The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is administered by the U.S. Department of State [DOS] and allots 55,000 immigrant visas per year through a lottery pool for foreign nationals from countries with historically low immigration rates to the U.S. If you entered, you can now check the results to see if you were selected here.
The entry period for the 2023 DV Program was between October 6, 2021 and November 9, 2021. The overall entry process is straightforward – applicants submit a form online and are not required to pay a fee. Over a million individuals last year registered in the Diversity Lottery and 55,000 were selected. The Entrant Status Check for DV-2022 applicants will remain open until September 30, 2022. In order to check your status, you need to have the confirmation number you received when submitting your registration, your last name, and year of birth. Entrants into the 2023 Diversity Visa Lottery are not notified by mail or email, it is their responsibility to check on the State Department portal.
Do I Automatically Get a Green Card Now?
Just because you are selected in the Diversity Visa Lottery does not mean you are automatically entitled to a green card. What it does mean is that you are eligible to apply for the immigrant visa for yourself and eligible relatives.
How to Adjust Status Under the DV Program
In order to adjust your status you must prove the following:
- You were selected in the lottery
- Have an immigrant visa immediately available [check the latest Visa Bulletin] at the time of filing an adjustment application [Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status]; and
- Are admissible to the U.S.
DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT [DV] CATEGORY FOR THE MONTH OF MAY
THE DIVERSITY [DV] IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN JUNE
Operate Cautiously with Fraudsters
If you have received an email saying you were selected in the Diversity Visa Lottery, practice extreme caution. Scammers have been known to do this and ask for money. You should check only on the official State Department portal to find out if you were selected. Here are other resources to help safeguard yourself against fraud.