A final rule published by the Department of State on March 11, 2026, changes how people enter the Diversity Visa lottery starting with the DV-2027 program. Entrants must provide data from a valid, unexpired passport and upload a scan of its biographic and signature page, unless an exemption applies. A separate fee rule adds a $1 charge at the time of entry.
Quick answer
| Change | What the Department says |
|---|---|
| Passport information | Required in the entry form: the passport serial or issuance number, name, issuing country or authority, and expiration date |
| Passport scan | Biographic and signature page, JPEG format, no more than 5 MB; PDF is not accepted |
| Entry fee | $1 per entry, paid when the entry is submitted, no waivers |
| Applies from | The DV-2027 program |
The details are taken from the final rule published March 11, 2026, which is the official source. Earlier years, such as DV-2026, had no entry fee and no passport upload.
Why the Department made the change
The rule explains that the Department has historically received millions of fraudulent entries, including entries made by third parties without the knowledge of the named person. It states that in DV-2025 the Department found 2.5 million fraudulent entries. Linking each entry to a unique, valid passport is meant to make duplicate and fabricated entries easier to detect and to confirm identity earlier in the process.
The rule also describes how the fraud works. Unauthorized third parties enter a person’s name, then contact that person and withhold the confirmation number unless a large fee is paid or the person agrees to take part in fraudulent activity. The Department says passport details are harder for such parties to obtain, and that the requirement should also reduce fraudulent marriages. It adds that the entry-time check lets it confirm place of birth and the claimed country of eligibility earlier, because before this change the country of eligibility was self-reported and could not be checked until a visa application.
What the entry form asks, before and after
In earlier program years the entry form (DS-5501) collected the entrant’s name, gender, date of birth, city and country of birth, mailing and physical address, email address, phone number, education level, marital status, number of children, and photograph, plus the same identity details and a photograph for each spouse or child included. The rule keeps that structure and adds passport details for the entrant. The regulation text lists the new items as the unique serial or issuance number of the valid passport, the entrant’s name, the country or authority that issued it, and the expiration date. Entrants who qualify for an exemption do not provide these items.
The rule also changes wording. The term “sex” replaces “gender” in the regulations and on the form, and “date of birth” replaces “age” in one regulation for consular officers. The Department says only male and female options are available and that the entry should show the entrant’s sex at birth, even if the passport shows something different.
Who must provide a passport
All entrants must provide passport information and a scan, with limited exemptions. The rule lists three:
- Petitioners who are stateless.
- Petitioners who are nationals of a Communist-controlled country and unable to obtain a passport from that government.
- Petitioners who are, or expect to be, the beneficiary of an individual waiver approved by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State, decided case by case at the interview.
Anyone claiming an exemption must support the claim with evidence. The Department declined to widen the exemptions or to accept other identification in place of a passport. Its reasons were that national identity cards and birth certificates are harder to verify and easier to alter in some countries, and that financial hardship alone is not a reasonable ground for an exemption.
The passport scan
The regulation says the entry must include a scan of the biographic and signature page of the valid, unexpired passport. The scan must be a JPEG file, PDF files are not accepted, and the file may not exceed 5 megabytes. Commenters asked for PDF uploads, multiple images, compression help, and a test tool. The Department answered that the yearly instructions will carry the detailed upload requirements, and that it had no plans to provide an image combiner, compression guidance, or a test tool.
The same regulation keeps photograph rules for the entrant, the spouse, and unmarried children under 21: a color JPEG taken no more than six months before the entry, facing the camera, in focus, with a light background and no eyewear that obstructs the face. Head coverings are acceptable only for religious reasons and must not hide any part of the face. Exact scanner and resolution details are left to the yearly notice, so DV-2027 photo specifications should be read from that notice.
The $1 fee
The Department states that all entrants must pay a $1 fee when submitting an entry, with no waivers. The fee was announced in a separate fee schedule rule published September 16, 2025. The Department says the fee spreads the cost of running the entry system, data storage, random selection, and security reviews across all entrants instead of only the small share who are selected. Payment is collected through the U.S. Treasury’s Pay.gov, which the Department says accepts payments from U.S. bank accounts and, internationally, credit and debit cards, PayPal, and Venmo. The Department acknowledges that some applicants may face obstacles paying from certain locations.
How it compares with the past
A passport requirement is not new. A 2019 interim final rule required passport details for entries in the periods for DV-2021, DV-2022, and DV-2023. A federal court later held that the 2019 rule was issued unlawfully because it skipped public notice and comment, and the Department says the 2026 rule went through that process. It received 399 public comments on the proposal, and most expressed support or qualified support. The rule reports 6.7 million entries for DV-2021, 7.3 million for DV-2022, and 9.6 million for DV-2023, and it estimates about 10 million entrants for DV-2027.
What is still open
- The entry form (DS-5501) is being updated and needs approval from the Office of Management and Budget, so the exact screens and photo specifications will appear in the DV-2027 program notice.
- Registration dates for DV-2027 were not confirmed in the sources reviewed. The rule says it expects the opening of the DV-2027 entry period to be deferred, without giving a date.
- The list of eligible countries for DV-2027 is published each year with the instructions.
- The rule says it takes effect 30 days after publication, and describes DV-2027 as the first program year to use it.
What to prepare
- A valid, unexpired passport, or evidence for an exemption.
- A clear scan of the data page and signature page in JPEG format, under 5 MB.
- A way to pay $1 online from the entrant’s location.
- Photographs of the entrant, spouse, and unmarried children under 21.
- A kept copy of the passport used for the entry. The Department says entrants will be advised to retain one and that a selectee may be denied if unable to show that the passport number on the entry was valid at registration.
Costs that are not part of the entry fee
The rule estimates that the average passport fee in countries eligible for the program is about $74.43 and notes that costs can exceed $200 in some places, with other costs unquantified. Commenters gave figures from $50 to $250 depending on the country. The Department also notes that passports are typically valid for between five and 10 years, and that a passport obtained for DV-2027 could be used in later program years while it remains valid. It raised its estimate of the time needed to complete the form from 30 minutes to 90 minutes. Visa application fees for selectees are separate and are paid later in person. See DV lottery costs and how to avoid scams.
Frequently asked questions
Is the DV lottery still free?
For DV-2026 there was no entry fee. For DV-2027, the Department of State says a $1 fee applies to every entry.
Can a passport that expires soon be used?
The rule requires a valid, unexpired passport. Whether a near-expiry passport is practical depends on the process that follows, so renewal before entry is worth considering.
Can a PDF scan be uploaded?
No. The rule specifies JPEG and says PDF will not be accepted.
Does the passport rule change who is eligible?
It does not change the birthplace, education, or work rules. See DV lottery eligibility.
Can a national ID card replace the passport?
No. The Department rejected this request and kept the passport as the only accepted document, apart from the three exemptions.
Related reading
- DV entry form guide
- DV lottery timeline
- DV lottery costs and scams
- Who is eligible for the DV lottery
About this guide
This website is for information only. It is not affiliated with the U.S. government, does not give legal advice or consultations, and does not offer application services. Entries are submitted only on the official entry site, and the current official instructions control, because rules change each year.
Last verified: October 2026. Sources: final rule published March 11, 2026; Department of State instructions for DV-2026.