The USA Diversity Visa Program, also known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program or the green card lottery, is a program designed to increase the diversity of the immigrant population in the United States. The program provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas annually to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.
The USA Diversity Visa Program was created by the Immigration Act of 1990 and is administered by the U.S. Department of State. The program is open to individuals from countries that have low rates of immigration to the United States.
The list of eligible countries changes each year based on the number of immigrants from each country in the previous five years. In general, countries with high rates of immigration to the United States, such as Mexico, China, India, and the Philippines, are not eligible for the program.
DV-2024 Program Online Registration Details
DV-2024 Program: The 2024 Diversity Visa Program online registration period begins on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4) and concludes on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5). Submission of more than one entry for a person will disqualify all entries for that person.
- Program Sponsor(s): U.S. Department of State
- Host Institution(s): Bureau of Consular Affairs, USA
- Program Type: Diversity Visa Program
- Nationality: All Nationalities
Participation in USA Diversity Visa Program DV-2024 Registration
To participate in the USA Diversity Visa Program, individuals must meet certain eligibility requirements.
- They must have a high school education or its equivalent or have two years of work experience in a job that requires at least two years of training or experience.
- They must also be admissible to the United States, which means they cannot have a criminal record or a medical condition that would make them ineligible for a visa.
U.S. Department of State Electronic Diversity Visa Program 2024 Eligibility
Requirement #1: Natives of countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States may be eligible to enter.
If you are not a native of a country with historically low rates of immigration to the United States, there are two other ways you might be able to qualify.
- Is your spouse a native of a country with 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 are named on the selected entry, are found eligible and issued diversity visas, and enter the United States at the same time.
- Are you a native of a country that does not have historically low rates of immigration to the United States, but in which neither of your parents was born or legally resident at the time of your birth? If yes, you may claim the country of birth of one of your parents if it is a country whose natives are eligible for the DV-2024 program.
Requirement #2: Each U.S. Department of State Electronic Diversity Visa Program applicant must meet the education/work experience requirement of the DV program by having either:
- at least a high school education or its equivalent defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of formal elementary 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 O*Net Online database to determine qualifying work experience.
How to Apply for USA Diversity Visa Program 2023-2024
To apply for the USA Diversity Visa Program, individuals must complete an online application during the designated application period, which usually runs for several weeks in the fall. The application requires biographical information, education, and work history, and a photograph. Applicants are also required to pay a processing fee.
After the application period ends, the U.S. Department of State conducts a random lottery to select individuals who will receive immigrant visas.
The lottery is conducted using a computer program that randomly selects individuals from among all eligible applicants. The selected individuals are then notified by email and instructed on how to proceed with their visa application.
2023 Entrant Status Check
DV-2023 Entrants have until September 30, 2023, to check the status of their entry through this website. The DV-2023 registration period was from October 6, 2021, until November 9, 2021.
DV-2024 Entrant Status Check
DV-2024 Entrants may enter their confirmation information through the link below starting at noon (EDT) on May 6, 2023. The DV-2024 registration period opens on October 5, 2022, and closes on November 8, 2022. DV-2024 Entrants should keep their confirmation number until at least September 30, 2024.
Conclusion
Overall, the USA Diversity Visa Program provides an opportunity for individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States to obtain permanent residency and ultimately citizenship.
However, the program is highly competitive, with millions of applicants each year and only a limited number of visas available. As such, it is important for individuals to carefully review the eligibility requirements and application process before applying.
