What is the US visa lottery?

The US visa lottery, officially the Diversity Visa Lottery (DV), is an annual program run by the US government to draw immigrants from countries with historically low rates of emigration to the United States. Its purpose is to sustain the cultural and ethnic diversity of the country's population. Each year 55,000 visas are awarded, granting winners the right to permanent resident status - a green card.

Who can take part?

The lottery is open to nationals of countries that have sent fewer than 50,000 immigrants to the United States over the preceding years. The list of eligible countries is updated annually, and only residents of those states may apply. In recent years, for example, nationals of countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Armenia have been eligible to enter.

Core eligibility requirements

• Citizenship of an eligible country.
• Education or work experience. Applicants must have at least a high school education or its equivalent. An alternative is qualifying work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience.

How do you apply?

Entering the lottery is free, and applications can only be submitted through the official US Department of State website. Entries are accepted each autumn, typically between October and November.

The application process

• Complete the form. On the website you fill out an application with your personal details: surname, first name, date of birth, country of residence, level of education, and marital status.
• Photograph. A current photograph meeting the requirements is mandatory - a color image against a light background, with no glasses and no headwear (except for religious reasons).
• Save your confirmation. After a successful submission you receive a confirmation number, which you must keep. You will use it to check the results of the draw.

What documents are needed?

No documents are required at the application stage.

When are the results?

Results become available roughly six months after the application window closes. They can only be checked through the official website, using the same confirmation number you received when submitting your entry.

Key points to keep in mind

• Beware of scams. Entering the lottery is free and the entire process runs through the official website. Ignore intermediaries who claim they can improve your odds of winning for a fee.
• One entry per person. Each individual may submit only one application per year. Duplicate entries can lead to disqualification.
• Family members. If one spouse wins the lottery, a visa is also issued to the other spouse and to any children under the age of 21.

The visa lottery is a genuine opportunity for many people to gain permanent residence in the United States. If you meet the conditions, enter - and perhaps yours will be among the winning applications.

What happened to the lottery in 2025-2026

Registration for the 2027 lottery, which usually runs in October and November, never opened. On 5 November 2025 the US State Department announced changes to the entry process and postponed registration without a new date. In December 2025 the programme was suspended: the Homeland Security Secretary announced it on 18 December, the next day USCIS put green card applications based on the lottery on hold inside the US, and on 23 December the State Department stopped issuing visas to selectees worldwide.

On 28 August 2026 a federal court lifted the pause for 2026 lottery selectees, but it could not extend the deadline: visas under that lottery could only be issued until 30 September 2026. The new visa year began on 1 October with no selectees, and as of early October 2026 no dates for the next registration have been announced.

New entry rules from 10 April 2026

The entry rules have changed even while registration is closed. Under the final rule in force since 10 April 2026, entrants need a valid passport: its details go into the form, together with a scan of the photo and signature page. For the first time in the programme's history there is a registration fee of $1, which is non-refundable. Selectees still pay a separate $330 visa application fee.

How many visas and why winning does not guarantee a green card

The law allocates 55,000 immigrant visas a year to the lottery, and after mandatory deductions 52,101 remained for the 2026 lottery. More selectees are drawn than there are visas, so winning only gives the right to apply. The visa must be obtained by 30 September of the fiscal year the lottery was held for: after that date unused places expire, with no carryover. That is why a selectee should gather documents and attend the interview at once.

Routes to the US without the lottery

While the programme is suspended, you cannot build plans on it. The right to live in the US comes from programmes that do not depend on luck:

• the EB-5 green card for investments from $800,000 in a project that creates US jobs;
• the EB-1A green card for people with extraordinary achievements, with no employer needed;
• the EB-2 NIW green card for professionals with a project of national importance;
• the O-1 visa for professionals recognised in their field, renewable without limit.

Murblz specialists will assess your profile, choose the programme and prepare the petition. More on talent routes in our article on talent-based green cards. The first consultation is free, with an instant answer in the chat.

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