Diversity Visa (DV) Program

Important Notice – Same-sex spouses of U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), along with their minor children, are now eligible for the same immigration benefits as opposite-sex spouses. Consular officers at U.S. embassies and consulates will adjudicate their immigrant visa applications upon receipt of an approved I-130 or I-140  petition from USCIS. Diversity Visa applicants may include same-sex spouses in their initial entries or add spouses acquired after their initial registration. Spouses of DV 2014 applicants, even those not included in the initial entry, must apply before September 30, 2014. For further information, please see our FAQ’s.

DV 2015 Program: Online registration for the DV 2015 Program began on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and will conclude on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4). See the Diversity Visa Program Instructions webpage for the DV 2015 Instructions and any available translations.

DV 2014 Program: DV-2014 entrants may now check the status of their entries through Entrant Status Check (ESC) on the E-DV website, through June 30, 2014. Review the Diversity Visa Program 2014 Instructions for more information.

Diversity Visa Scammers Sending Fraudulent Emails and Letters

The Department of State, Office of Visa Services, advises the public of a notable increase and reporting of fraudulent emails and letters sent to Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) program (Visa Lottery) applicants. The scammers behind these fraudulent emails and letters pose as the U.S. government, and attempt to extract payment or favor from DV applicants. We strongly encourage you to review the procedures for the DV program provided below, so that you know what to expect, when to expect it, and from whom. Remember that this website is the source of official information about the DV program.

Overview

The congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program makes available up to 55,000 diversity visas (DVs) annually, drawn from random selection among all entries to persons who meet strict eligibility requirements from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.

To learn about the next DV online registration, visit the Diversity Visa Program Instructions webpage.

Fraud Warning

Fraudulent websites are posing as official U.S. government sites. Some companies posing as the U.S. government have sought money in order to "complete" DV entry forms. There is no charge to download and complete the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form. To learn more, see the Department of State Warning and the Federal Trade Commission Warning.

The Department of State does NOT notify successful DV applicants by letter or email. Entrants can check the status of their entries, as explained below, by returning to the website at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov to find out if their entry was or was not selected.

Entrant Status Check

DV 2014 Program: Entrants from DV 2014 (those who submitted entries during the registration period between October 2, 2012 and November 3, 2012) should now check the status of their entry using their confirmation number through Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website. To view instructions for DV-2014 entrants and selectees, see Instructions for the 2014 Diversity Visa Program.

Entrant Status Check is the ONLY means of informing you if your entry was selected or not. All entrants, including those NOT selected, may check the status of their entries through the Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website www.dvlottery.state.gov. Entrants will need to use the information from their confirmation pages saved at the time of entry.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you have lost your confirmation information, you will not be able to check your DV entry status. We will not be able to resend the confirmation page information to you.

Selectee Notification and Next Steps

Review the information about Entrant Status Check which is the ONLY means by which DV selectees will be notified of their selection. Additionally, Entrant Status Check will provide successful selectees instructions on how to proceed with their application. The Kentucky Consular Center no longer mails notification letters and does not use email to notify DV entrants of their selection in the DV program. Review the DV Program 2014 Instructions and DV Program 2015 Instructions "Selection of Applicants" section, which provides detailed information about the DV process.

For All Successful DV Entrants: If you have been selected for further processing in the Diversity Visa program, after you receive instructions via Entrant Status Check, you will need to demonstrate that you are eligible for a diversity immigrant visa by successfully completing the next steps. You will need to complete an immigrant visa application, submit required documents and forms, pay required fees, complete a medical examination, and then be interviewed by a consular officer at the U.S. embassy or consulate to demonstrate you qualify for a diversity visa. Please note that the Kentucky Consular Center will provide application information online ONLY through the Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website www.dvlottery.state.gov.

Qualifying Occupations

Successful DV entrants must be eligible to receive a visa by qualifying based on education, work, and other requirements. The law and regulations require that every DV entrant must have at least:

  • A high school education or its equivalent; or
  • Two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years' training or experience.

To learn more about qualifying occupations, see the Diversity Visa Instructions Frequently Asked Questions and the List of Occupations webpage.

Diversity Visa Program Statistics

Number of Online Entries Received During Each Registration Period

Number of Selected Entrants for Recent DV Programs

Number of Visa Issuances and Adjustments of Status in the Diversity Immigrant Category

Rewards for Justice

As you apply to come to the United States, please take a moment to visit our Rewards for Justice program website.

Additional Resources