United States•North AmericaDV — Diversity Immigrant Visa (Green Card Lottery)
At a Glance
5 months – 1 year
Varies by processing route
Not confirmed
Check the official sourceIndefinite
Renewable
Renewal
Renewable
Family
Dependents allowed
PR Pathway
Yes
Sponsor
No job offer needed
Work
Remote work OK
Living in United States
Overview
Annual lottery providing ~55,000 immigrant visas to nationals of countries with low U.S. immigration rates. Random selection from qualified entries.
790 chars — 3 paragraphs, P1=311, P2=308, P3=167, all hard caps met
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Cost Breakdown
Processing Time
| Low case number (early interview, Oct–Feb) | 5–8 months |
| High case number (later interview, depends on cutoffs) | 8 months – 1 year |
Stay & Extensions
| Status type | Permanent / indefinite |
Annual Cap & Quota
55,000 visas per fiscal year
Requirements
PUBLISHED REQUIREMENTS
Born in a qualifying country (nationals of high-admission countries are excluded: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, Vietnam)
High school diploma or equivalent formal 12-year education (GED not accepted), OR 2+ years of qualifying work experience (Job Zone 4–5 occupation) in the past 5 years
Pass medical examination by an approved physician
Meet all US admissibility requirements
No disqualifying criminal history
Valid passport (starting with the DV-2027 cycle, applicants must provide valid passport information and upload a scan of the passport's biographic page when submitting their initial electronic entry)
Submit only one entry per registration period (duplicate entries cause automatic disqualification)
KEY CRITERIA
Education
high_school or higher
Experience
2+ years
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Valid passport (valid for at least 6 months beyond intended entry)
DS-260 (Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application, completed online)
Birth certificate
Police certificates from each country where you have lived 6+ months since age 16
Marriage certificate (if applicable)
Divorce or death certificates (if applicable)
Adoption decree (if applicable)
Military records (if applicable)
Court and prison records (if applicable)
Medical examination results (from approved physician)
Two passport-style photographs per person
Proof of education (diploma/transcripts) or qualifying work experience documentation
Financial support evidence (Affidavit of Support or proof of own funds meeting 125% of poverty guideline)
Advantages & Considerations
Key Benefits
- No job offer or employer sponsorship required
- Grants full Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card) status upon entry
- Full unrestricted work authorization as a permanent resident
- Spouse and unmarried children under 21 may accompany as derivative beneficiaries
- Path to US citizenship after 5 years of permanent residency (or 3 years if married to a US citizen)
- Access to federal benefits available to permanent residents
- Registration is completely free
Worth Knowing
- Only ~55,000 visas allocated annually from tens of millions of entries — odds of selection are extremely low
- Nationals of 19 high-admission countries are non-qualifying (cross-chargeability to qualifying spouse's birth country may apply)
- Selection does not guarantee a visa — all admissibility requirements must still be met
- Hard deadline: all processing must complete by September 30 of the fiscal year; unused visas do not carry over
- High-numbered selectees may not receive an interview appointment before the deadline
- Duplicate entries during registration result in automatic disqualification
- GED certificates are not accepted; must be formal 12-year schooling
- Work experience must be in a Job Zone 4 or 5 occupation per US DOL O*NET
- Must be selected in lottery
- Must process before fiscal year end
- The U.S. Department of State has temporarily paused the issuance of Diversity Visas (effective December 23, 2025) and USCIS has placed a hold on pending adjustment of status applications under the DV program (effective December 19, 2025) for national security review.
Application Process
Submit online registration at dvprogram.state.gov during the official open window, pay the $1 registration fee, and upload a scan of your passport's biographic page (starting with the DV-2027 cycle)
Record your unique confirmation number from the submission screen
Check selection results at dvprogram.state.gov in May using your confirmation number
If selected, complete DS-260 immigrant visa application online via the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC)
Gather and submit civil documents to the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC)
Schedule and attend medical examination with a US Embassy-approved physician
Attend visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate (KCC will notify you of date and location)
Pay $330 immigrant visa application fee per person at the interview
If visa is approved, pay $235 USCIS immigrant fee online before or shortly after entering the US
Travel to the US and enter before your visa expires
Application Forms
Go to application portal| DV Entry Electronic Diversity Visa Entry (online lottery registration at dvprogram.state.gov) | Fill online |
| DS-260 Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application | Fill online |
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