How to Apply DV Lottery

It is quite simple to enter the DV lottery. From early October to early November, you must fill out a form on the State Department’s website. The majority of the questions are straightforward; nevertheless, there are a few instances where these additional ideas may be useful:

• List your natal country under “country of birth,” regardless of where you presently live. Use the country’s current name if it differs from the one it had when you were born.
• For “country of eligibility,” enter either your country of birth or, if you qualify, the country of your spouse’s or parents’ birth. This question is unrelated to the nation in which you presently reside.
• Your spouse: Even if he or she does not reside with you and does not want to immigrate with you, you must list your spouse.
• Your children: You must mention all of your biological children as well as all of your adopted children, regardless of age. You should also include all stepchildren under the age of 21, even if you are no longer married to their parent.

You must also attach a current photo of yourself, your spouse, and your children (taken within the last 6 months). Apply for a green card using the same photo criteria.

Once you’ve submitted your application, remember your confirmation number since this is the only way to find out if you’ve been chosen.

Selection and Notification

A computer program selects the winners of the Diversity Visa lottery at random, with a fixed number of visas awarded to each area of the world and no single nation obtaining more than 7% of the Diversity Visas available in any given year.

Although the exact dates vary, applicants who have applied for a Diversity Visa can check the progress of their application beginning in early May of the year after their application by utilizing the Entrant progress Check link on the Diversity Visa homepage. This is why it’s critical to save that confirmation number: You won’t be able to see if you’ve been chosen if you don’t have it.

If you are chosen in the green card lottery, you and your family must fulfill the same conditions as any other U.S. green card application. Certain forms of criminal histories may preclude you from obtaining a green card. There are also some medical issues that may make obtaining a green card difficult or impossible.