If you are not familiar with how the US DV Lottery Program works, you might possibly be wondering why the US DV Lottery 2026 Registration is open now, but as we proceed to show you how to apply for Diversity Visa Program (DV Lottery) we shall clarify you more.
It is important to note that successful DV entrants applying for DV-2026 Green Card program also known as American Visa Lottery Program must meet simple, but strict, eligibility requirements in order to qualify for a diversity visa (to be born in the country eligible for this lottery and has to be qualified based on education, work, and other requirements).
The program is called the “Green Card Lottery” or “DV Lottery” because the winners are determined through a random drawing from among the 10–12 million people who enter each year worldwide. Diversity visas are distributed among six geographic regions and no single country may receive more than seven percent of the available DVs in any one year.
DV-2026 Diversity Visa Program Entry Period
The 2026 DV Program will open at 12:00 p.m. EDT on October 2, 2024
Only until November 5th, 2024, you can apply for the official DV Lottery 2026!
The 2026 DV Program will open at 12:00 p.m. EDT on October 2, 2024. dvprogram.state.gov is the ONLY way to enter. The law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period. The Department of State uses advanced technology to detect multiple entries. Individuals with more than one primary entry per Diversity Visa season will be disqualified. The program instructions can be found at travel.state.gov/dv.
Do not wait until the last week of the 2026 DV Program registration period to enter, as heavy demand may result in website delays. No late entries or paper entries will be accepted. The law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period. The Department of State uses sophisticated technology to detect multiple entries. Individuals with more than one entry will be disqualified.
Am I Eligible for US DV Lottery 2026?
Almost everyone can apply for the Diversity Visa Lottery program! There are only two requirements to qualify for a U.S. Green Card lottery program:
The program, commonly referred to as the DV Lottery or the Green Card Lottery, awards up to 50,000 immigrant visas each year to people meeting certain eligibility requirements. These include:
- Being a citizen of a country with a low immigration rate to the United States
- Having graduated from high school or its equivalent or having qualifying work experience
Use the DV Lottery Check to find out with just a few clicks if you qualify for the DV Lottery 2026!
US DV Lottery 2026 Registration Eligibility Criteria
- Requirement #1:
Individuals must be born in countries whose natives qualify may be eligible to enter.
Not all countries will be eligible to apply for the US DV-2026 lottery because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years. If you were not born in an eligible country, there are two other ways you might be able to qualify.
- Was your spouse born in a country whose natives are eligible? If yes, you can claim your spouse’s country of birth—provided that both you and your spouse are named on the selected entry, are found eligible and issued diversity visas, and enter the United States simultaneously.
- Were you born in a country whose natives are ineligible, but in which neither of your parents was born or legally resident at the time of your birth? If yes, you may claim the country of birth of one of your parents if it is a country whose natives are eligible for the DV-2026 program.
Not all countries will be eligible to apply because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years.
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- Requirement #2:
US DV-2026 applicants must meet the education/work experience requirement of the DV program by having either: at least a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of formal elementary and secondary education.
US DV Lottery 2026 Online Application Qualifying Educations/Occupations:
The law and regulations require that every DV entrant must have at least:
- A high school education or it’s equivalent; or
- Two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience.
- Occupations which will Qualify for the Diversity Visa Program (DV): The Department of Labor (DOL) O*Net Online database groups job experience into five “job zones”. While many occupations are listed on the DOL website, only certain specified occupations qualify for the Diversity Visa Program. To qualify for a Diversity Visa on the basis of your work experience, you must, within the past five years, have two years of experience in an occupation that is designated as Job Zone 4 or 5, classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher.
How Can I Apply for the US DV Lottery 2026?
Participation in the annual DV Lottery is basically free of charge and all eligible persons can complete the US DV Lottery 2023 Registration process on the website of the U.S. Department of State. However, what many do not know: In every lottery up to 40% of all participants are disqualified because of formal or deadline errors in their application!
The admission or rejection of applications for the Diversity Visa Lottery is an electronic process, but participants are not informed about the outcome. Whether the application will end up in the lottery or not won’t be communicated.
You can enter the U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery for free at www.state.gov or use our service if you need any help with the application process.
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However, the Green Card service agency The American Dream guarantees your participation in the official DV Lottery. Each application is individually checked by state-approved emigration consultants and is submitted to the US authorities in due form and time.
With their expert knowledge, our team has already accompanied more than 19,000 Green Card winners on their way to the USA and for years now!
Selection of DV Lottery Applicants
There is no cost to register for the DV Program. Those interested in registering are strongly encouraged to complete the entry form themselves without a “visa consultant,” “visa agent,” or other facilitator who offers to help. If somebody else helps you, you should be present when your entry is prepared so that you can provide the correct answers to the questions and retain the confirmation page and your unique confirmation number.
Selections will be made in May 2025. The website dvprogram.state.gov/ESC is the ONLY way to see if you were selected. Any email claiming to notify entrants that they have been selected for the DV Program is a scam. The Department of State will NOT contact you if you have been selected.
DV-2026 Program Online Registration
DV-2026 Program: The online registration period for the DV-2026 Program begins on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4) and concludes on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5). Submission of more than one entry for a person during the registration period will disqualify all entries for that person.
10 Tips for Applying for the 2026 Diversity Visa Program:
- Tip #1 – Read the instructions at travel.state.gov/dv to find out if you qualify. Do NOT enter if you do not meet the qualifications.
- Tip #2 – Go to dvprogram.state.govto submit your entry. This is the ONLY way to enter. Do not be fooled by scams or fraudulent sites.
- Tip #3 – There is NO fee to enter. Beware of those who claim they can improve your chances if you pay them, or who offer to complete your application for free.
- Tip #4 – Complete the Diversity Visa Program entry yourself. Unscrupulous visa facilitators have retained an applicant’s confirmation number, and then demanded more money or illegal activities in exchange for the confirmation number.
- Tip #5 – Use a photo taken in the last six months. Using an old photo will disqualify your entry.
- Tip #6 – Only submit ONE entry per person. Individuals with more than one primary entry per Diversity Visa season will be disqualified.
- Tip #7 – Remember to list your spouse and ALL unmarried children under the age of 21 in your application, even if they will not be traveling or immigrating with you. Incorrect or missing information in your entry can mean disqualification – even after you are selected.
- Tip #8 – Keep your unique confirmation number. The confirmation number will be the only way to check whether an entry has been selected in May 2025.
- Tip #9 – Selections will be made in May 2025. The website dvprogram.state.gov/ESC is the ONLY way to see if you were selected. Any email claiming to notify entrants that they have been selected for the Diversity Visa program is a scam. The Department of State will NOT contact you if you have been selected.
- Tip #10 – Remember, being selected does NOT guarantee you a visa interview or visa. In order to issue as many visas as possible, there will be more selectees than there are visas available.
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