Green Card Lottery (DV Program): How to Win & What Comes Next (2026)

The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery — commonly called the green card lottery — is one of the few ways to get a U.S. green card without employer sponsorship, family ties, or asylum claims. Each year, the U.S. State Department randomly selects approximately 55,000 winners from millions of entries worldwide, giving them a shot at permanent residence.

Entry is free, the process is straightforward, and you do not need a lawyer. But the lottery is also unforgiving — strict photo requirements, tight deadlines, and a hard September 30 cutoff mean that mistakes or delays can cost you the opportunity even after selection.

How the DV lottery works

Entry period

The State Department opens the DV lottery entry window for approximately 30–40 days each fall (typically early October through early November). The exact dates are announced on dvprogram.state.gov.

Random selection

The State Department uses a computer-generated random selection process. Selected applicants are notified through the online Entrant Status Check portal — not by email, phone, or letter. Any communication claiming you won the lottery via email is a scam.

How many are selected

The program allocates approximately 55,000 visas, but the State Department selects 100,000–120,000 applicants to account for those who do not complete the process, are found ineligible, or decline.

Being selected is not a guarantee — it means you are eligible to apply for a diversity visa.

Eligibility requirements

Country of birth

You must be born in a country that is eligible for the DV lottery. Countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years are excluded. Currently excluded countries include: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland), Venezuela, and Vietnam.

The list changes each year — check the official instructions for the current fiscal year.

Education or work experience

You must have either:

• A high school diploma (or equivalent — 12 years of formal education), OR
• Two years of qualifying work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience (defined by the O*NET database at a Job Zone 4 or 5 level)

Age

There is no minimum age to enter, but the education/work experience requirement effectively sets a practical minimum.

How to enter

Step 1: Go to dvprogram.state.gov

Only use the official website. Do not use any third-party site that charges for entry.

Step 2: Complete the E-DV application

The online form asks for:

• Full name
• Date and country of birth
• Country of eligibility (usually same as birth country)
• Address and contact information
• Education level
• Marital status and spouse information (if married)
• Children’s information (list all unmarried children under 21)
• A recent digital photograph

Step 3: Upload your photo

The photo is the single most common cause of disqualification. Requirements:

• Taken within the last 6 months
• 600×600 pixels minimum
• Full face, front view, eyes open
• White or off-white background
• No glasses (since 2016)
• No head coverings (except for religious reasons)
• JPEG format, under 240 KB

Use the State Department’s photo validation tool to check your photo before submitting.

Step 4: Submit and save your confirmation number

After submission, you receive a confirmation number. Save this number — it is the only way to check your selection status. Without it, you cannot access your results.

You can submit only one entry per person per year. Duplicate entries from the same person result in disqualification of all entries.

After selection: what comes next

Check your status

Starting in early May following the entry period, log into the Entrant Status Check with your confirmation number to see if you were selected.

If selected: you have a case number

Your notification includes a case number that determines your rank order for processing. Lower numbers are processed first. The State Department publishes monthly visa bulletin updates showing which case numbers are being called for interviews.

The hard deadline: September 30

All diversity visas must be issued before September 30 of the fiscal year. There are no extensions, rollovers, or exceptions. If your visa is not issued by September 30, your selection is void — regardless of the reason.

This deadline makes timing critical:

• Submit DS-260 as soon as possible after selection notification
• Gather civil documents immediately
• Schedule and complete your medical exam promptly
• Be responsive to NVC and embassy requests

Consular processing (most common for DV)

1. Complete Form DS-260 online
2. Submit civil documents through CEAC
3. Pay the $330 immigrant visa application fee
4. Complete the medical exam with a designated panel physician
5. Attend the consular interview
6. If approved, receive your immigrant visa
7. Enter the U.S. before the visa expires (and before September 30)
8. Pay the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee to receive your green card

Adjustment of status (if in the U.S.)

If you are lawfully present in the U.S., you may file I-485 instead:

1. File I-485 with USCIS, referencing your DV selection
2. Include the medical exam (I-693), I-864, and supporting documents
3. USCIS must approve the I-485 before September 30

Because USCIS processing times can be unpredictable, many DV winners in the U.S. choose consular processing at a nearby embassy to ensure they meet the deadline.

Tips to maximize your chances

1. Enter every year — each year is an independent draw, so consistent entry increases your lifetime odds
2. Use a real, recent photo — the number one cause of disqualification is photo non-compliance
3. List all family members — omitting an eligible spouse or child disqualifies your entry
4. Submit only once — duplicate entries disqualify all of them
5. Save your confirmation number — without it, you cannot check results
6. Ignore scam emails — the State Department never emails, calls, or texts winners
7. Act fast after selection — with the September 30 deadline, every week matters

Common DV lottery scams

The DV lottery is heavily targeted by scammers. Watch for:

• Emails claiming you won (the State Department only communicates through dvprogram.state.gov)
• Websites charging fees to enter (entry is always free)
• Services guaranteeing selection (no one can guarantee a random lottery result)
• Requests for advance fees or wire transfers

The only official DV lottery website is dvprogram.state.gov.