2,505 Nepalis Secured Diversity Visas in 10 Months; Deadline Approaching for Remaining Winners

In fiscal year 2024, a total of 2,505 Nepalis have received diversity visas to the United States as of July, with 272 visas issued that month. While the number of visas issued in August has not yet been announced, Nepali winners of the 2024 Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery have until the end of September to obtain their visas.

The cutoff date for the current fiscal year 2024 DV program is September 30. Nepali applicants with case numbers above 13,000 will not receive visas, as the limit for September is set at case number 13,000. This has dashed the hopes of many DV winners with higher case numbers. In previous years, Nepali DV winners with case numbers above the limit were still able to obtain visas in August and September, but this year, the restrictions are tighter.

The issuance of visas has fluctuated throughout the year. In March, only 198 Nepalis received diversity visas, but there was an increase in April, with 399 visas issued. May saw 293 visas granted, and June had 86. The number of visas issued began to decline in December, with 414 visas granted, 311 in January, 268 in February, and further dropped to 198 in March. In the first two months of the fiscal year, three visas were issued in October and 261 in November.

Applicants who participated in the DV Lottery in 2022 are currently receiving visas, while those who participated in 2023 will begin receiving visas from October 2024. For fiscal year 2024, a total of 3,863 Nepalis were selected as DV winners, making Nepal third in Asia for the highest number of DV selections, following Iran (5,777) and Afghanistan (4,536).

Out of 143,000 global winners of the DV lottery, a maximum of 55,000 visas will be issued, meaning not all winners are guaranteed a visa. For DV 2024, over 22 million eligible applicants from around the world participated, more than doubling the number from 2023, which had around 9.57 million participants.

DV 2025 Winners to Start Receiving Visas from October

The 2025 DV Lottery winners will begin receiving visas starting in October 2024. Nepali winners with case numbers up to 2,950 will be eligible to receive their visas in the first month. This year’s limit is more relaxed compared to previous years; last October, the limit was set at 1,300, and in 2022, it was 1,450. In 2021 and 2020, the limits were 900 and 1,050, respectively.

A total of 3,861 Nepalis were selected in the DV Lottery for the next fiscal year starting October 1. Nepal ranks third in Asia for the number of DV selections, following Iran (5,267) and Afghanistan (4,009). In other regions, Uzbekistan leads in Europe with 5,564 winners, followed by Turkey (4,194) and Ukraine (4,002). In South America, Cuba has 2,348 winners, while in Africa, Algeria (5,526), Egypt (5,515), Sudan (5,505), and Kenya (4,459) lead the list.

Although 55,000 visas will be issued, a total of 131,600 people have been selected worldwide. Over 19.9 million people applied for the 2025 DV Lottery. Winners must obtain their visas by September 2025; otherwise, they will be disqualified.

Those who applied for the DV Lottery from October 4 to November 7 last year can check if they have been selected. Applicants are advised to keep their confirmation numbers until at least September 30, 2025.

The only official way to check DV status is through the US State Department’s website. Applicants should beware of fraudulent emails claiming DV selection.

If selected, applicants will see a notification on the screen with instructions for the next steps. If not selected, they will see a message stating they were not chosen.

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, mandated by the US Congress, is conducted annually by the US Department of State under the Immigration and Nationality Act. This program provides status to immigrants from countries with historically low US immigration rates. Visas are distributed across six geographic regions, with no single country receiving more than 7% of the total visas in any given year.

The US government does not notify applicants directly. The only source of information for applicants is the Entrant Status Check, which is available on the e-DV website from May 4 to September 30, 2025, for DV 2025 winners.