An annual Diversity Immigration Program, commonly known as the visa lottery, will make available for the year 2024, by random selection, 55,000 immigrant visas to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. Eligibility to apply for this Program is determined by a person’s place of birth, not citizenship.

The only official way to apply for the DV lottery is directly through the official U.S. Department of State website during the specified and limited-time registration period.

Important: Same-sex spouses of U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), along with their minor children, are now eligible for the same immigration benefits as opposite-sex spouses. Diversity Visa applicants may add spouses acquired after their initial registration.

The registration period for DV-2024 opened for electronic entries on October 5, 2022, and will close at noon on November 8, 2022.

Do not wait until the last week of the registration period to enter as heavy demand may result in website delays. No late entries or paper entries will be accepted. The law allows only one entry per person during each entry period. The Department of State uses sophisticated technology to detect multiple entries. Submission of more than one entry for a person will disqualify all entries for that person. More information regarding the process and qualifications for the DV-2024 is available here.

DV-2024 Entrants have until September 30, 2024 to check the status of their entry through this website: https://dvprogram.state.gov/.

Based on the allocations of available visas in each region and country, the Department of State will randomly select individuals by computer from among qualified entries. All DV-2024 entrants must go to the Entrant Status Check using the unique confirmation number saved from their DV-2024 online entry registration to find out whether their entry has been selected in the DV program. Entrant Status Check will be available on the E-DV website at dvprogram.state.gov from May 6, 2023, through at least September 30, 2024.

If your entry is selected, you will be directed to a confirmation page providing further instructions, including information about fees connected with immigration to the United States. Entrant Status Check will be the ONLY means by which the Department of State notifies selectees of their selection for DV-2024. The Department of State will not mail notification letters or notify selectees by email. U.S. embassies and consulates will not provide a list of selectees. Individuals who have not been selected also ONLY will be notified through Entrant Status Check. You are strongly encouraged to access Entrant Status Check yourself. Do not rely on someone else to check and inform you.

In order to actually receive a visa, applicants selected in the random drawing must meet ALL eligibility requirements under US law. Processing of entries and issuance of diversity visas to successful applicants and their eligible family members must occur by midnight on September 30th of the lottery year. Under no circumstances can diversity visas be issued or adjustments approved after this date, nor can family members obtain diversity visas to follow to join the applicant in the US after this date.

Notifications to those selected in the random lottery are NOT sent by email or mail. People who applied for the 2024 diversity visa lottery program will be able to check their status online from May 06, 2023. To check, have your confirmation number ready and follow the instructions at www.dvlottery.state.gov to find out if your application is moving forward.

Entrants in the Diversity Visa 2023 program may check the status of their entries on the E-DV website from May 8, 2022 through September 30, 2023.

Please Note:  Should you receive an e-mail notification or a mailed letter about your E-DV selection, be aware that the notification is not legitimate. It is only after you are selected, and respond to the notification instructions made available to you via Entry Status Check, and processing begins on your case, that you may receive follow-up e-mail communication from the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) informing you to review Entry Status Check for new information about your application. The KCC will not ask you to send money to them by mail or by services such as Western Union. Don’t be fooled by scams when applying for an U.S. diversity visa.

After the Kentucky Consular Center has reviewed your completed DS-260, you may receive an e-mail from KCC to let you know that an interview has been scheduled at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate you selected on your DS-260 form. The e-mail will instruct you to log into the Entrant Status Check on the Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) website, using your DV entry confirmation number, to view the date, time and location of your interview. Print this information to take with you to your interview.

Prior to your interview, ensure you have followed the interview preparation instructions.  A consular officer will interview you (and accompanying family member beneficiaries) and determine whether or not you can receive an immigrant visa. As part of the interview process, ink-free, digital fingerprint scans will be taken. At the end of your immigrant visa interview, the consular officer will inform you whether your visa application is approved or denied.

Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a consular officer. Applicants are advised of this requirement when they apply. Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days of the visa interview. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case.  You can check the status of your visa application on ceac.state.gov.

If your visa has been denied, you may find useful information on Ineligibilities and Waivers on usvisas.state.gov.

Important Applicant Notice: Based on U.S. law, not everyone who applies for a visa will be found eligible to come to the United States. There are a number of possible reasons why someone might not qualify for a visa. The circumstances of each case are different. Approved visas generally are not available on the day of interview.

It is important that you do not make arrangements such as selling your house, car or property, resigning from your job or making non-refundable flight or other travel arrangements until you have received your immigrant visa.

If your visa has been approved, you will be informed how and when your passport and visa will be returned to you.  Carefully review After the Interview on usvisas.state.gov to learn what to do when you receive your visa, entering the United States, paying the USCIS Immigrant Fee, and other important information.