Diversity Visa Lottery Registration Opens October 2nd

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) will open the registration period for the Fiscal Year 2026 Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. EDT. Eligible foreign nationals must submit their online applications no later than 12:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. The DV program will allocate up to 55,000 immigrant visas for Fiscal Year 2026, awarded by random selection. The results will be made available in May 2025, with selected applicants eligible to file for immigrant visas starting October 1, 2025.

Eligibility to participate in the DV Lottery is restricted to individuals born in countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States. Individuals born in countries with high immigration rates—including, but not limited to, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Cuba, and others—are ineligible. However, individuals born in excluded countries may, under certain conditions, qualify through a spouse or parent born in an eligible country.

Applicants must meet specific educational or work experience requirements, holding at least a high school diploma or two years of qualifying work experience within the last five years. Only one submission per applicant is permitted, and all entries must comply with the DOS official submission guidelines. Failure to meet these requirements or the submission of multiple entries will result in disqualification.

DV Lottery winners will be selected through a randomized computer process. Starting May 3, 2025, entrants can check the status of their applications using their confirmation number on the official DV Lottery website. The State Department will not notify entrants of their selection through mail, email, fax, or phone; the official website is the sole method for checking selection status.

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