Diversity Visa Program
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, also known as the DV Lottery or Green Card Lottery, makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available annually to people from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.
About DV
The DV Lottery is a congressionally mandated program administered by the U.S. Department of State. Each year, a computer-generated random drawing selects applicants for the opportunity to apply for permanent residence. Unlike family and employment-based immigration, no sponsor or job offer is required.
Who Qualifies
- Born in an eligible country (countries with low immigration rates to the U.S.)
- Meet education requirement: high school diploma or equivalent, OR two years of qualifying work experience in the past five years
- Work experience must be in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience
- Must meet standard immigrant visa requirements
Requirements
- Submit electronic entry during the annual registration period (typically October-November)
- Include qualifying family members (spouse and unmarried children under 21)
- Provide valid passport information for all applicants
- If selected, complete Form DS-260 and attend visa interview
- Case number must become current before fiscal year ends (September 30)
Current Cutoff Numbers
Latest Visa Bulletin cutoff numbers for the DV Lottery by region.
Africa
45,000
Asia
30,000
Europe
11,000
North America
25
Oceania
1,175
South America
2,000
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DV Lottery?
The Diversity Visa Lottery is a U.S. government program that randomly selects approximately 55,000 applicants annually for green cards. It's designed to diversify immigration by giving opportunities to people from countries with low immigration rates to the United States.
How do DV case numbers work?
Selected applicants receive a case number in the format 2025AF00012345, where 2025 is the fiscal year, AF is the region (Africa, AS-Asia, EU-Europe, NA-North America, OC-Oceania, SA-South America), and the remaining digits are your rank number.
What are the DV regions?
There are six regions: Africa (AF), Asia (AS), Europe (EU), North America (NA), Oceania (OC), and South America (SA). Each region has a different number of visas allocated based on immigration patterns.
When does my case number become current?
The Department of State publishes monthly Visa Bulletins showing cutoff numbers for each region. When the published cutoff number exceeds your case number, your case is current and you can schedule your interview.
What happens if my case doesn't become current?
All DV visas must be issued before September 30 of the fiscal year. If your case number doesn't become current before then, you cannot receive a visa through that year's lottery and would need to enter again in future years.
Which countries are eligible for the DV Lottery?
Countries with more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years are ineligible. Currently ineligible countries include Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
Can I include my family in my DV application?
Yes, you can include your spouse and unmarried children under 21 as derivative applicants. They can immigrate with you on the same case number if they meet admissibility requirements.
Is being selected a guarantee of a green card?
No. Selection only means you can apply for a diversity visa. You must still complete the application process, attend an interview, meet all eligibility requirements, and have your case number become current before the fiscal year ends.