The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, also called the "green card lottery," is a program run once a year by the U.S. Department of State that randomly selects a limited number of people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States and gives them the chance to apply for a green card. Being "selected" is not the same as getting a green card — it only means you have won the chance to apply. Registration is done entirely through one official government website, and it does not cost money to submit the paperwork (though there is a small government processing charge described below, and if you are ultimately approved you will pay the standard visa application fee). Anyone who tells you they can guarantee a visa, sell you an "official" application, or charge a large fee just to enter you in the lottery is running a scam.
The one official website
There is exactly one place to register for the DV Lottery: dvprogram.state.gov. This is the U.S. Department of State's official Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) site. It is also the only place to check your results later, using the confirmation number you are given when you submit your entry. The Department of State has said repeatedly that Entrant Status Check on this site is the only way selectees are notified — the government does not call, text, email, or mail winners. If you get an email, letter, or phone call claiming you "won" the DV Lottery, it is fraudulent.
The registration site is only open during a specific window each year, which is announced in advance and posted on travel.state.gov. Outside that window, the real site simply will not accept entries. Any site that lets you "register" at other times, or that looks like the real site but has a different web address, is not the U.S. government.
Who can enter
Eligibility has two parts, and you must meet both.
1. Country of birth
Each year, the Department of State publishes a list of countries whose natives are eligible, based on how many people from that country have already immigrated to the U.S. through other channels in the last five years. Countries that have sent large numbers of immigrants to the U.S. (for example, through family or employment categories) are excluded for that year. The eligible-country list changes from year to year, so you must check the current instructions on travel.state.gov rather than assume your country qualified in a past year or will qualify again. If you were not born in an eligible country, you may sometimes be able to use the birth country of a spouse or parent instead — the official instructions explain the exact rules for this.
2. Education or work experience
You must have either:
A high school education or its recognized equivalent (completion of a formal 12-year course of elementary and secondary education) — note that correspondence courses and equivalency certificates such as a GED do not count; 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.
The Department of State determines which occupations qualify using the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET OnLine database, which groups jobs into "job zones" based on the training and experience they require. Not every job qualifies, so if you plan to rely on work experience rather than education, check your specific occupation against the current O*NET-based list before you register.
How registration and selection work
You submit one entry per person during the open registration period, through dvprogram.state.gov. The form asks for basic biographic information, a digital photo that meets strict specifications, and — under a rule that took effect for the DV-2027 program — information from a valid, unexpired passport, with a scan of the passport's biographic page uploaded as part of the entry (limited exceptions exist for stateless people and a few other narrow situations). Submitting more than one entry for yourself disqualifies all of your entries.
The Department of State randomly selects entrants by computer from among all qualified entries from each eligible region. Being selected only means you are now eligible to apply further — it does not guarantee you will ultimately get a visa. More people are typically selected than there are visas available, because not everyone who is selected will complete the process successfully or apply in time.
You check your own results using Entrant Status Check on dvprogram.state.gov with the confirmation number from your original entry. There are no mailed or emailed "winner" notices.
If selected, you complete a formal immigrant visa application (Form DS-260), gather civil documents (birth certificate, police certificates, etc.), and — if you are applying from outside the U.S. — attend an in-person interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate, plus a medical exam. A consular officer reviews your qualifications, documents, and admissibility at that interview and decides whether to issue the visa. If you are already lawfully in the U.S., you may instead be able to apply to adjust status with USCIS.
Visas are limited and time-bound. Selection for a given program year only allows you to apply for a visa through the end of that government fiscal year (September 30). If the annual numerical limit is reached, or if you don't complete your interview and documentation in time, a visa may become unavailable even though you were selected. There is no carryover to the next year — you would need to enter again in a future lottery.
Because dates, fees, the list of eligible countries, and the passport/documentation requirements change from year to year — and there was a notable rule change effective with the DV-2027 program (a new passport-scan requirement and a small nonrefundable electronic registration fee, on top of the existing visa application fee charged only to selectees) — always confirm the current details directly at travel.state.gov and dvprogram.state.gov before you rely on any number, deadline, or country list you see elsewhere, including in this article.
What to do if you want to enter
Go directly to travel.state.gov and search "Diversity Visa Instructions" to confirm this year's registration dates, eligible countries, and current requirements (including passport and fee requirements) before the window opens.
When registration opens, submit your entry only at dvprogram.state.gov — check the web address carefully.
Save your confirmation number somewhere safe. It is the only way to check your status later, and the government will not resend it to you automatically.
If selected, follow the instructions in Entrant Status Check exactly and meet every deadline for submitting Form DS-260 and your documents — missing deadlines can cost you the visa even after selection.
If you have a criminal record, prior immigration violations, a prior visa denial, or any other complicating factor, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative before or after you're selected — admissibility issues can be case-specific and technical.
Heavy warning: DV Lottery scams are extremely common
The Diversity Visa Lottery is one of the most heavily impersonated U.S. government programs online. Common scams include:
Fake "official" websites that copy the look of the real government site but charge a registration fee, sell "premium" processing, or simply steal your money and personal information. The real registration site is dvprogram.state.gov — nothing else.
"Congratulations, you won" emails, texts, or letters. The government does not notify winners this way. If you didn't check Entrant Status Check yourself and get a result there, you have not been notified by the real government.
"Agents" or "visa consultants" who guarantee selection or a visa for a fee. No one can guarantee selection — it is random — and no one can guarantee a consular officer will approve a visa. The official instructions specifically encourage applicants to complete the entry themselves without paying a facilitator.
Requests for wire transfers, gift cards, or payment by unusual methods to "process," "expedite," or "release" a green card. The U.S. government does not collect official fees this way.
If something asks you to pay an unfamiliar amount, through an unfamiliar payment method, on a site whose address is not travel.state.gov or dvprogram.state.gov, treat it as fraud.
Beware notario and unauthorized-practice fraud
In many countries, "notario público" or similar titles refer to a lawyer. In the United States, a notary public is not a lawyer and generally cannot give immigration legal advice. Only a licensed attorney or a representative accredited by the Department of Justice may lawfully represent you in immigration matters. Paying a notario, "immigration consultant," or unaccredited "agency" for legal advice or representation is not just a bad deal — it can lead to missed deadlines, incorrect filings, or fraud findings that damage your immigration case, sometimes permanently. If you need help, use a licensed immigration attorney or search for a DOJ-recognized organization and accredited representative through the Executive Office for Immigration Review (justice.gov/eoir).
Key takeaways
Registration happens only at dvprogram.state.gov during a specific, announced window each year — confirm current dates at travel.state.gov.
You must be a native of an eligible country (the list changes yearly) and meet the education or work-experience requirement.
Selection is random and is not a green card — it's only the chance to apply, subject to further review, documents, and (usually) an interview.
A rule effective with the DV-2027 program added a passport-scan requirement to the entry and a small nonrefundable electronic registration fee, separate from the visa application fee charged later only to selectees — check current requirements before you enter.
The DV Lottery is a magnet for scams: no one can guarantee selection, official notification only happens through Entrant Status Check, and you should never pay a "visa consultant" to enter for you.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Immigration mistakes can lead to denial or worse — for anything specific to your situation, consult a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative, and rely only on USCIS (uscis.gov), the Department of State (travel.state.gov / dvprogram.state.gov), or EOIR (justice.gov/eoir) for official information — never a notario or unaccredited "consultant."
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free to enter the DV Lottery?
There is no cost to submit the basic entry form itself in the sense that no private company should be charging you, and the government has always said registration requires no fee to a middleman. However, a Department of State rule that took effect with the DV-2027 program added a small, nonrefundable electronic processing charge collected directly through the official government payment system at the time of entry, separate from the larger visa application fee that only applies later if you are selected. Confirm the current fee status for the open program year at travel.state.gov before entering, and never pay a third-party site to register for you.
How do I know if I won?
You check for yourself using Entrant Status Check at dvprogram.state.gov, entering your confirmation number, last name, and year of birth. The government does not email, call, text, or mail winners -- any message claiming otherwise is not from the real DV Lottery.
Does winning the lottery mean I get a green card?
No. Selection only means you may apply further. You still have to file additional forms, gather documents, pass a medical exam and background checks, and in most cases attend a consular interview or, if eligible and already in the U.S., apply to adjust status. A consular or immigration officer can still deny the case, and visas are limited in number and available only through the end of the government fiscal year tied to your selection.
Can I use my spouse's or parent's country of birth if mine isn't eligible?
In some circumstances, yes -- the official instructions allow claiming eligibility through a spouse's country of birth (if the spouse is also included on the entry) or, for entrants born in an ineligible country, sometimes through a parent's country of birth if neither parent was born or resident in the entrant's country of birth at the time of the entrant's birth. The exact rules are technical, so check the current official instructions at travel.state.gov.
Someone online offered to guarantee my selection for a fee -- is that legitimate?
No. Selection is entirely random by computer, and nobody -- no consultant, agency, or website -- can guarantee it. This is one of the most common DV Lottery scams. The official government instructions specifically encourage entrants to complete their own entry without paying a 'visa consultant' or similar facilitator.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and may not reflect the most current law or the law in your jurisdiction. Laws vary by state and change over time. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.
Knowing your rights is the first step
Join thousands committing to calmly and consistently exercise their constitutional rights.
