The DV Lottery — 55,000 green cards by random draw.

The Diversity Visa Program — known universally as the "DV Lottery" — issues 55,000 green cards annually to people from countries with low U.S. immigration rates. Pure luck of the draw. Free to enter. Life-changing if selected.

What the DV Lottery is

Established by the Immigration Act of 1990, the program allocates 50,000 immigrant visas per fiscal year (raised to 55,000 in 2026 by administrative action) through random selection from qualified entrants. Selectees and their derivatives — spouses and unmarried children under 21 — receive permanent residency.

Unlike family-based or employment-based pathways, DV does not require a sponsor, employer, or financial investment. The only requirements are eligibility (country of birth + education/work experience) and a valid entry submitted during the registration window.

Who is eligible

Country of birth

Eligibility is determined by your country of birth, not citizenship or current residence. Countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. over the prior five years are excluded. The 2026 ineligible list includes: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland), Venezuela, Vietnam.

Cross-chargeability: If your country is excluded, you can still qualify through your spouse's country of birth (if eligible) or, in some cases, a parent's country if you were born in a country where neither parent was a resident or born.

Education or work experience

Either a high school education (12 years of formal education, or its equivalent) or two years of qualifying work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform.

The selection process

1. Registration: ~14 million entries submitted globally each year (typical).
2. Random selection: Computer randomly selects ~110,000-130,000 entries — about double the visa count, accounting for ineligibility, withdrawals, and processing delays.
3. Selectee notification: Status check opens in May at dvprogram.state.gov using the unique confirmation number from your entry.
4. Visa interview scheduling: Based on case number rank within geographic region. Lower numbers process first; higher numbers may run out of visas before the fiscal year ends September 30.
5. Visa issuance or adjustment of status: Selectees outside the U.S. attend immigrant visa interviews; those legally inside the U.S. on a valid status may file I-485 adjustment of status.

Selection odds, by region

Roughly 1 in 100 entrants are selected, but odds vary dramatically by region. Africa has historically had the highest selection rate due to large applicant pools meeting per-region maximums. Europe varies. Oceania often has the highest individual odds due to small applicant pool relative to allocated visas.

From selection to green card

Selection is not approval. Roughly 60-70% of selectees actually obtain visas — the rest are blocked by ineligibility found at interview, document delays, missed deadlines, or insufficient case number rank. The fiscal year ends September 30; any case not adjudicated by then loses eligibility permanently. There are no extensions.

Common scams to avoid

• Sites charging fees to "submit" your entry — entry is free at dvprogram.state.gov only.
• Emails claiming you "won" the lottery and requesting payment to "process" your visa.
• Phone calls demanding "winner fees" or wire transfers.
• "Increase your odds" services — random selection is exactly that. No service can increase odds.
• Fake confirmation numbers or "lottery results" notifications. Status is checked only at dvprogram.state.gov using the confirmation number from your entry submission.