From October 2, 2024, the acceptance of applications for the Diversity Visa Lottery 2026 began - a program in which the US government selects 55,000 winners every year and issues them immigration visas (Green Cards). Learn more about the requirements for Green Card lottery participants in the US, how and when to apply, the process by which winners of the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program are selected and other important nuances that expats should know

The US Department of State has begun accepting online applications for the FY 2026 Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery beginning Wednesday, October 2, 2024. Foreign nationals wishing to participate in the lottery must submit an online application by November 5, 2024.

The basic requirements for participation in the Diversity Visa Lottery 2026 (DV-2026), as well as the application procedure, are described below.

What is a Green Card (Green Card, Permanent resident card)?

A Green Card is a document that confirms the presence of a residence permit in the United States for a person who is not a citizen of the country. A Green Card holder can legally live and work in the United States. After 5 years of living in America on a Green Card, a person has the right to apply for citizenship.

What is the Green Card Lottery (Green Card, Diversity Visa Lottery)?

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, also known as the DV Program, DV Lottery, or Green Card Lottery, is a U.S. law-enforced program that annually awards permanent immigrant visas to people from low-immigration countries to the United States.

55,000 visas have been allocated for the DV-2026 Program. Registration in the DV program is free, but winners will be required to pay a visa fee. To participate, an expat must meet certain criteria.

Why is the Green Card lottery in 2024 called DV-2026?

The Green Card Lottery is called DV-2026 because it indicates the Fiscal Year in which DV immigrant visas will be issued to lottery winners.

In the US, the fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. This year is different from the calendar year.

Requirements for participants of the Green Card lottery in the United States

There are only two simple requirements for lottery participants:

1. Be from a country that is on the list of countries with a historically low level of immigration to the United States of America. Unless you are from a country with historically low levels of immigration to the United States, there are two other ways you can be admitted:

- Your spouse is from a country with a historically low level of immigration to the US and you are receiving a visa at the same time.

- You come from a country that does not have a historically low level of immigration to the United States, but neither of your parents was born or permanently resided there at the time of your birth.

2. Have an appropriate level of education and professional training

Each applicant must meet the requirements of the program regarding the level of education and professional training, namely:

- to graduate from high school or its equivalent, which is considered to be a successfully completed course of 12-year primary and full secondary education;

- have two years of work experience during the last five years, which requires at least two years of professional and technical training.

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How to apply for a Green Card in the USA?

Applications must be submitted in the form of an electronic registration form at dvprogram.state.gov.

The deadline for accepting applications is from October 2, 2024 to November 5, 2024.

Incomplete applications, as well as applications sent by any other means, will not be accepted. Applying online is free.

Necessary information for filling out the application form

1. Full name, as in the foreign passport.

2. Gender – male or female.

3. Date of birth - number, month, year.

4. City/town where you were born.

5. Country of birth - the name of the country must correspond to the modern name of the country in which the applicant was born.

6. Country of origin for DV application – will usually match the country of birth

7. Photo – Applicant must provide recent (within the last 6 months) photo of applicant, spouse and each of their children.

8. Postal address.

9. The country in which you live today.

10. Telephone number (if any).

11. Email address.

12. The highest level of education you received.

13. Marital status at the time of filling out the application.

14. Information about children.

Only one application per person is allowed. If there are multiple registrations on behalf of the same person, all registrations will be disqualified.

Applicants must carefully follow the State Department's official lottery instructions. Sweepstakes entries and digital photos that do not meet the guidelines will be disqualified.

The main stages of participation in the DV-2026 program and deadlines

Stage 1 – Submission of online applications

The Department of State will accept online applications for the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery for fiscal year 2026 beginning Wednesday, October 2, 2024 through November 5, 2024.

2nd stage – Announcement of results

Lottery results for fiscal year 2026 will be announced starting May 2025.

Stage 3 – Obtaining a green card

Foreign nationals selected in the 2026 fiscal year lottery can apply for a green card starting October 1, 2025.

In general, the entire visa and relocation process can take up to 2 years.

What happens after I enroll in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program?

If the application is registered correctly and successfully, a confirmation will appear on the display, which will contain the name and a unique confirmation number.

Starting May 3, 2025, you must independently check the status of your application using the Electronic Status Check System at dvprogram.state.gov using your unique number. Results will be published at least until September 30, 2026.

The Electronic Status Check System will be the only means of informing you about winning a Green Card. If your application has been selected, you will be redirected to a confirmation page, where you will receive additional instructions, including information on the amount of payments related to the processing of immigration documents. Those selected in the Program will NOT be notified of their winnings either by regular mail or by e-mail.

The US government only allows about 55,000 diversification visas to be issued each year. As the number of available visas is limited, selected participants in the Program must submit the necessary documents and data in a timely manner in order to continue their participation as a visa applicant.

How are Diversity Immigrant Visa Program winners chosen?

The Department of State determines the selected applicants through a random computer drawing according to the visa quotas allocated for each region and country, using a computer from among the correctly completed applications.

How are visas distributed between different states and regions?

The State Department allocates visas among six geographic zones, and no country can claim more than 7% of the total annual diversification visas.

Citizens of which countries do not participate in the DV-2026 program?

Natives from countries from which more than 50,000 people immigrated to the US in the previous 5 years do not participate in the program: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including the mainland and people born in Hong Kong), Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic , El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela and Vietnam.

Persons born in Macao (Special Administrative Region) and Taiwan are eligible to participate in the Program.

How many applicants are selected for the DV-2026 program?

55,000 visas have been allocated for participation in the DV-2026 Program. The State Department selects more than 55,000 people because some of those selected for the program will not qualify for visas and, moreover, not all will see their visa cases through to completion. Visas will be issued each month to those applicants who are ready to receive them during that month, as long as visas are available. Once 55,000 diversification visas have been issued, the annual program will end.

Importantly! The random selection of your application by the computer at the Kentucky Consular Center does not guarantee that you will be able to obtain a visa, or even that you will apply for a visa and attend an interview. This only means that you have the right to apply for a diversification visa.

If my application has been selected, how long will I be eligible to apply for a Green Card visa?

Individuals selected under the DV-2026 Program are eligible to apply for a visa only during the 2026 U.S. State Fiscal Year, i.e. October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. We advise applicants to apply for visas as early as possible before their application serial numbers are allowed for further processing.

Will the US Government help buy flights, rent housing, find a job, provide medical care or any subsidies to a Green Card holder after relocation?

No, DV visa recipients do not receive any assistance such as airfare, rental housing or subsidies.

We will remind you! The EB2 NIW visa allows foreign professionals whose work is in the national interest of the United States to obtain work authorization under a simplified procedure. We have collected the answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding this EB2 NIW permit in this article.

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Igor Usyk - Head of Migration department at VisitWorld

To ensure a safe trip abroad, I advise you to contact a specialist. My colleagues, qualified specialists with legal education, will help you avoid unpleasant situations while traveling around the world.

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