Visa Services

Visa Lottery

Each year, the Diversity Lottery (DV) Program makes 55,000 immigrant visas available through a lottery to people who come from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. The Department of State holds the lottery every year, and randomly selects approximately 110,000 applicants from all qualified entries. The State Department selects 110,000 applications since many lottery winners will not complete the visa process. Once 55,000 are issued or the fiscal year ends, the DV program is closed. To qualify for an immigrant visa, lottery winners must have at least a high school diploma or two years work experience in a skilled occupation. Lottery winners who successfully qualify for an immigrant visa will be authorized to live and work permanently in the United States. They will also be allowed to bring their spouse and any unmarried children under the age of 21 to the United States. There is a separate registration for each year's visas. Information on registration for the lottery is announced each year by the State Department. Further information will be available on the State Department's Visa Lottery web page.