DV Lottery
The United States Government grants 50,000 permanent resident cards (green cards) each year to individuals from other countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery was established in the 1996 Immigration Act by the United States Congress to diversify the American population. To qualify for the DV Lottery this year, applicants must meet two specific requirements. (Note, this year’s (2025) DV Lottery is called the DV-2027 Lottery, where 2027 is the year the winners may enter the United States on their new permanent resident card that they won in this years DV Lottery.) Most individuals 18 years and older worldwide, qualify to enter the DV Lottery. If you would like to enter the DV-2027 Lottery, you must meet two simple, but strict eligibility requirements. Natives from countries who have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States over the past five years are not eligible to enter the Diversity Visa Lottery. See the DV Lottery Requirements for the list of countries whose nationals are not eligible to enter the DV Lottery this year. Note, this list will change each year.
The DV-2027 Lottery Application deadline is approaching.
Electronic Diversity Visa Lottery Registration
The United States Government implemented the electronic on-line application system in 2003, beginning with the Diversity Visa DV-2005 Lottery, in order to make the DV Lottery process faster, efficient and more secure. As a result, Diversity Visa Lottery applications are only accepted on-line; the United States Government no longer accepts paper applications. The United States Government actively uses specialized information technology and other screening tools to identify any applicant who commits fraud for the sole purpose of entering the United States illegally and to identify those who submit multiple applications in a specific DV Lottery year. The United States Government will only accept one application from any qualified applicant each DV Lottery year and submitting multiple entries will result in you and your co-applicants being disqualified. The DV Lottery on-line application process is a secure, fast and reliable process to enter the American DV Lottery.
The DV Lottery Entry Process:
- Pass the DV Lottery test to ensure you qualify
- Pay the administrative DV Lottery application fee
- Receive your username and password to your on-line account
- Log into to your account and complete your information
- Provide/upload photos of yourself and any co-applicant
- Submit your DV Lottery application
- Check on-line, if you won your Green Card in the DV Lottery
Application Login
DV Lottery History
The congressionally mandated Diversity Visa Green Card Lottery Program is administered on an annual basis by the Department of State and conducted based on United States law, specifically Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This law provides for visas to be made available to persons from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. For fiscal year 2027, 50,000 Permanent Resident cards will be available. A Permanent Resident card is also known as a Green Card due to the green color of the card.
DV Lottery Requirements
Before you can enter the DV-2027 Lottery, you must pass the DV Lottery eligibility test. If you pass the DV Lottery eligibility test, you are welcome to register and enter the DV-2027 Lottery for a chance to win one of the 50,000 permanent resident cards (green cards) that will be granted to the winners in January 2027.