 39, were chosen after having participated in the Diversity Visa Program, better known as the “Visa Lottery” where annually the United States government offers the possibility of migrating with permanent residence to some 55,000 foreigners every year, including Nicaraguans.
The couple applied at the end of 2022.
“I found out through the newspaper The Press that the call had been opened, they were constantly informed that the visa lottery had already started, although I was afraid because there are many scams about that, because they charge you and to actually participate in the visa lottery process to register is completely free,” commented Rodríguez.
“But I told my husband and he started the whole procedure,” she added.
The program directed by the Department of State and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) randomly selects the winners of the lottery and allows those selected and their immediate family members to obtain permanent residence and five years later to apply for citizenship.
In the case of the Nicaraguan couple, their two children benefited, who also already have permanent residence.
“The residence came practically after a month, but the children’s lasted a little longer, I imagine to take a photo because my youngest son is 10 months old, but finally they have one. Now the four of us are residents,” he mentioned for his part. part I remain.
A long wait
The couple applied for the draw in October 2022 and in 2024 they checked to see if they had been selected and that was when they found out the news. They subsequently began countless procedures, interviews and medical examinations prior to the trip.
According to official information, participants must demonstrate that they have the resources or work skills so they will not require government help for their maintenance. They are also interviewed by the American embassy.
The couple worked in Nicaragua in various areas. In the case of Marlon Quedo, he worked as a computer scientist, while Daviana Rodríguez, who studied industrial engineering, worked as a hygiene and safety manager in a local company.
“It was like a dream because we had planned to process the tourist visa, but I tell you, we never thought that we would live here and be residents of this country, it is a dream,” the couple told the Voice of America.
Nicaragua is the Central American country with the lowest approval of B1 and B2 tourist visas, according to figures of the consular affairs office.
In 2022, 16,029 B1 and B2 visas were approved for Nicaraguans, a relatively low figure compared to its neighboring country Costa Rica, with 64,221 in the same period.
Under U.S. law, there are many standards under which a visa application can be denied, such as because a consular officer does not have all the information required to determine whether the applicant is eligible to receive it, or because the applicant does not qualifies for the visa category for which you applied.
“It was exciting at the moment when the consul told us: your visa has been approved and we looked at each other and kind of got a little excited,” Quedo said.
The Nicaraguan couple is slowly planning their future as they settle in Miami, Florida, which is the destination they chose after arriving in the United States.
“The objective was to establish a better future for our children and that was the fundamental goal, since thank God we had that luck that blessing. So, let’s take advantage of everything that is within our reach to give them the best. One piece of information has been because here, obviously, education is better, the quality of life is better,” the couple mentioned.
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