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2026 American Lottery Begins Now
2026 American Lottery Begins Now;
The United States Department of State will begin accepting online registrations for the Fiscal Year 2026 Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at noon Eastern Daylight Time (4pm Ghana time).
Foreign nationals who want to enter the lottery must submit their applications on the official DV lottery website by Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at noon EST (4pm Ghana Time).
The DV lottery program for Fiscal Year 2026 will randomly pick up to 55,000 green card numbers. The lottery results will be revealed in May 2025, and those chosen can begin filing their green card applications on October 1, 2025.
2026 American Lottery Begins Now;
Eligibility Criteria
The DV lottery is offered to people born in countries with historically low immigration rates to the United States.
Nationals from countries with high US immigration rates are ineligible. Individuals born in Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam are ineligible for fiscal year 2026. Individuals born in Macau SAR and Taiwan are still able to participate.
Those who are unable to register owing to their country of birth may still be eligible through a spouse or, in some situations, through a parent’s country of birth. Furthermore, all applicants must have at least a high school diploma or two years of qualifying job experience within the previous five years.
2026 American Lottery Begins Now;
How To Register
To participate, contestants must complete an online form and upload a digital photo to the official DV lottery website. Each candidate is only permitted to enter once, and submitting numerous registrations will result in disqualification.
The process is free, and applicants may include their spouse and children in their application.
Once the application is filed, applicants will be given a confirmation number, which they can use to check their status until the results are revealed in May 2025.
Selection Process and Notification
Lottery winners are chosen at random using a computer draw. Results will be available on the official DV lottery website beginning May 3, 2025, and will be accessible until at least September 30, 2026.
The DV website allows applicants to verify their status by entering their confirmation number. The State Department does not inform winners by mail, email, fax, or phone.
2026 American Lottery Begins Now;
Avoiding Fraud
The State Department warns of widespread DV lottery frauds and asks candidates to exercise caution. The official DV lottery website is the sole permitted registration platform, and there is no government cost to enter the lottery. Foreign nationals should avoid misleading websites, individuals, or businesses that purport to demand fees or provide official registration services.
Furthermore, the State Department does not send notices via e-mail or fax, and applicants should be wary of any contact that claims a lottery victory without proper registration.
To learn more and register, go to the official U.S. Department of State DV lottery website.
ALSO CHECK ON: How to know you won the DV Lottery
