What is the Diversity Visa Lottery? Your 2025 Guide

If you’re looking for a way to immigrate to the U.S. with minimal eligibility requirements, the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Program) may be right for you. The Department of State operates the program, allowing as many as 55,000 immigrants to enter the U.S. from countries that otherwise have low immigration rates. 

There’s a lottery to initially select applicants, followed by an interview process at the U.S. embassy or consulate in your country. To qualify, you’ll need to meet some education or work experience requirements. 

December 2025 update to diversity visas

The Trump administration announced a pause to the DV Program on December 18, 2025. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a social media post that she’s directing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to put an immediate pause on the program.

For the latest changes about this and other immigration programs, be sure to read our news updates here.

What is a diversity visa?

The diversity visa employs a random lottery selection process for applicants from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. There is an annual entry window announced via the State Department’s Visa Bulletin. The next round of diversity immigrant visas will be for the year 2027. The lottery window typically opens in early October each year; however, as of October 20, 2025, the State Department hasn’t announced this year’s dates. In the November Bulletin, the State Department indicated that the dates for the 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery Program registration period will be widely publicized in the coming months. 

Who is eligible for a diversity immigrant visa in 2025?

To register for the diversity visa lottery, you must meet geographic requirements and either education or work requirements.

Native country immigration requirements

In order to qualify, you must be a citizen of a country that has low U.S. immigration rates. For the 2026 entry period (known as DV-2026), which applicants registered for last year, more than 175 countries were eligible. 

In DV-2025, the countries with the most awarded visas included Uzbekistan (5,564), Algeria (5,526), and Afghanistan (4,009). Of eligible countries, those with the fewest diversity visas were Aruba, Belize, Christmas Island, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Grenada, each with one visa.

Restricted countries

Not all countries are eligible to participate in the Diversity Visa Immigrant Program. There are restricted nations that already have large numbers of people immigrating to the U.S. through other visa programs. Additionally, eligible countries will receive no more than 7% of diversity immigrant visas per year. 

In 2024, which applies to DV-2026 entry period, citizens in the following countries couldn’t register for the diversity immigrant visa lottery because more than 50,000 people have immigrated to the U.S. over the last five years. 

• Bangladesh
• Brazil
• Canada
• China (including Hong Kong)
• Colombia
• Cuba
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Haiti
• Honduras
• India
• Jamaica
• Mexico
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• South Korea
• Venezuela
• Vietnam

The new list for the next entry period has not been released yet, but it’s likely to be similar. The list of restricted countries is subject to annual updates, so check back each year. 

Applicants who were not born in a country listed as eligible on the official website may still qualify to apply under certain circumstances. One option applies if the applicant’s spouse was born in a country with historically low immigration rates to the United States. The other option allows individuals born in a non-qualifying country to apply if neither of their parents was born in or legally residing in that country at the time of the applicant’s birth, and both parents were natives of an eligible country. Those seeking to claim eligibility through a spouse or parent (alternative chargeability) must include a detailed explanation in Question #6 of the Diversity Visa entry form.

Diversity visa lottery cut-off numbers

Each month during the lottery period, the State Department publishes the number of diversity visas allocated to each region. That means applicants with lottery numbers lower than the cutoff number for their region can proceed with their visa application. The numbers are updated monthly to reflect the number of visas remaining in each area.

Here’s an example of the diversity visa cutoff numbers for November 2024 (which applied to the 2026 entry period).

Education and work experience requirements

There are two options for school or work experience to qualify for the diversity visa.

Applicants are required to demonstrate their experience in either category during their visa interview at the consular office.

When can you apply for a diversity immigrant visa?

The lottery registration window typically opens in October and November of each year. But you’re not applying for the following calendar year; it can take over a year to get selected and complete the visa issuance process. 

For example, to apply for the DV-2026 entry period, you would need to have entered the visa lottery between 12:00 p.m. EST on October 2, 2024, and 12:00 p.m. EST on November 7, 2024. 

How does the diversity visa selection process work?

The State Department conducts an electronic diversity visa lottery process and does not accept paper entries. 

Here’s how to submit an electronic lottery entry:

1. Visit dvprogram.state.gov to submit your Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form (E-DV Entry Form or DS-5501).
2. Provide the following information:

• Name, exactly as it appears on your passport
• Gender
• Birth date
• City and country in which you were born
• Country of eligibility for the diversity visa immigrant program
• A recent photograph of yourself, spouse, and children included in the lottery entry
• Mailing address
• Country you currently live in
• Phone number (optional) and email address (required)
• Highest level of education
• Marital status
  • If married, include your spouse’s name, birth data, gender, city and country of birth, and a photograph
• Number of children (including adopted and stepchildren)

3. Print out a copy of your confirmation page and keep your confirmation number.

How are selected applicants notified?

Winners of the Diversity Visa Lottery are selected through a computerized random draw. The official list of selected entrants will be available on the DV Lottery website beginning May 3, 2025, and will remain accessible until September 30, 2026. Applicants should remain alert to potential scams and ignore any emails or messages from third parties claiming to provide selection results or official notifications.

How does the diversity visa application process work?

You can officially apply for a diversity visa after being selected as a lottery winner. Individuals are randomly chosen based on regional allocations. You can continually check results on the Entrant Status Check website. 

For the 2026 period, results were available starting May 3, 2025, and will be available through September 30, 2026. Use the confirmation number you saved from the lottery entry process to check your status.

What happens if you’re selected? It depends on whether you’re applying from your home country (the most common scenario) or if you already live in the U.S. with another type of visa. 

How to apply for the diversity visa lottery outside the U.S.

Here’s each step you’ll take throughout the diversity visa application process.

• Confirm eligibility: Verify that you meet the education or work requirements outlined above.
• Submit Form DS-260: Confirm you’re eligible to immigrate to the U.S. by submitting Form DS-260, the Online Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application. It includes information about yourself and your family members, and you’ll need to print out the confirmation page to take to your visa interview. 
• Gather required documents: These include:
  • Appointment information from Entrant Status Check
  • Original long-form birth certificate
  • Court and prison records if you’ve been convicted of a crime
  • Military records from service in your country
  • Photocopy of biographic data in a valid passport (for all family members)
  • Evidence of work or education experience
  • Deportation documentation (if applicable)
  • Marriage certificate and/or marriage termination documentation
  • Custody documents for adopted children
  • Fees: $330 per person

Any documents not in English must be accompanied by certified translations. 

• Prepare for your visa interview: Check for specific instructions provided by the embassy or consulate that will conduct your interview. You and any accompanying family members will also need to undergo a medical exam and receive the required vaccinations before your interview.
• Attend your interview: All family members who will immigrate with you must attend the interview.
• Receive a visa decision: Once your interview is complete, you’ll find out if your diversity visa application has been approved or denied. 
• Plan your travel to the U.S.: If approved, plan your trip to the U.S. before your visa expires. You’ll receive a sealed packet to give to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Upon admittance into the country, you’ll officially be a Green Card holder. 

How to apply for the diversity visa lottery from within U.S.

It’s possible to apply for the diversity immigrant visa program while already living in the U.S. on another type of visa. However, you’ll still need to register for the lottery to proceed with a diversity visa application. Here’s what you’ll need to do after entering the lottery:

• Confirm eligibility:
  • Get selected for a diversity visa through the lottery
  • Have an immigrant visa already available when filing an adjustment application (Form I-485)
  • Are admissible to the United States
• File Form I-485: This form lets you apply to adjust your status to a permanent resident in the U.S.
• Include supporting documents:
  • Two recent photographs
  • Copies of the following completed forms as applicable:
    • Form I-693 (medical exam report that includes exam and vaccine history)
    • Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record)
    • Form I-601 (Waiver Application for Grounds of Inadmissibility), if it applies to you
  • Copies of the following:
    • Birth certificate
    • Passport page with your nonimmigrant visa (and any arrival or parole stamp, if applicable)
    • The letter confirming your selections in the diversity visa lottery
    • The receipt for any lottery processing fees you paid
  • Certified copies of any court records related to arrests

• Pay applicable fees: Pay your fees to USCIS instead of the U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country.

Take the Next Step: Request a Consultation 

While spots are limited, applying for a diversity visa is a significant first step in immigrating to the U.S. But you don’t have to navigate the process alone. Manifest Law can help you determine your eligibility while also exploring other visa options you may qualify for.

👉 If you’re ready to stop guessing about your future and start planning, our immigration attorneys are here to help. Request a consultation with Manifest Law now.