Green Card Lottery: Entry dates & deadlines

The US Department of State annually offers a Diversity Visa Program allowing more than 50,000 foreign nationals to obtain a green card to live in the United States legally.

Each year, the Green Card Lottery allows randomly selected people to obtain their permanent residency (as long as they’re from valid countries for the program). While the application process is easier than other visas, it still has some nuances to navigate.

Here’s what you need to know about the Green Card Lottery entry dates and deadlines to be well-prepared for the application.

What is the deadline for applying for the Diversity Visa (Green Card Lottery)?

The entry period for the DV-2025 Diversity Visa Program was between October 4, 2023, and November 7, 2023. Entries for this period have closed.

However, over the next few years, you can apply during the following periods:

• DV-2026: October 2024 - November 2024

• DV-2027: October 2025 - November 2025

• DV-2028: October 2026 - November 2026

Exact dates will be announced on the US Government Website over time, so be sure to check back regularly.

What requirements are necessary to apply for the Green Card Lottery?

Eligibility requirements to apply

Before starting the application, you must ensure you’re eligible for the DV Lottery Program of the corresponding year. You can check by reading the list of eligible countries through the US Government Website. Most of the time, the eligible countries are those with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.

If you’re not a citizen of any of the eligible countries, you can still qualify if:

• Your spouse is a native of a country with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. In that case, you can claim your spouse’s country of birth provided that you and your spouse are named on the selected entry, are found eligible and issued diversity visas, and enter the United States at the same time.

• You’re a native of a country that doesn’t have historically low rates of immigration to the United States, but in which neither of your parents was born or legally resident at the time of your birth. In that case, you may claim the country of birth of one of your parents if it is a country whose natives are eligible for the DV program.

• The U.S. Govermnet eligibility criteria focus on where you were born, not necessarily where you are a current resident. Your country of birth determines eligibility under the Diversity Visa Lottery, meaning someone born in a non-eligible country cannot apply, even if they live in an eligible country.

• Children: Children under 21 can be included as dependents on a parent’s Diversity Visa application. Both biological and legally adopted children are eligible.

• Individual applicant: Single applicants must meet the education or work experience requirement individually. There are no exceptions based on family ties for this criterion.

• Short-term business: Applying for a Green Card through short-term business travel (B-1/B-2) is not allowed. You must apply from outside the U.S. or transition through a work visa if staying longer.

• Multiple entry: While a Green Card allows multiple entries into the U.S., applicants waiting for approval should avoid traveling on temporary visas that might affect their Green Card eligibility.

• Temporary visitor: Temporary visa holders are typically not eligible to adjust status to a Green Card unless they qualify for specific categories like family sponsorship or employment-based petitions.

• Married to U.S. Citizen: Spouses of U.S. citizens can apply for a Green Card through family sponsorship, which usually has shorter processing times than the lottery or employment categories.

• Special status (refugees/asylees): Refugees and asylees can apply for a Green Card after one year of residence in the U.S. under that status.

Document requirements to start the Green Card Lottery application

Once you confirm you’re eligible, you’ll need the following to start the application online:

• Personal information, including your full name (exactly as it appears on your passport), gender, birth date, the city where you were born, the country where you were born, and country of eligibility for the DV Program.

• A valid photograph. It must meet the same standards as U.S. Visa photos. You can read about the Green Card and dv Lottery photo requirements here, for more details on how to submit a valid photograph.

• Your mailing address (Physical mailing address).

• Phone number (optional)

• Valid email address. This is important to receive follow-up email communication from the Department of State

• Information about the highest level of education you have achieved (as of today).

• Information about your marital status and personal information of your spouse (depending on your marital status and if you’re applying with your spouse).

• The US Government may also require you to show proof of police clearence, birth certificates, financial support, education and work verification and medical examination results.

This is what you need only for the application. If you win the Green Card Lottery, you’ll need extra documents for the embassy interview.

For a list of documents required for the interview you can check them on the Diversity Program Website.

• Top tip: The U.S. requires specific and often hard-to-get documents, and many countries lack the infrastructure to supply these documents easily or quickly. This can lead to frustration or missed deadlines for lottery winners. Make sure you have a comprhensive list of what you need to provide in ample time before your interview.

What does the Green Card Lottery process look like?

Here's what the process generally looks like:

• Submission - Applicants apply in October/November.

• Lottery - The following March of the new calendar year, the draw is conducted by using a random computerized system.

• Result - The lottery results are made public the following May and applicants can check online if they were selected.

• Application - Winners apply for their Green Card by meeting all requirements and background checks, and pay the visa fee.

• Consular Interview: If selected in the lottery, you’ll need to attend an in-person interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. You’ll need to take the necessary documents to the interview, and you’ll be asked questions about your application.

• Receive Green Card - Applicants who won the Green Card Lottery and successfully received the visa, may enter the United States of America at any time in the next calendar year as permanent residents.

How to apply for the Green Card Lottery entry

There are a few ways to apply for the Green Card Lottery once the window opens:

1.Via the government website

Simply go to the official DV Program website, confirm your eligibility, and follow the instructions.

2.Via iVisa

We offer a simplified application form and an expert review of it before submission.

You’ll only have to follow these simple steps:

1.complete the application form here, and fill out your details. During this step, you’ll have to select a trip date first (you can choose just an approximate date). You’ll also have to enter your passport information

2.review your details and pay for the processing fee with a debit or credit card. This fee is the only fee we require to submit your application and help you with the process since you’ll receive proper guidance on it. You’ll also be able to get help from one of our agents and receive extra information on the next steps through email.

3.attach the required documents (the photograph) to finish the application.

After that, you’ll have to wait for the confirmation email. In this email, you’ll get instructions about the next steps.

Watch this video for a quick US Green Card application tutorial:

Apply using our platform, or handy mobile app to save you time with the process, especially because you won’t have to constantly check when applications open or when your application will be ready since we’ll inform you via email.

Plus, you’ll receive guidance from our experts and they’ll be ready to answer any questions you have about the process.

What will help get your Green Card Lottery visa approved?

The Diversity Visa process is also known as the Green Card Lottery.As the name implies, it works as a lottery, meaning that the selected applicants are random and they simply must meet the eligibility criteria.

However, there are a few things that can help you increase your chances of getting approved:

• Ensure you're from an eligible country and meet education or work experience requirements. This is non-negotiable, so double-check the official list of qualifying countries.

• All your documents must be up-to-date and meet U.S. specifications. Ensure there are no typos or missing details as even the tiniest error can result in rejection.

• Adhere to the U.S. photo specifications.

• If approved, be prepared for the next step, which is the consular interview. Be ready with all required documents and remember to answer the questions honestly and clearly.

• Always double-check forms to avoid errors, whether you apply through the official government website or our platform.

What is the next step after finishing the application?

While the initial lottery application is completed online, the next step of the process is at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you’re selected for the Green Card Lottery, you must attend an in-person interview at the consulate to get the document.

Remember that this is where the final documentation will be reviewed, so you must take the necessary documents (birth certificates, police certificates, medical exams, among others) with you. Read more about the documentation requested on the US Government site.

You’ll need to fill out the DS-260 Form available online and it must be filled out in English.

The entire interview process is conducted in English, although translators are usually available at U.S. consulates for non-English-speaking applicants.

How to check the status of your Green Card Lottery entry

Whether you've applied for DV-2025 or DV-2024, staying informed about the status of your application is crucial.

First, go to the official DV Program website and click the button 'Check Status'.

• For DV-2025 entrants: If you've thrown your hat into the ring for the DV-2025 cycle, you can start checking your application status starting at noon (EDT) on May 4, 2024.

It's essential to hold onto your confirmation number until at least September 30, 2025,, as this is your key to accessing your status information.

• For DV-2024 entrants: For those who applied for the DV-2024, you have until September 30, 2024, to check the status of your entry. The application period for DV-2024 ran from October 5, 2022, until November 8, 2022.

Your confirmation number from the application process is your passport to find out your status.

If you're looking to apply for another type of US Visa, or maybe the ESTA in particular, you can find more information on this page.

What other information should I consider?

Winning the DV Lottery doesn’t automatically guarantee a Green Card or entry into the U.S.. As we mentioned before, if you’re selected through the Green Card Lottery, you must meet all visa and immigration requirements during the interview stage, including security checks, background verification, and financial assessments.

You must also remember to complete the application process within the corresponding timelines, including submitting the DS-260 form and attending the consular interview.

You cannot apply for a Green Card if you’re in the U.S. with a tourist visa.

If you want to change your tourist status to a Green Card, you must first leave the U.S. and apply through the proper channels. Similarly, you cannot apply for a Green Card through short-term business travel (B-1/B-2) either.

Dual citizens may only apply for the Diversity Visa from the country where they were born, not where they hold citizenship. The only exceptions are the ones we mentioned before regarding the nationality of the spouse or the parents.

Will entering the Green Card Lottery affect my eligibility for an immigrant visa?

Technically, entering into the green card lottery is equivalent to filing an immigrant petition. If your name is selected in the lottery, you may have trouble renewing your nonimmigrant status.

However, if you are selected, you will get permanent residency anyway. Just entering will not impact your current status.

How much does it cost to enter the Green Card Lottery program?

There is no fee charged to submit an electronic entry to the Green Card Lottery. However, if you are selected and apply for this Diversity Visa, you must pay all required visa fees of about US$330 at the time of visa application.

However, keep in mind additional costs of gathering and submitting documents, undergoing medical and background checks, legal costs, and travel costs.

Where can I get more information?

If you still have questions about the DV Lottery Program, feel free to contact our customer support team.