Diversity Visa Lottery, Step by Step
The free annual lottery: who can enter, how winners are picked, and what selected entrants must do before the fiscal year ends.
What the Diversity Visa is
The Diversity Visa lottery offers up to 55,000 immigrant visas a year to nationals of countries with low US immigration rates. Entry is free, online, and open for about a month each fall.
It is the only green-card route that needs no sponsor, no employer, and no family tie — but winning the lottery is only the start.
Who can enter
You must be a native of a qualifying country (countries that sent few immigrants in the previous five years are eligible; high-immigration countries are excluded) and meet the education or work requirement: a high-school education or two years of qualifying work experience.
Only one entry per person per year. Multiple entries disqualify you. Beware of paid agents: the official entry site is dvprogram.state.gov, and entry itself costs nothing.
Selection and what winners must do
Winners are chosen at random by computer and check their status through the Entrant Status Check — the State Department does not send winning letters or emails. Selected entrants file Form DS-260, gather civil documents, and attend a consular interview.
Winners must still qualify: education or work, medical exam, and background checks. Selection does not guarantee a visa, and all visas for the year must be issued by September 30 — unissued cases expire.
Common mistakes
The most common mistakes are entering with the wrong photo, entering twice, and missing the deadline after selection. Another is assuming selection means approval: many selectees are refused for ineligibility or run out of time.
If you are selected while in the US in another status, check whether adjustment of status is possible — most winners process at a consulate abroad.
Where to go next
General information only — not legal advice. Always verify at uscis.gov and travel.state.gov before acting.