Diversity Visa Lottery and Green Card Process

Diversity Visa Lottery and Green Card Process

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, commonly called the Diversity Visa Lottery or Green Card Lottery, provides a limited opportunity for eligible individuals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to obtain permanent residence in the United States. The U.S. Department of State administers the program, through which up to 55,000 diversity visas may be allocated annually, subject to applicable statutory reductions.

Selection does not guarantee a visa or green card. A selected applicant must still satisfy all eligibility requirements, complete the required process, and obtain permanent residence before the program year ends.

Current Diversity Visa Update — September 2026: The blanket Diversity Visa processing and issuance pauses imposed in December 2025 are no longer in effect. On August 28, 2026, a federal court temporarily vacated the Department of State’s visa-issuance pause and USCIS’s adjustment-of-status hold, directing both agencies to resume ordinary adjudication. DV-2026 applicants must still obtain their visas or complete adjustment of status by September 30, 2026, and available visa numbers may be exhausted before that date. Because the litigation remains pending, affected applicants should continue monitoring official guidance.

Who May Enter the Diversity Visa Lottery?

Country of Birth
The applicant ordinarily must have been born in a country eligible for that year’s Diversity Visa Program. Eligibility is usually based on country of birth rather than citizenship or current residence. The list of qualifying countries may change annually.

In limited circumstances, an applicant may be able to claim eligibility through a spouse’s country of birth or, in certain cases, a parent’s country of birth.

Education or Work Experience
The principal applicant must have either:
Completed a formal course of primary and secondary education comparable to a 12-year U.S. high school education; or
Acquired at least two years of qualifying work experience during the preceding five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience.

For the education route, the Department of State accepts only completion of a formal course of study. Correspondence programs and equivalency credentials such as a GED do not satisfy this requirement. However, an applicant who lacks the required formal education may still qualify through the alternative work-experience requirement. The applicant’s spouse and children do not independently need to meet either requirement.

How to Enter the Diversity Visa Lottery

Entries must be submitted electronically through the official Electronic Diversity Visa website during the designated registration period. Late and paper entries are not accepted.

Under the current federal fee schedule, the system collects a $1 electronic registration fee when the entry is submitted. Make payments only through the authorized U.S. government payment portal provided as part of the official entry process. Applicants selected for further processing must pay separate government fees later.

Applicants should pay close attention to the following requirements:

• Submit only one entry per person during the registration period;
• Provide complete and accurate personal information;
• Include a qualifying photograph that meets current specifications;
• Properly identify a spouse and all children required by the instructions; and
• Save the confirmation number issued after submission.

Married couples may each submit one separate entry, provided each spouse lists the other and includes all required children. Submitting multiple entries for the same person or omitting an existing spouse or child may result in disqualification.

Registration dates, eligible countries, photograph specifications, fees, and other requirements may change. Applicants should therefore review the official instructions for the applicable program year before submitting an entry.

What Happens After Selection?

The Department of State does not ordinarily notify selected entrants by email or regular mail. Applicants must use their confirmation number to check their results through the official Entrant Status Check system.

If selected, the applicant must still:

1. Establish eligibility for the Diversity Visa Program;
2. Wait for the case number to become eligible for processing;
3. Complete the required immigrant visa or adjustment application;
4. Submit supporting documents;
5. Complete a medical examination;
6. Attend an interview; and
7. Establish admissibility to the United States.

More applicants are selected than available visas. Therefore, selection does not guarantee an interview, visa, or green card.

Consular Processing or Adjustment of Status

A selected applicant living outside the United States generally completes Form DS-260 and pursues immigrant visa processing through a U.S. embassy or consulate.

A selected applicant physically present in the United States may be able to apply for adjustment of status with USCIS. However, the applicant must have an available visa number and satisfy all adjustment requirements. Immigration violations, unauthorized employment, unlawful presence, prior removal proceedings, criminal history, fraud, or other admissibility issues may affect eligibility.

Applicants should obtain legal advice before choosing a process or making international travel plans.

Strict Diversity Visa Deadlines

Diversity Visa cases must be completed by the end of the fiscal year for which the applicant was selected, generally September 30. The benefit does not automatically carry over into the following year, and visas may become unavailable before the deadline.

Prompt action is therefore essential. Delayed forms, missing documents, an unavailable case number, or unresolved eligibility issues may prevent completion of the case.

Speak With a Diversity Visa Attorney

Legal representation cannot increase a person’s chances of being selected at random. However, Immigration Attorney Osas Iyamu can evaluate eligibility, identify problems in the original entry, advise on consular processing or adjustment of status, and help a selected applicant navigate the program’s strict requirements and deadlines.

The Law Offices of Osas Iyamu, LLC assists individuals and families with U.S. immigration matters from its Ocala, Florida office. Contact our office to schedule a consultation if you have been selected for the Diversity Visa Program or need guidance about your eligibility and next steps.

This page provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Eligibility depends on the facts of each case and the law in effect at the time of filing.