According to the January Visa Bulletin from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, there has been no increase in case numbers for Nepali Diversity Visa (DV) 2025 winners for February. The cutoff remains at 3,500, the same as in January.
Previously, for October, November, and December, case numbers up to 2,950 were eligible for visa processing. In January, the cutoff rose to 3,500, but there has been no further increase for February.
For fiscal year 2025, which began on October 1, a total of 3,861 Nepali applicants were selected in the DV lottery. Nepal ranks third among Asian countries in terms of DV lottery winners, following Iran (5,267 winners) and Afghanistan (4,009 winners). Globally, Uzbekistan leads in Europe with 5,564 winners, while Cuba tops South America with 2,348 winners. In Africa, Algeria (5,526), Egypt (5,515), Sudan (5,505), and Kenya (4,459) are among the countries with the highest numbers of winners.
Although 55,000 visas will be issued worldwide, 131,060 applicants were selected globally to ensure all visas are utilized. A total of 19.9 million applications were submitted for DV-2025. Selected applicants must secure their visas by September 30, 2025, as per U.S. law. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.
Those who entered the DV lottery between October 4 and November 7, 2023, can check their status online using their confirmation number, last name, and birth year. Applicants are advised to retain their confirmation numbers until at least September 30, 2025.
The only official way to check DV lottery results is through the U.S. Department of State’s website. Applicants are cautioned against fraudulent emails or scams claiming they have won, as these are not legitimate.
If selected, the website will display detailed instructions for the next steps. If not selected, the website will indicate ineligibility.
The Diversity Visa (DV) program, established by the U.S. Congress, is administered annually by the Department of State. Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides for visas to individuals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S.
Applicants selected in the DV lottery must meet strict but straightforward eligibility criteria. Visas are distributed among six geographic regions, with no single country receiving more than 7% of the total DV visas issued in a given year.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
