The Law Office Of Maria K. Davari

Green Card Lottery

The Diversity Immigrant Visa program commonly known as the green card lottery, is a government lottery program for obtaining U.S. Permanent Residence (green card). The program makes 50,000 visas available every year to applicants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States and with specific education qualifications. It provides an inexpensive and relatively simple path to a green card, without needing sponsorship from a U.S. employer or family.

Who Can Apply?

Natives of an eligible country who have a high school education or two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience, are eligible to enter the lottery. 

Eligibility can be also claimed based on your spouse eligibility, as well as based on the country of birth of one of your parents if it is a country whose natives are eligible for the current program. 

With the exception of the United Kingdom and its dependent territories, which are now eligible for DV-2025, there were no changes in eligibility from the previous fiscal year.

 Even the greatest was once a beginner.
Don’t be afraid to take the first step.

Mohamed Ali

Not Eligible Countries

For the DV – 2025 program, the following countries are not eligible to apply due to high rates of immigration to the United States:

Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, The People’s Republic of China (including mainland and Hong Kong born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Venezuela, and Vietnam.

When Can I Apply?

Every year the U.S. Department of State Electronic Diversity announces the period when entry can be submitted. The entry period usually opens in October of the current year  and remains open for about a month. The entry form will only be available for submission during this period. In years past, the last week of the registration period saw heavy demand on the application website, causing website delays. Therefore, submitting your application as early as possible is encouraged.

How Do I Apply?

The only way to enter the lottery is by filling the electronic application at: https://dvprogram.state.gov/ 

Each applicant can submit only one application.

Paper entries are not accepted. Online applications are free, but visa processing fees may apply if selected.  

Instructions

The English language version of the Diversity Visa Program Instructions is the only official version. Unofficial translations in additional languages will be added to the webpage as they become available.

You can download the official pdf instructions from here:

Tips

  • The most common difficulty in completing an entry is submitting a digital photograph that meets the required specifications. Make sure your photograph meets all the standards in the instructions.

  • Please print out and save the confirmation number of your application in a secure location. This number is the only way you can check the status of your application online.

How to check the status of my entry?

For DV-2025 you can check the status of your entry starting noon (EDT) on May 4, 2024. You will need the confirmation number of your entry, your last/family name, and the year of your birth. 

For DV-2024 entries you have until September 30, 2024 to check the status of your entry.

dvprogram.state.gov

travel.state.gov

Contact Us

P.O. Box 386, Oregon House,
CA 95962-0386

Disclaimer

This website is for informational and advertising purposes only, and does not provide legal advice. Please do not act or refrain from acting based on anything you read on this site. Using this site or communicating with Davari Law or the Law Office of Maria K. Davari through this site does not form an attorney/client relationship.

Copyright © 2022 - The Law Office of Maria K Davari - All Rights Reserved

WebDesign by IroKay