The U.S. Department of State will begin accepting online registrations for the Fiscal Year 2026 Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at noon Eastern Daylight Time (4 PM GMT).

Foreign nationals interested in applying for the DV lottery have until Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at noon EST (4:00 PM Ghana Time) to submit their entries through the official DV lottery website.

The FY 2026 program will provide up to 55,000 green cards through a random selection process.

Results will be released in May 2025, and those selected will be eligible to start applying for green cards beginning October 1, 2025.

Eligibility criteria

The DV lottery is open to individuals born in countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. 

Nationals of countries with high U.S. immigration rates are not eligible. For FY 2026, those ineligible include individuals born in Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam. However, individuals born in Macau SAR and Taiwan remain eligible to participate.

Those unable to register due to their country of birth may still qualify through a spouse or, in certain cases, through a parent's country of birth. Additionally, all applicants must possess at least a high school education or two years of qualifying work experience within the last five years.

How to register

To participate, entrants must submit an online form and a digital photo through the official DV lottery website. Each applicant is allowed only one entry, and submitting multiple registrations will result in disqualification. 

The process is free, and applicants can include their spouses and children in their entry.

Once the application is submitted, entrants will receive a confirmation number, which can be used to check their status when results are published in May 2025.

Selection process and notifications

Lottery winners are selected through a random computer draw. Results will be available on the official DV lottery website starting May 3, 2025, and will be accessible until at least September 30, 2026. 

Applicants can check their status using their confirmation number on the DV website. The State Department does not notify winners via mail, e-mail, fax, or phone.

Avoiding fraud

The State Department warns of common scams related to the DV lottery and urges applicants to be cautious. The official DV lottery website is the only authorized platform for registration, and there is no government fee for entering the lottery. Foreign nationals should avoid deceptive websites, individuals, or companies claiming to charge fees or provide official registration services.

Additionally, the State Department does not send notifications via e-mail or fax and advises applicants to be sceptical of any communication claiming a lottery win without proper registration.

For more information and to register, applicants should visit the official U.S. Department of State DV lottery website.