Diversity Visa Lottery
Diversity Visa Lottery (“Green Card” Lottery)
Each year, the U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program makes available up to 50,000 permanent resident visas to persons meeting the eligibility requirements. Applicants for Diversity Visas are initially chosen through a random computer-generated lottery drawing, which takes place at the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) in the United States.
Where can on receive instructions to enter the lottery?
For information about the DV program please visit the Consular Affairs site on the World Wide Web http://www.travel.state.gov/
After December, please note that the information may refer to the application period that has just ended, and you will not be able to submit an online application. In that event, try again in September. Information regarding an upcoming lottery will usually be available in late September.
The entry
There is only one way to enter the DV lottery. Applicants must submit an Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form (E-DV Entry Form), which is accessible only at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ during the 60-day registration period.
PLEASE NOTE: The electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form will only be available during the 60-day registration period in late fall. The exact registration period will be publicized on http://www.travel.state.gov/ in late September every year.
Lottery entries submitted in paper form to American Embassies abroad will be disqualified.
The American Embassy cannot assist you in completing your electronic Diversity Visa entry.
Will there be any special fee?
There is no fee for submitting an entry. A diversity processing fee is only charged when a winning lottery entrant applies for the diversity visa. At the time of visa application at a U.S. Consular office, each applicant (the DV entrant and any accompanying family members) will be charged a DV processing fee, and immigrant visa application fee. Both of these fees are not refundable if the visa is refused.
Is it necessary to use an attorney or consultant?
NO fee is charged to enter the annual DV program. The U.S. Government employs no outside consultants or private services to operate the DV program. Any intermediaries or others who offer assistance to prepare DV casework for applicants do so without the authority or consent of the U.S. Government.
Use of any outside intermediary or assistance to prepare a DV entry is entirely at the applicant's discretion.
A qualified entry submitted electronically directly by an applicant has an equal chance of being selected by the computer at the Kentucky Consular Center, as does an entry submitted electronically through a paid intermediary who completes the entry for the applicant. Every entry received during the lottery registration period will have an equal random chance of being selected within its region. However, receipt of more than one entry per person will disqualify the person from registration, regardless of the source of the entry.
When will winners be notified?
Those selected will be notified by mail between May and July and will be provided further instructions, including information on fees connected with immigration to the U.S.
Only the winners will be notified (by the Kentucky Consular Center).
PLEASE NOTE: U.S. embassies and consulates will not be able to provide a list of successful applicants.