The DV Lottery process involves several key steps:
- Check Eligibility:
- Country of Birth: You must be a native of a country with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S. The list of eligible countries changes annually. (For DV-2026, countries like Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam were generally ineligible, though exceptions exist for spouses or parents born in eligible countries.)
- Education or Work Experience: You must have either:
- At least a high school education or its equivalent (successful completion of a 12-year course of formal elementary and secondary education), OR
- Two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform (as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net Online database).
- Submit an Entry (During the Registration Period):
- Online Application: You must submit your entry electronically on the official Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) website: dvprogram.state.gov.
- No Fee: There is no fee to register for the DV Program.
- One Entry Per Person: Only one entry is allowed per person. Submitting multiple entries will disqualify you.
- Include Family Members: You must list your spouse (even if they don’t live with you) and all your biological, adopted, and step-children under age 21 at the time of your entry, regardless of whether they intend to immigrate with you.
- Digital Photo: You need to upload recent (taken within the last six months) passport-style digital photographs for yourself, your spouse, and all listed children, adhering to strict compositional and technical specifications (e.g., color, in focus, specific head size, JPEG format, 240 kB or less, 600×600 pixels).
- Confirmation Number: After submitting, you will receive a unique confirmation number. It is crucial to save this number as it is the only way to check your entry status and proceed if selected.
- Selection of Applicants:
- Random Computer Drawing: The Department of State randomly selects applicants through a computer drawing.
- Entrant Status Check: The only way to find out if you’ve been selected is by using the “Entrant Status Check” on dvprogram.state.gov with your confirmation number. The Department of State does not send notification letters or emails to selectees.
- If Selected (Further Processing):
- DS-260 Application: If selected, you will be directed to a confirmation page with further instructions. You must then complete and submit the online Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application, Form DS-260, for yourself and any accompanying family members.
- Prepare Supporting Documents: Gather all required documents, including passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates (if applicable), police certificates, and medical examination results.
- Interview: Once your application is processed and a visa number becomes available (which you can monitor via the Visa Bulletin and Entrant Status Check), you will be scheduled for an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
- Interview Preparation: Prepare for your interview by gathering all original documents and copies.
- Interview and Decision: A consular officer will interview you to determine your eligibility and admissibility. If approved, you will receive your immigrant visa.
- Adjustment of Status (if in the U.S.): If you are already in the U.S. in a temporary immigration status when selected, you may be eligible to adjust your status to permanent resident through USCIS by filing Form I-485.
