The U.S. Department of State has announced that the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery for 2027 will open this fall to new applicants. The application period will begin in early October 2025 and continue until early November 2025, with specific dates to be published soon.

The diversity lottery, officially called the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Program), is a program that makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available annually to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Administered by the U.S. Department of State, this program provides a pathway to a U.S. green card for individuals who would otherwise have limited options for permanent immigration. Unlike family-based immigrant visas and most employment-based immigrant visas that require a U.S. sponsor, the diversity visa lottery allows individuals to self-sponsor themselves for a green card.

Learn more about the diversity visa lottery, eligibility criteria, important dates, and how to apply in our article below.

Here Does the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery Work?

Here are the basic steps in the DV lottery process:

  1. Registration: Individuals from eligible countries must submit an electronic entry during a specific registration period, typically from early October to early November. 
  2. Selection: The U.S. Department of State initially selects over 100,000 applicants from all eligible entries through a random selection process. Keep in mind that tens of millions of people from around the world apply each year (including principal applicants and their spouses and minor children). Of those initially selected in the lottery, only 55,000 are authorized to proceed with a DV visa application. No single country receives more than 7% of the Diversity Visas available in any given year.
  3. Notification: Selected applicants are notified only through the “Entrant Status Check” on the official Diversity Visa website. 
  4. Application: Selected individuals must then file an application, Form DS-260, for an immigrant visa and meet all further requirements, including education or work experience. 
  5. Visa Issuance: Individuals approved for a diversity visa outside of the United States receive an immigrant visa through a U.S. consulate abroad. Those who are approved for a diversity visa while living in the United States can apply to adjust their status to a permanent resident by filing Form I-485 to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

When Does the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery Take Place?

It is important to note that the Diversity Lottery is named for the U.S. fiscal year in which visa processing takes place, NOT the year in which applications are submitted. Here is the expected schedule for the 2027 DV lottery:

  • Lottery Entry: Applicants submit diversity lottery entries between October and November 2025
  • Lottery Results: The State Department announces the results of the lottery in May 2026.
  • DV Processing: Those who are selected in the diversity lottery go through an interview and visa processing between October 2026 and September 2027.

Who Can Apply for the DV Lottery?

Here are the key eligibility requirements for the diversity lottery program:

  • Country of Origin: Applicants must be from a country that has historically sent fewer than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years. The U.S. Department of State publishes a full list of eligible countries on its website each year.
  • Country of Residence: Applicants may apply for the DV program inside the United States or overseas. Although most lottery winners reside outside of the United States and immigrate through consular processing after being issued an immigrant visa, those who already reside in the U.S. may also participate in the lottery.
  • Education or Work Experience: Applicants must have either:
    • a high school education or its equivalent, or
    • at least two years of work experience within the past five years in a qualifying occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience. Instructions to determine if your job is eligible can be found on the DOS website.
  • Minimum Age: There is no minimum age to enter the DV lottery. However, applicants must meet the education or work requirements.
  • Fees: Starting in 2025, applicants will be charged a $1 electronic registration fee to enter the lottery. In addition, lottery winners will need to pay a $330 fee to apply for a Diversity Visa.

How Do You Apply for the DV Lottery?

To enter the DV lottery, visit the Department of State’s official Diversity Visa Lottery website and complete the following steps:

  1. When the application period opens, go to the main Diversity Visa Lottery page and select Step 1, “Submit an Entry.”
  2. Click on the “Begin Entry” button to open the application form.
  3. Follow the instructions to enter your information.
  4. Upload a photo that meets the official guidelines.
  5. If you are married, you must include your spouse’s information in your application, even if your spouse does not plan to immigrate to the United States. If you fail to provide this information, your application will be rejected.
  6. If you have children who are under the age of 21 and unmarried, you will need to list their names, regardless of whether they live with you or intend to immigrate to the United States. You must include all biological, step, and legally adopted children. You will also need to provide the name, date of birth, place of birth, and a compliant photo for each child.
  7. Review your form carefully before you submit it. If you need to make changes, be sure to use the application form’s “Back” and “Next” buttons. Do NOT use your browser’s Back button., as this can cause the “Unexpected Page Request” error message. If you see this message, select “Resume Entry” to continue from where you left off.
  8. If everything is correct, click “Submit.”
  9. If the submission was successful, your screen will display your unique Confirmation Number. Be sure to save this number. It is recommended that you also copy and paste the confirmation information, take a screenshot of it, print/save the page as a PDF.

How Will Applicants Know If They Win the DV Lottery?

Applicants can find out if they won the 2027 Diversity Lottery by checking the U.S. Department of State’s official website, www.dvprogram.state.gov, between May and September 2026. Applicants will need to enter their unique confirmation number, name, and year of birth. Note that the government will not contact you by email or mail, so checking the State Department website is the only way to learn if you won.

If the portal shows “You have been selected,” you will receive a Case Number and a numerical rank. Your rank will tell you when you can apply for your diversity visa.

What Happens If You Are Selected in the DV Lottery?

Being selected in the DV lottery is only the first step. Also, it is important to note that not everyone who is selected in the DV lottery is actually awarded a visa. In the DV-2026 lottery, which opened in October 2024, the U.S. Department of State selected approximately 125,000 applicants from tens of millions of global entries. Out of these, only 55,000 applicants were authorized to apply for permanent resident status.

Individuals who are selected and have the necessary qualifications are allowed to proceed with the visa application process. Note that selection in the lottery and completion of the visa application process does not guarantee a visa.

How Can Lottery Winners Overseas Apply for a Diversity Immigrant Visa?

If you have been selected in the DV lottery while living overseas, here are the next steps you will take:

  • Around the end of July, check the State Department’s visa bulletin to learn when you can submit your application for a diversity visa. The first visas become available on October 1 following the notification of lottery selection, which is the beginning of the government’s fiscal year. For the 2027 DV lottery, the first visas are expected to become available to selected lottery winners in October 2026.
  • Complete the DS-260 online immigrant visa application and upload your civil documents in CEAC. You can submit your application up to 90 days in advance.
  • When your case number becomes current, you will be scheduled for a consular interview. If you are approved, an immigrant visa will be issued.
  • Note that it can take up to 14 months to be scheduled for your interview and receive your visa, depending on how soon you apply. Thus, individuals selected in the lottery are encouraged to complete their online DS-260 application immediately to be scheduled for an interview.
  • Keep in mind that more people are selected for the Diversity Visa than there are visas available, so applicants who wait to file the DS-260 may not have any visas left for them.

For visa availability, check the latest month’s DOS Visa Bulletin. Section B contains a chart showing the current month’s visa availability in the Diversity Immigrant category. The chart shows when the Diversity Immigrant cut-off is met. When the cut-off is met, visas will be available in that month for the applicants with Diversity Immigrant lottery rank numbers below the specified cut-off numbers for their geographic areas.

Section C contains a chart showing the Diversity Immigrant category rank cut-offs for the following month, which represents the advance notification of Diversity Immigrant visa availability.

Here is the process to apply for an immigrant visa:

  1. On the Department of State’s website, sign in to the Immigrant/Diversity Visa portal.
  2. Monitor monthly progress by checking the Visa Bulletin to see which case numbers are current.
  3. When you see that a visa available, submit form DS-260 to the National Visa Center. 
  4. Once your application is processed, it will be forwarded to the U.S. consulate.
  5. If you are outside of the United States, you will receive an email scheduling you for an interview at your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
  6. Prepare for your interview in advance by reviewing the Department of State’s instructions.
  7. You will also need to pass medical exams and complete background checks.
  8. Your interviewer will tell you if you are approved for an immigrant visa. If you are approved, you can come to the United States to become a permanent resident and receive a green card.

If you are selected in the diversity lottery, you can also extend the benefit to your spouse and children who are under 21 years old and unmarried. Your family can then apply together for immigrant visas.

What If the Lottery Winner is Already in the United States?

Lottery winners who are already residing in the United States may apply for an immigrant visa without leaving the U.S. If they are approved for a diversity visa, they will then apply for adjustment of status to USCIS to receive a green card.

Note that a diversity immigrant-based adjustment of status application cannot be adjudicated by USCIS until a visa can be allocated by the Department of State, as indicated in the Visa Bulletin’s current Diversity Immigrant rank cut-offs for a particular month.

How Can Lottery Winners in the U.S. Apply for Adjustment of Status through a Diversity Visa?

To apply for adjustment of status to permanent residence, applicants must establish the following:

  • that they have been selected for a diversity visa by the Department of State’s lottery
  • that they have an immigrant visa immediately available at the time of filing an adjustment application
  • that they admissible to the United States
  • It is important to know that the adjustment of status process for diversity visa winners must be completed by September 30 of the fiscal year for that lottery. For winners of the 2027 DV lottery, this means they must complete the adjustment process with USCIS by September 2027. Visas cannot be carried over into the next fiscal year.

Here are the steps to apply for adjustment of status through a diversity immigrant visa from inside the United States:

  1. Monitor the visa bulletin. Section B contains a chart showing the current month’s visa availability in the Diversity Immigrant category. Section C contains a chart showing the Diversity Immigrant category rank cut-offs for the following month, which represents the advance notification of Diversity Immigrant visa availability. As soon as a monthly Visa Bulletin is published, anyone with a lower rank number than the rank cut-off number shown in Section C is eligible to file for adjustment of status. This provides lottery winners the opportunity to file for adjustment of status up to six or seven weeks before a visa number can actually be allocated. It also gives USCIS additional time to determine their eligibility for adjustment of status before the end of the fiscal year.
  2. As soon as a visa becomes available, complete Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, and submit the form to USCIS.
  3. Include the following supporting evidence with your application:
  4. After you submit your application for adjustment of status, you should receive a notice for a biometrics appointment to obtain your fingerprints, a photo, and a signature. 
  5. Once your biometrics are complete, USCIS will process your application and perform a background and security check.
  6. You may be required to complete an interview to verify information before a final decision is made on your case. You will be asked to present required documents such as your passport and medical exam results, as well as demonstrate that you will not become a public charge.
  7. You may be eligible to apply for employment authorization (Form I-765) and an advance parole travel document (Form I-131) to leave the United States while your I-485 is pending. 
  8. If your adjustment of status for permanent residence is approved, USCIS will send you an approval notice. USCIS will then mail your Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) to your U.S. address. The green card serves as the primary proof of your right to live and work permanently in the United States. 
    • Note that it can take several weeks to receive your green card. While waiting for the card, you can visit a USCIS Service Center for a temporary “I-551” stamp in your passport, which serves as proof of your permanent resident status for travel and employment.

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This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice. By reading this, you agree that this information is not a substitute for legal counsel and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Please note that we are not able to offer direct filing assistance or personalized legal advice through this forum. Please consult a qualified attorney to discuss your own situation and to obtain assistance with specific matters. If you do not have an immigration attorney, you may try contacting an attorney listed on this page: https://ukrainetaskforce.org/legal-assistance-providers/


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