Find out if you are eligible for the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery and how to register

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Program) makes immigrant visas available to natives of countries with low immigration rates. Find out if you qualify and how to apply.

Learn if you are eligible for the Diversity Visa Program

The program is also known as the DV Lottery and the Green Card Lottery. It makes a limited number of immigrant visas available every year to people meeting certain eligibility requirements. These include:

Being a native of a country with a low immigration rate to the United States
Having graduated from high school or its equivalent or having qualifying work experience

Each year, the U.S. Department of State puts out a list of eligible and ineligible countries. The list of countries may change each year.

Learn more about your eligibility for the DV Lottery:

To see the most recent eligible countries, see the list beginning on page 30 of the 2026 DV Lottery instructions.
Find out about education and employment requirements for DV Lottery eligibility.

How to register for the Diversity Visa Lottery

The DV Lottery registration dates change each year. Registration for the 2026 DV Lottery was from October 2, 2024 to November 7, 2024.

Read the instructions for the registration process.

If you registered for the lottery, keep your confirmation number in a safe place. You will need that number to check the status of your entry online. If you lose it, learn how you can recover your confirmation number.

LAST UPDATED: November 4, 2024

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