Every year the Department of State provides diversity visas for a class of immigrants known as “diversity immigrants”.  For 2024, up to 55,000 diversity visas will be provided through a special program called the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (also known as the Diversity Visa Lottery, Visa Lottery or Green Card Lottery).

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Program) was created by the Immigration Act of 1990 (Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)) as a way to increase the diversity of the immigrants coming to live in the United States from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.  This program provides a way for individuals and their families to get permanent residency in the United States (commonly known as a “green card”).

In this guide we’ll answer some questions you might have regarding the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Program):

1. Is there a difference between the Diversity Visa Lottery and the Green Card Lottery?
2. When is the deadline to apply for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program?
3. How do I enter the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program?
4. Who is eligible?
5. What is the cost to register for the program?
6. How do I enter the program?
7. I submitted an application, now what?
8. I was selected for a visa, what are the next steps?

Is there a difference between the Diversity Visa Lottery and the Green Card Lottery?

The Diversity Visa Lottery and the Green Card Lottery are one and the same.  The United States only runs one immigration lottery, once a year, so no matter what term you use, these two terms refer to the same thing: the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.

When is the deadline to apply for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program?

The registration period for the Diversity Visa (DV-2024 ) opens on October 5, 2022, and closes on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at  12:00 pm (noon), Eastern Standard Time (EST).

How do I enter the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program?

All applicants must submit their entries for the program electronically at dvprogram.state.gov  between 12:00 pm (noon), Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), Wednesday, October 5, 2022, and 12:00 pm (noon), Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5) Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

Do not wait until the last week of the registration period to enter as heavy demand may result in website delays. No late entries or paper entries will be accepted. The law allows only one entry per person during each entry period. The Department of State uses technology to detect multiple entries and submission of more than one entry for a person will disqualify all entries for that person.

Who is eligible?

There are two main requirements to be eligible for the Diversity Visa Lottery:

1. Country of birth: A person has to be native of a country with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. For additional information see the State Department’s list of all eligible countries.
2. Education: The second requirement is for Diversity Visa applicants to have at least a high school education or its equivalent, or at least two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform, as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net Online database.

For 2024 Diversity Visa Lottery,  natives of the following countries and areas are not eligible to apply, because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years:

• Bangladesh
• Brazil
• Canada
• China (including Hong Kong SAR)
• Colombia
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Haiti
• Honduras
• India
• Jamaica
• Mexico
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Republic of Korea (South Korea)
• United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories
• Venezuela
• Vietnam

Natives of Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible. 

There are two other ways you might be able to qualify for the Diversity Visa Lottery if you are a native of a country that is not eligible to apply:

• If your spouse was born in an eligible country, you can apply with your spouse and claim your spouse’s birth country on your application.
• If neither of your parents were born, or were legal residents, in your country of birth, you can choose one of your parents country of birth if it is a country whose natives are eligible for the Diversity Visa Program.

What is the cost to register for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program?

There is no cost to register for the DV Program.

How do I enter the program?

You just need to submit your Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form (E-DV Entry Form or DS-5501) online at dvprogram.state.gov. Incomplete entries, or entries submitted by other means, will not be accepted.

After you submit your application, you will see a confirmation screen containing your name and a unique confirmation code number. Print this confirmation screen/number and keep it secured for your records.

It’s extremely important you save the confirmation number you get after successfully submitting your application. Without this information you will not be able to access the online system that informs you of your entry status. You should also have access to the email account listed in your E-DV entry as you can use this email address to retrieve your confirmation number via the “DV Entrant Status Check” at dvprogram.state.gov.

You may also want to view a  video  from the U.S. Department of State for an introduction to the DV program and step-by-step guide to help you submit an entry.

I submitted an application, now what?

The winners of the Diversity Visa Lottery are chosen at random by a computer program. Starting  on May 6, 2023, through at least  September  30,  2024,  you will be able to check the status of your entry by going to dvprogram.state.gov and clicking the “Check Status” button on  the “DV Entrant Status Check” section of the page. Once there, enter your unique confirmation number and personal information. Without the confirmation number you will not be able to access the status of your application.

The U.S. government will NOT inform you directly if you have been chosen. The  ”Entrant Status Check” (found at dvprogram.state.gov) will be the only place where you can find out if you have been chosen. This site will also provide you with instructions on how to proceed with your application if you have been selected.

Please note: The Department of State will not mail notification letters or notify selectees by email. U.S. embassies and consulates will not provide a list of selectees. Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website is the ONLY means by which the Department of State notifies selectees of their selection.

Source: U.S. Department of State – Diversity Visa Program

I was selected for a visa, what are the next steps?

Congratulations on being selected for an immigrant visa! Now that you have been selected let’s make sure you act fast as all selectees, including family members, must be issued visas by September 30, 2024. The Department of State will not approve any visa numbers or adjustments of status for the DV-2024  program after midnight Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on September 30, 2024.

Once selected you will be directed to a confirmation page that will provide further instructions, including the fees needed to be paid to immigrate to the United States.

I’m outside the United States

Most applicants that are selected for the Diversity Visa are not in the United States. As soon as you see you are eligible for a visa (and visas are available), you should submit form DS-260 immigrant visa application for you and your accompanying family members. Once your application is processed, it will be sent to a U.S. consulate that will schedule your visa interview.

I’m in the United States

If you are in the United States in a non-immigrant status (e.g. tourist visa, work visa, etc.), are eligible for a status adjustment, and there are visas available, you may apply through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) department by filing Form I-485 for adjustment of status to permanent resident.

Please remember that in order to immigrate, the Diversity Visa selectees must be admissible to the United States.

Avoid scams and fraud

Unfortunately the immigration process is targeted by unscrupulous individuals that want to scam and defraud people trying to immigrate to the United States. There are many things these people will do and say in order to defraud honest individuals. Below are some common scams targeting the Diversity Visa Lottery participants and how to avoid them:

• Visa consultants and/or agents asking for money to fill out the Diversity Visa Lottery forms: There is no cost to register for the Diversity Visa Program and the Department of State strongly encourages people to complete the entry form by themselves. If you have someone else filled out the form for you, make sure you are present when the form is prepared so you can provide correct answers to all questions. Be honest when answering all questions.  Entering fake information and/or submitting fake documents may disqualify your entry and can even keep you from ever entering the United States.
• Visa consultants and/or agents offering to improve your chances of winning the Diversity Visa Lottery for a fee: No one can improve your chances of winning the green card lottery. The Department of State do NOT work with consultants and these consultants CANNOT improve your chances of being selected. The winners of the Diversity Visa Lottery are chosen at random by a computer program and no person or company can improve your chances.

It is extremely important that you have the printout of your confirmation page and unique confirmation number.  Unscrupulous visa facilitators have been known to assist entrants with their entries, keep the confirmation page printout, and then demand more money in exchange for the confirmation number. Without this information, you will not be able to access the online system that informs you of your entry status.  Be wary if someone offers to keep this information for you. You also should have access to the email account listed in your E-DV entry.

Source: U.S. Department of State – Diversity Visa Program

• Scammers sending emails and/or letters posing as the U.S. government and asking for a fee to process the visa: The United States government might send applicants an email reminding them to check their status online through the DV Entrant Status Check, however they will not send letters or emails notifying them they have been selected to receive a visa. The United States government will also NOT ask applicants to send money via Western Union, PayPal, or in any other form, in order to continue processing the visa application. Remember that applicants can only find out if they were selected to continue the Diversity Visa process by checking their status online through the DV Entrant Status Check at dvprogram.state.gov