The Diversity Visa Lottery

The Diversity Visa Lottery is a federal program that allocates 55,000 green cards each year to citizens of countries with low immigration rates to the United States. The Department of State administers the program and runs during specific periods each year. It is important to remember that being selected in the lottery does not mean you will get a visa. You can check your entry status on the Department of State’s DV Entrant Status Check webpage. It is essential that you do not make any arrangements to sell a home or car, resign from your job, or purchase flights before knowing whether you have been selected. These types of arrangements could be a sign of fraud. It is also advisable not to respond to emails that ask you to pay fees on behalf of the Department of State. These emails are typically sent from scammers that are posing as the U.S. government and request you to wire money via Western Union.

If you are selected in the Diversity Visa lottery, you will need to file Form I-485 with USCIS to register for permanent residency in the United States. This process may take up to six or seven weeks. The good news is that winners of the lottery can bring their spouses and children with them to America. This makes family reunification one of the primary goals of the Diversity Visa Program.

How to Apply for Diversity Visa Lottery in 2025?

The DV Lottery gives people from countries with low immigration rates in the United States the chance to become permanent residents. It is a simple process that only requires meeting two requirements. Once you win, you will receive a green card and can live in the United States permanently. You can also bring your spouse and children with you if they meet the requirements. The lottery is open at certain times of the year, and the entry form must be submitted online during registration. There are no paper entries accepted. In addition, the Department of State will not accept multiple entries from any person during a single registration period. Applicants must also provide proof of citizenship and a photograph.

Once you submit your entry, you will be notified if you have been selected for the DV lottery in early May of the year after you applied. You can check your status on the DV Lottery website using your confirmation number. Beware of scammers who try to trick you into sending money by pretending to be the Department of State. These scams are illegal and can cost you a large sum of money. Report them to the authorities.

Eligibility

Requirement #1: Natives of countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States may be eligible to enter.

Requirement #2: Each DV applicant must meet the education/work experience requirement of the DV program by having either:

•  at least a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of formal elementary and secondary education; 
• 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. The Department of State will use the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net Online database to determine qualifying work experience.

For DV-2025, 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, and Vietnam. Natives of Macau, SAR, and Taiwan are eligible. 

Diversity Visa Lottery Entrant Status Check

If you entered the DV-2025 lottery, you can check your status on the State Department’s DV Entrant Status Check website. You will need your confirmation number, last/family name, and year of birth to access the site. If you have forgotten your confirmation number, you can contact the ESC for help. If you are selected, you will receive a letter with a numerical rank that tells you when you can apply for a visa. The lower the number, the sooner you can submit your application. Once you receive your letter, be sure to save it.