DV-2027 Green Card Lottery: A Complete Step-by-Step Application Guide

The U.S. Department of State will require a new $1 electronic registration fee for all entries in the DV-2027 Diversity Visa Lottery, marking the first time in the program’s history that applicants must pay at the moment they submit. The change applies to every person who files an electronic entry during the registration window, which is expected to open in early October 2025 and run for about one month. Late entries will not be accepted. Selection results will be released in May 2026 through the official Entrant Status Check tool, and interviews for those selected will take place during fiscal year 2027 (October 2026–September 2027).

Officials say the small fee helps spread administrative costs more fairly across all entries rather than placing the burden only on selectees later in the process. The fee must be paid through the government’s system using a debit or credit card that can process international transactions. Paying on third-party sites is not allowed and can lead to scams or invalid entries.

What the Diversity Visa (DV) program offers and what stays the same

• The program (commonly called the Green Card Lottery) makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available each year for people from countries with lower levels of immigration to the United States 🇺🇸.
• Core rules remain: one entry per person, strict photo standards, and firm deadlines.
• The only major new element for DV-2027 is the $1 fee at the entry step.

Why the fee matters

According to VisaVerge.com, the fee is tiny by design but could affect how mass submissions are handled — particularly by unauthorized agents who flood the system with duplicate or error-filled entries. It may also encourage applicants to:
– take the process more seriously,
– triple-check their information, and
– use only official websites.

Recent large shares of disqualifications were due to simple mistakes: wrong or outdated photos, missing children on the entry, or more than one entry per person.

Where to register and how the process works

Registration happens only at the official Electronic Diversity Visa site, which goes live when the window opens. The State Department’s public page for the program provides instructions, key dates, and links when registration is active.

For authoritative guidance, applicants can start at the U.S. Department of State Diversity Visa Program:
– https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry.html

Once the DV-2027 window opens:
1. Complete the online DS-5501 entry.
2. Upload a compliant photo.
3. Pay the $1 electronic registration fee before submission.
4. Receive and save the confirmation number displayed on-screen.

The confirmation number is essential. Without it, you cannot access the Entrant Status Check in May 2026.

Key timeline (DV-2027)

• Registration: expected early October 2025, open for about one month.
• Results: May 2026 via Entrant Status Check (no email/phone notifications).
• Interviews/visa issuance: Fiscal Year 2027 — October 2026 through September 2027.

Important: The DV label “2027” refers to the fiscal year when interviews and visa issuance occur, not the year of submission.

Entrant Status Check and the confirmation number

• The Entrant Status Check is the only official way to see DV-2027 results.
• It requires the original confirmation number.
• If you lose that number, the system’s recovery tool may fail if details were entered incorrectly.
• Best practice: store the confirmation number in multiple secure places (paper copy, screenshot in a secure folder, encrypted note).

Eligibility: education, work, and country rules

• Must be a native of a qualifying country.
• Must have either:
  • a high school diploma (or equivalent), or
  • two years of qualifying work experience within the last five years in a job that requires at least two years of training or experience under U.S. standards.
• Country eligibility changes yearly; check the official instructions for DV-2027.

Failure to meet education or work requirements results in denial, even if selected.

Photo and entry requirements — common pitfalls

• The system screens for technical compliance but entries can still fail later due to hidden requirements (recency, lighting, background, head size).
• Glasses are not allowed.
• Edited or filtered photos that alter facial features can lead to disqualification.
• Many rejections come from photo problems that could have been prevented with a compliant, recent, high-quality photo against a plain background.

Family members and listing requirements

• Must list all eligible family members: spouse (if married) and all unmarried children under 21, including stepchildren and legally adopted children.
• Even if a child does not plan to immigrate, they must be included if eligible.
• Leaving out a qualified child is a common cause of denial later.

After selection: steps to take

If selected in May 2026, you will:
1. Receive a case number.
2. Complete Form DS-260 (online immigrant visa application) for each person in the case:
– https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-1-submit-a-petition/step-3-submit-fees-forms/documents/online-immigrant-visa-application-ds-260.html
3. Upload supporting documents as directed.
4. Schedule a medical exam with a panel physician.
5. Attend an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate — only when your case number becomes current under the monthly Visa Bulletin.

Note: The $1 electronic registration fee does not replace the DV application/consular fees that selected applicants must pay later during processing.

Fraud warnings and safety tips

The State Department warns applicants to avoid third-party agents who promise increased odds or guaranteed selection. Key precautions:
– Submit a single entry at the official site and pay the $1 fee there.
– Keep your confirmation number safe.
– Be suspicious of emails claiming selection or asking for extra payments outside the official portal.
– Verify official pages end in .gov and link to State Department pages.
– Phishing scams may use fake logos and similar domain names — do not click links or provide personal data to suspicious sources.

Practical advice to reduce risk

• Submit early in the window to avoid heavy traffic and errors.
• Prepare compliant photos for everyone before starting.
• Use exact passport spellings, in the English alphabet only.
• Confirm your debit/credit card allows international online charges (some banks block small foreign charges by default).
• Do not use the browser’s back button during the form or payment process — use on-screen navigation.
• Never pay anyone who promises faster processing or better selection chances.

One entry rule and duplicates

• One entry per person is strictly enforced.
• If a spouse also qualifies, each may submit an entry listing the other spouse and all children.
• Duplicate entries for the same individual cause rejection of both submissions.
• The addition of the electronic registration fee may further reduce mass duplicate filings.

Timing, visas, and final steps

• There are typically more selected cases than available visas since not all selected complete processing or meet requirements.
• Promptly filing the DS-260, responding to document requests, and tracking the Visa Bulletin improves chances of reaching interview stage before the fiscal year ends.
• If a case number never becomes current or interview does not occur by September 30, the opportunity expires for that year.
• If approved at interview, an immigrant visa is placed in your passport; after entry to the U.S., the physical Green Card arrives and the USCIS immigrant fee (separate) applies.

Summary checklist: entry stage

1. Gather required information and documents.
2. Prepare compliant photos for each person.
3. Visit the official Electronic Diversity Visa site during the open window.
4. Complete the DS-5501 form.
5. Pay the $1 electronic registration fee with a card that allows international payments.
6. Save the confirmation number securely (multiple backups).

Summary checklist: if selected

• Complete the DS-260 for each family member.
• Upload civil documents as instructed.
• Schedule and attend the medical exam with an approved panel physician.
• Prepare for consular interview with original documents and translations if required.
• Track your case number against the Visa Bulletin for interview timing.

The new $1 electronic registration fee is a small monetary step but intended to improve fairness, reduce abuse, and encourage accuracy. The essentials of the DV program remain unchanged: meet the rules, file once through official systems, and keep records safe. For the most accurate, up-to-date information, consult the State Department’s Diversity Visa page and official instructions as the October 2025 window approaches.