The official Diversity Visa entry site is dvprogram.state.gov, and the Department of State warns that many other websites offer paid services around the lottery. Costs arise at different stages: a small entry fee starting with DV-2027, visa fees after selection, and any private service chosen by the entrant. Selection is random, and paying a third party does not change it.
Quick answer
| Stage | Cost according to the Department of State |
|---|---|
| Entry, DV-2026 | No fee |
| Entry, DV-2027 | $1, paid at submission, no waivers |
| Visa application after selection | Paid in person to the consular cashier; amounts are shown in Entrant Status Check |
| Adjustment of status in the United States | Paid to USCIS; instructions are in Entrant Status Check |
Sources: the Department of State instructions for DV-2026 and the final rule published March 11, 2026. Amounts for visa fees are not listed in those documents and must be read from the instructions shown after selection.
What the official instructions say about fees
For DV-2026 the Department stated that there is no fee to submit an electronic entry. A selected entrant who applies for a visa pays all required fees at the time of the application and interview directly to the consular cashier at the embassy or consulate, and receives a U.S. government receipt. Selectees already in the United States who apply to USCIS pay USCIS directly, and Entrant Status Check contains separate instructions on how to mail those fees to a U.S. bank. Money for DV fees should not be sent to anyone by mail, Western Union, or any delivery service in the embassy process.
What changes in DV-2027
The final rule says every DV-2027 entrant pays $1 when submitting the entry. See what changes for DV-2027 entrants. The charge was set by a separate fee schedule rule published September 16, 2025, and the regulation text now says an electronic registration fee is collected at the time of registration. The Department collects it through Pay.gov, a U.S. Treasury payment system. It says Pay.gov accepts U.S. bank accounts and, internationally, credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and Venmo, and it acknowledges that payment can be harder in some locations.
Costs that do not appear on a price list
The DV-2027 passport rule adds an indirect cost. Entrants who do not have a valid passport need to get one before entering. The rule estimates the average passport fee in eligible countries at $74.43, notes that it can exceed $200 in some places, and says other costs cannot be quantified. Commenters on the proposal gave figures from $50 to $250. The rule also says a passport obtained for DV-2027 can be used in later years while it stays valid. Separately, the Department’s instructions say the U.S. government does not pay for airfare, housing, jobs, healthcare, or subsidies for people who receive visas, and that a selectee must show he or she is not likely to become a public charge before a visa is issued.
Visa fees are not refunded
The DV-2026 instructions state that visa application fees cannot be refunded. If a consular officer finds that the applicant does not meet the requirements or is otherwise ineligible under U.S. law, no visa is issued and the fees paid are forfeited. Selection means a person may be eligible to apply, and the instructions say visa numbers may run out before the program year ends. The instructions also state that an entrant who does not meet the education or work experience requirement is ineligible, and that the spouse and children then lose their derivative status.
Scam patterns named by the Department
- Emails or letters saying the recipient won the lottery. The Department states it has never emailed people to announce selection.
- Websites ending in .com, .org, or .net that present themselves as official. Only internet sites ending in .gov are official U.S. government websites.
- Facilitators who prepare an entry, keep the confirmation page, and demand money for the confirmation number.
- Requests to pay for forms and information that are free on travel.state.gov or embassy websites.
- People claiming to represent the Kentucky Consular Center or the Department of State and asking for money.
Fraud at scale
The final rule reports that the Department discovered 2.5 million fraudulent entries in DV-2025 and describes criminal enterprises submitting entries without the knowledge of the named people and then contacting them for payment. This is the reason for the passport requirement. The rule gives three examples of how such schemes work:
- In 2012 a U.S. embassy reported that a single internet address was behind more than 634,000 entries, and investigators found computers holding thousands of applications along with fake education documents and staged marriage photos.
- In 2013 an inspection report described fraud rings posing as travel agencies in Ukraine. They entered people’s names without permission, contacted those who were selected, and demanded up to $15,000 for the confirmation number. Some selectees who could not pay were pushed toward sham marriages.
- In 2023 a ring in Cambodia charged selected applicants between $5,000 and $30,000 using a similar practice.
Protecting personal data
- Do not send passport scans, photographs, or the confirmation number to a person or site that cannot be verified.
- Use an email account that only the entrant controls.
- Check the web address before typing any details.
- Keep a personal copy of the confirmation page.
Where to report fraud
The DV-2026 instructions point to the econsumer.gov website, which is hosted by the Federal Trade Commission together with consumer-protection agencies from other countries. They also name the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center for reporting fraud, and a Department of Justice page for unsolicited commercial email. The instructions advise that money sent to non-government organizations offering DV services will likely never be seen again, and that personal details sent to them can be used for identity theft.
Help offered by third parties
Private companies may advertise help with entries or with the visa process. The instructions state that selection is random and that the Department of State notifies selectees only through Entrant Status Check, and the FTC says nothing can increase the chances of winning. The Department of State encourages entrants to complete the form themselves. The regulation does allow another person to file the entry at the entrant’s request, and the instructions accept that only one entry may exist in a person’s name, but they also say the entrant is responsible for correct and complete information. Anyone who accepts help from another person should be present while the entry is prepared and should keep the confirmation number personally.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Department of State charge to check results?
Results are available only through Entrant Status Check on the official site. A site or message that asks for payment to reveal a result is not the official tool.
Can anyone guarantee selection?
No. Selection is a random computer drawing, and the Department states that all entries within a region have an equal chance.
How can an official message be recognized?
Official guidance always points back to Entrant Status Check on the official site. Messages that announce a win, ask for money, or link to a different website are not from the Department of State.
Where are visa fees paid?
At the U.S. embassy or consulate at the time of the application and interview, or to USCIS when adjusting status.
Is the $1 entry fee already in effect for DV-2026?
No. DV-2026 had no entry fee. The $1 fee applies from the DV-2027 program, and the DV-2027 entry dates were not confirmed in the sources reviewed.
Related reading
- How the Diversity Visa lottery works
- DV entry form guide
- Checking DV lottery results
- What changes for DV-2027 entrants
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: Department of State instructions for DV-2026; final rule published March 11, 2026.