Once again, after one year, applicants can apply for the US Green Card lottery. While the lottery does not automatically award a card, it does give the lucky winner the opportunity to begin the process of obtaining a green card. The application for DV-2026 can be completed between October 2 and November 5, 2024. Instructions, a link to the application form, and FAQs can be found in the article below, which is continually updated.
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Table of Contents
- What Is the Green Card Lottery (DV-2026)
- How to Apply for the US Green Card Lottery
- When Is the US Green Card Lottery
- Conditions of Participation in the 2024 Green Card Lottery (DV-2026)
- Tips for Participants in the 2024 Green Card Lottery (DV-2026)
- Results of the 2024 Green Card Lottery (DV-2026)
- US Green Card Lottery FAQs
- How Many People Participate in the Diversity Visa Lottery?
What Is the Green Card Lottery (DV-2026)
The Diversity Visa Lottery 2026 is organized by the U.S. Department of State to give people from different parts of the world an equal chance to live in the United States. Participation in the lottery is always free on the official website dvprogram.state.gov. Anyone who meets the clearly stated requirements can apply between October and November. The results of the lottery are announced the following year.
In addition to the official dvprogram.state.gov website, there are intermediaries who offer to send an application for money. The use of unofficial intermediaries does not increase the chances of winning, as all applications are subject to the same selection algorithm. Some intermediaries use the personal data entered for marketing purposes.
Winning the Diversity Visa Lottery does not automatically qualify you for a green card. It means that the person and their family can enter a process that may result in the award of a green card. The whole process consists of several steps – an interview at the embassy, a medical examination and filling in forms. All costs in the high thousands of dollars are always borne by the applicant.
Are you ready for a major life change? Can you imagine quitting your job, taking your children away from their school and friends, moving to the other side of the world where no one knows you? Do you have thousands of dollars saved up to survive the first months in the USA, where you will start from scratch? Will you agree to look back home in a year at the earliest and only for a holiday? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, do not fill out the lottery application.
The motto “it’s not important to win, it’s important to participate” does not apply here. From experience, you are unlikely to get a green card or settle in the US. Moreover, it will cost you an enormous amount of time, money, effort and mental strength. Similarly, fleeing to the US to escape financial problems at home is not an option.
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How to Apply for the US Green Card Lottery
The only official website for accepting applications for the US Green Card Lottery is state.gov. It is owned by the US government and there is no charge for filling it in.
You can find other sites on Google and elsewhere that claim to be official, but you can pay up to hundreds of dollars to fill out an application. At best, the site operator will do nothing more than forward your application through the official site. On these fraudulent sites you will often find the label, “Visa Expert”, “Visa Agent” or “Visa Consultant”. The brokers’ websites are never on the .gov domain.
I recommend avoiding unofficial green card lottery brokers.
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When Is the US Green Card Lottery
The lottery numbering is quite confusing. The year indicates the fiscal year of the US government, not the year applications are received.
Abbreviation Lottery Designation Applications Open Announcement of Results DV-2023 Diversity Visa Lottery 2023 6 Oct-9 Nov 2021 from May 7, 2022 DV-2024 Diversity Visa Lottery 2024 5 Oct-8 Nov 2022 from May 6, 2023 DV-2025 Diversity Visa Lottery 2025 4 Oct – 7 Nov 2023 from May 4, 2024 DV-2026 Diversity Visa Lottery 2026 2 Oct – 5 Nov 2024 from May 2, 2025 DV-2027 Diversity Visa Lottery 2027 October 2025? from May 2025? Every year at the beginning and end of the season the website is overloaded or completely unavailable. It is recommended to fill in the application form in the middle of the period, it will not change the probability of the draw.
Never send two or more entries at the same time, this will result in automatic exclusion from the lottery.
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Conditions of Participation in the 2024 Green Card Lottery (DV-2026)
Nationality
The lottery is open to citizens of most countries, a complete list is written in the terms and conditions.
Citizens of countries from which more than 50,000 people have immigrated to the U.S. in the last five years are not so lucky. These countries include Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Vietnam. Compared to DV-2025, citizens of Cuba are now not eligible to participate in the lottery.
Applicants from ineligible countries can apply through their partner if they meet all the requirements.
Education
The minimum education required is a successfully completed high school diploma. An education certificate is not sufficient. Vocational schools do meet the requirement of at least 12 years of continuous study, but this is not the equivalent of a high school diploma.
Holders of an apprenticeship certificate may participate in the lottery if they have accumulated at least 2 years of work experience in a field requiring at least 2 years of training or experience within the last 5 years. The U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net Online database has the final say.
All lottery requirements must be met at the time of application. Those graduating in the spring of 2025 must wait until the fall of 2025.
Passport
A valid passport is required when completing the application. Some information is taken from this to fill out the application.
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Tips for Participants in the 2024 Green Card Lottery (DV-2026)
- After submitting your application, take a screenshot of the confirmation page and email the image to yourself or save it to the cloud. No confirmation email will be sent.
- A participant can only send one application in his/her name for the DV-2026 lottery. Anyone who completes two or more entries will be eliminated from the drawing.
- Spouses can increase their chances of receiving a green card by each completing their own entry form.
- There will be approximately 55,000 visas available in fiscal year 2026.
- Enter the information on the application form as it appears on your passport. Commas, commas or other accents are not allowed.
- The lottery entrant’s photo must have a minimum resolution of 600×600 px (maximum 1200×1200 px), be up to 240 kB in size and meet all other requirements. You can take your photo anywhere in front of the white wall, no need to visit the photographer.
- Please read the Diversity Visa Lottery DV 2026 rules carefully.
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Results of the 2024 Green Card Lottery (DV-2026)
You will be able to check the status of your submitted application starting Saturday, May 3, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. on state.gov. You will need to know your Confirmation Number to check your status. If you lose it, you can restore access by clicking the “Forgot Confirmation Number” button.
Do not delete the screenshot with the application number after that date either. In the past, it has occasionally happened that the status of the application has changed. I advise you to check the status from time to time, until September 30, 2026.
Those who successfully go through the whole process can look forward to a green card sometime in 2026.
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US Green Card Lottery FAQs
Where Will They Take My Photo According to Us Requirements?
You only need to be moderately tech-savvy, and you can get your picture taken at home against a white wall. If you are not confident, go to any pro photographer and show them the instructions.
I Don’t Speak English, Can I Fill Out the Application in Another Language?
How does someone who can’t fill out a fairly basic form in English get settled in the US? A green card is probably not suitable for you. Start working on your English first and maybe try it in a few years.
I Don’t Have Thousands of Dollars, Should I Take a Chance and Send in the Application?
No, there’s no point. The process of getting a green card is lengthy and challenging in many ways. It will only cost you time, money and nerves and you will not get the card. While you can apply for the lottery for free, the participant pays for all related expenses: medical exam, processing fees, and the first year of living in the US. A sufficient amount of money (or a US sponsor) is submitted during the process. In addition, you are not eligible for any form of financial support from the government for the first year of living in America.
How Much Does It Cost to Live in the US?
There is no simple answer, it depends on location and lifestyle. Hawaii, California or New York are attractive places but extremely expensive. At the other end of the scale are Arkansas, Kentucky or Mississippi. Estimates are in the thousands of dollars.
Are Children Mentioned in the Lottery for a Green Card to the US?
Yes, all unmarried children under the age of 21 are mentioned.
What Education Should I List?
On the application, please indicate the highest level of education completed, based on U.S. equivalents
When Is the 2025 Green Card Lottery (DV-2027)?
We don’t know the official information yet. It can be assumed that applications will be accepted from early October 2025 to early November 2025.
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How Many People Participate in the Diversity Visa Lottery?
The number varies from year to year, influenced mainly by the economic and security situation in the world. The US State Department gives some idea.
Are you participating in the US green card lottery this year? Discuss your experiences or ideas on how to get a foothold in the USA. Good luck to those who are serious about the lottery. :-)
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