FY 2025 Diversity Visa Lottery Registration: Oct 4 – Nov 7, 2023

The U.S. Department of State has officially launched the registration period for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery. As of Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), foreign nationals aspiring to secure a U.S. green card through the DV lottery can submit their applications online via the State Department’s official DV lottery website. The registration window will remain open until Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at noon Eastern Standard Time (EST).

The FY 2025 DV lottery program offers a unique opportunity for up to 55,000 individuals from countries with historically low immigration rates to the United States. Successful applicants will be selected through a random computerized draw. The results for the FY 2025 lottery will be unveiled in May 2024, and those fortunate enough to be selected will be eligible to submit their green card applications starting on October 1, 2024.

Eligibility and Requirements

The DV lottery is open to natives of countries that have traditionally had minimal representation in the United States immigrant population. However, this year, individuals born in several countries, including Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam, are ineligible to participate. Conversely, those born in the United Kingdom and its dependent territories, as well as Macau SAR and Taiwan, are eligible to enter. For those whose countries of birth are excluded, there may be alternative paths to eligibility, such as through a spouse or parent’s country of birth under specific circumstances.

Applicants must also meet minimum education or work experience requirements, which include possessing at least a high school education (or its equivalent) or having two years of qualifying work experience within the past five years.

How to Register

To participate in the DV lottery, applicants are required to complete an online form and upload a digital photograph through the official DV lottery website. Married individuals should include their spouses and dependent children in their entry, but it is essential to note that only one entry per person is permitted. It is crucial to adhere meticulously to the State Department’s official instructions, as deviations may lead to disqualification.

Upon successful submission, applicants will receive a unique confirmation number that will enable them to check the status of their application at a later date.

Selection and Notification Process

Selection of DV lottery winners will be carried out through a random computerized selection process. The results will be published on the official DV lottery entry status website, and this information will be available from May 4, 2024, through at least September 30, 2025. It is imperative to emphasize that the State Department does not communicate lottery results through letters, emails, faxes, or telephone calls. The official website is the sole authorized source for accessing lottery results.