The diversity immigrant visa, the us diversity immigrant visa program, awards up to 55,000 immigrant visas a year to nationals of countries with historically low U.S. immigration, by random selection from a free online entry. Here’s the whole diversity visa lottery journey, in plain English.
Immigrant visas allocated each year, at most, to countries with historically low U.S. immigration.
The entry costs nothing, filed at dvprogram.state.gov during the annual fall window.
The hard, unmovable deadline: everything must finish by September 30 of the program year.
The green card diversity visa requirements are simple, but the program forgives nothing: errors disqualify at the interview.
born in an eligible country for the american diversity visa. The list changes annually, and chargeability to a spouse's or parent's country can rescue some entrants.
high school education or its equivalent, or 2 years of experience in the last 5 in an occupation requiring 2+ years of training.
the entrant must be admissible to the U.S.
exactly correct entry details and compliant photos: errors disqualify at the interview.
Every step of the diversity visa lottery process runs the same way.
Enter free at dvprogram.state.gov during the annual fall window. One entry per person; spouses may each enter, listing each other.
File Form I-360 with the category's evidence. Religious-worker cases include employer attestations and often site visits.
If selected, submit the diversity visa usa application (Form DS-260) immediately. Selection alone guarantees nothing, and visas run out.
Interview at the embassy (or I-485 adjustment if lawfully in the U.S.) with education and work evidence.
Everything must finish by September 30 of the program year: a hard, unmovable deadline.
the immigrant visa application, submitted immediately after selection.
adjustment of status, for selectees lawfully in the U.S.
The clock is already running. Selection alone guarantees nothing: visas run out, and the program year ends September 30 no matter where your diversity visa immigration case stands. Submit the DS-260 immediately, and move fast.
The lottery stays close to free at the front door: entering now costs one dollar, a registration fee added beginning with the DV-2027 season. The real spending starts only if you are selected. The biggest single item, the $330 visa fee, is paid at the interview and is not refunded if the case is refused, so make sure the entry was clean before spending on fees, medicals, and travel.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lottery entry | $1 per entrant | Charged at registration starting with DV-2027; entries were free in earlier years |
| Diversity visa application fee | $330 per person | Paid at the consular interview; not refundable if the visa is refused |
| Medical exam | Varies by country | Every applicant sees an authorized panel physician; prices are set locally |
| USCIS immigrant fee | $235 per person | Paid online after the visa so the physical green card can be produced |
Treat it as fraud. Selection shows up only in the Entrant Status Check on the official site, unlocked by your confirmation number. Anyone emailing congratulations, demanding wire transfers, or offering to release your case for a fee is running a scam we see every season.
No. Selection is a random draw and one entry is all anyone gets. An agency types the same form you can type, and the worst ones keep your confirmation number so they can charge you later to learn your own result.
A spouse gained after entry can generally be added to the case, with solid proof the marriage is genuine and hard questions at the interview. The opposite situation is fatal: a spouse who existed when you entered but was left off the form.
Not necessarily. Interviews open by regional case-number cutoffs published monthly, and in most years some selectees are never reached before the lottery visas run out. No filing speeds it up; watch the cutoffs and be ready the moment your number is current.
Often yes, through adjustment of status, if your number becomes current with enough runway before September 30 and you are otherwise eligible. Choosing between adjusting here and interviewing abroad is strategy; the deadline forgives neither route.
Entries cannot be corrected after submission. A wrong birth date or a missing family member usually ends the case at the interview, after the money is spent. If you spot a real error, get advice before paying fees and booking travel, and enter cleanly next season.
Won the lottery? Move fast. Tell us your story: the evaluation is free, and our immigration team, including an eb-5 visa lawyer for investors weighing other paths, tells you exactly what to do next.
