How the Diversity Visa Lottery Works Step by Step
The Diversity Visa program picks entries by random computer drawing. See each stage, from the entry form to Entrant Status Check and the interview.
Understand the Diversity Visa lottery before you enter
Plain-language guides to eligibility, the entry form, dates, results, and fees, written from Department of State and USCIS sources.
Read the DV lottery guides Open the calculatorsInformation only. Not affiliated with the U.S. government. The official entry site is dvprogram.state.gov.
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Five guides cover the questions most entrants ask first.
DV Entry Form Guide: Required Information and Photo
Learn what the Diversity Visa entry form asks for, how to list a spouse and children, the photo rules, and why the confirmation number matters.
DV Lottery Timeline: Entry, Results, Visa Deadline
See how the Diversity Visa calendar works: entry period, results through Entrant Status Check, and the September 30 deadline, with DV-2026 as the model.
What Changes for DV-2027 Entrants
A March 2026 State Department rule adds a valid passport scan and a $1 entry fee for DV-2027. See the exemptions, the file rules, and open questions.
Checking DV Lottery Results: Entrant Status Check
Results of the Diversity Visa lottery appear only in Entrant Status Check. Learn what is needed to log in, what the Department never sends, and next steps.
Avoid scams and fraud
Fake winner notices, paid promises of better odds, and look-alike websites are the most common problems. These guides explain the warning signs.
Diversity Visa Scams and How to Spot Them
Learn the main Diversity Visa scams, from fake winner notices to paid "better odds" offers, and the warning signs the U.S. government describes.
Fake Diversity Visa Winner Notices
The Department of State does not email or mail Diversity Visa winner notices. See how real notices work and what to do with a message claiming a win.
How to Check Whether a DV Lottery Website Is Official
Use seven checks to judge whether a Diversity Visa website is official: the address, fees, promises, payment methods, and what the site asks for.
Does Paying Anyone Improve DV Lottery Odds?
The FTC says nothing can increase the chances of winning the Diversity Visa lottery. See how selection works and which claims signal a scam.
Protecting the DV Confirmation Number
A lost or withheld confirmation number blocks access to Diversity Visa results. Learn how helpers misuse it and how entrants can protect it.
Where to Report Diversity Visa Fraud
If someone demands payment, claims a Diversity Visa win, or holds an entry hostage, these official channels take reports. Steps to follow first.
Free Green Card calculators
Date and rule checkers for priority dates, renewal timing, conditional cards, CSPA age, and citizenship timing, with sources.
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Diversity Visa Lottery
How it works, who can enter, the entry form, dates, results, and fees.
DV Lottery Scams
Fake notices, fake websites, paid promises, and where to report fraud.
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Card terms, numbers, expiration, and renewal, based on USCIS pages.
Green Card Tools
The rules behind the calculators: priority dates, CSPA, filing windows, and citizenship timing.
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Short answers to common questions.