The Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program has specific eligibility requirements that applicants must meet in order to participate and potentially win a green card. Here are the key criteria:
- Requirement #1: Natives of countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States may be eligible to enter. If youare not a native ofacountrywith historically low rates of
- immigration to the United States, there are two other ways youmightbe able to qualify.
- Isyourspousea native ofa countrywith historically low rates of immigration to the
- United States? If yes, you can claim your spouse’s country of birth–provided that you
- and your spouse arenamedon the selected entry, arefound eligible andissueddiversity
- visas, and enter the United Statesat the same time.
- Are you a native of a country that does not have historically low rates of immigration to
- theUnited States, and neither of your parents were born in orlegally resident in your
- native country at the time of your birth? If both of those statements are true, you may
- claimthe country of birth of one of your parents if it is a country whose natives are
- eligible forthe DV-2026 program. For more details on the DV 2026 eligibility, see the
- Frequently Asked Questions.
- Requirement #2: Each DV entrant must meet the education/work experience requirement of the DV program by having either: at least ahigh school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course offormalelementary and secondary education; OR two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform. The Department of State will use
the U.S. Department of Labor’s *Net Online Database to determine qualifying work
experience. For more information about qualifying work experiences, see the Frequently
Asked Questions.
Note: You should not submit an entry to the DV program unless you meet both of these requirements.
1. Country of Eligibility:
- Applicants must be from a country with a low immigration rate to the United States. The U.S. Department of State publishes a list of eligible countries each year, and applicants from these countries can apply for the DV Lottery.
- Countries that have sent a high number of immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years are excluded. These countries are considered “high-admission” countries.
2. Education or Work Experience:
Applicants must meet one of the following criteria:
- Education: Have at least a high school education or its equivalent (typically, this means having completed 12 years of formal elementary and secondary education).
- Work Experience: Alternatively, applicants can qualify if they have two years of work experience in the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience. The U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET Online database is used to determine qualifying work experience.
3. Application Process:
- Applicants must submit a valid online entry during the specified registration period, typically in the fall of each year.
- Each person can submit only one entry per year. Multiple entries will disqualify the applicant.
- The entry must include personal details such as name, birth date, country of birth, education/work experience, and other required information.
4. Age Requirement:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of entry. However, if an applicant is under 18, they can still apply if they meet the educational or work experience requirements and are part of a family-based entry.
5. Dependents:
- The DV Lottery allows applicants to include their spouse and children (under the age of 21 and unmarried) in the application as dependents. If the primary applicant wins, their dependents are also eligible for the green card.
6. Adherence to U.S. Immigration Laws:
- Applicants must not have been previously barred from entering the U.S. or had any issues with U.S. immigration law violations, such as overstaying a visa or being involved in criminal activity.
7. Visa Issuance and Processing:
- Winning the lottery does not guarantee a green card. Applicants must still go through a visa application process, including submitting forms, undergoing a medical examination, and attending an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
- If selected, applicants must complete the visa process within the fiscal year for which they were selected (October 1 to September 30). If they fail to complete the process during that time frame, they lose their eligibility.
Note:
The DV Lottery is a highly competitive program, with millions of applicants worldwide for 50,000 available visas. Therefore, meeting the eligibility requirements is crucial, but winning the lottery is based on a random selection process.