DV-2027 Green Card Lottery: Dates, Eligibility, and How to Apply

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program — commonly known as the Green Card Lottery — is one of the most generous and straightforward paths to US permanent residency. Every year, the US Department of State gives away up to 55,000 green cards to individuals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.

The next application cycle is for DV-2027. While the winners won’t actually receive their visas until the 2027 fiscal year, registration happens right now in late 2025.

Here is everything you need to know to prepare your application for the DV-2027 lottery, completely free of charge.

Important Dates for DV-2027

While the State Department will release the exact, finalized dates in September 2025, the registration window strictly follows a predictable historical pattern:

• Registration Opens: Early October 2025 (Expected around Wednesday, October 1, 2025 at noon EDT)
• Registration Closes: Early November 2025 (Expected around Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at noon EST)
• Results Announced: Early May 2026

Do not wait until the last week to apply. Heavy traffic often causes the State Department website to crash in the final days of the registration period. If you miss the deadline, there are no exceptions.

Who is Eligible for the DV Lottery?

To enter the lottery, you must meet two strict requirements:

1. The Country Requirement

You must be a native of a country with historically low rates of immigration to the US. “Native” usually means the country where you were born, regardless of your current citizenship.

Countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the US in the previous five years are ineligible. While the final list for DV-2027 will be published in September, the following countries are almost always excluded:

• Bangladesh
• Brazil
• Canada
• China (including mainland and Hong Kong born)
• Colombia
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Haiti
• Honduras
• India
• Jamaica
• Mexico
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• South Korea
• Venezuela
• Vietnam

Exception (Cross-Chargeability): If you were born in an ineligible country, but your spouse was born in an eligible country, you can claim your spouse’s country of birth. You can also sometimes claim your parents’ country of birth if neither parent was a legal resident of your birth country at the time of your birth.

2. The Education/Work Requirement

You must have either:

• 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 qualifying work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform (designated as Job Zone 4 or 5 on the US Department of Labor’s O*Net database).

How to Apply (And How to Avoid Scams)

Applying for the DV Lottery is 100% FREE.

You must submit your entry electronically at the official State Department website: dvprogram.state.gov.

Beware of Scams

Every year, thousands of people fall victim to fraudulent websites and “visa consultants” who charge exorbitant fees to submit a DV lottery application.

• The US government does not charge a fee to enter the lottery.
• Using a paid service does not increase your chances of winning. It is a random computer drawing.
• The State Department will never email you to tell you that you won. You must proactively check your status on the official website in May 2026.

The Photo Requirements

The most common reason for disqualification is submitting a photo that does not meet the strict State Department specifications.

• The photo must be taken within the last 6 months.
• No glasses are allowed.
• The background must be plain white or off-white.
• The image must be exactly 600x600 pixels and under 240kB.
• You cannot reuse the photo you submitted in last year’s lottery.

What Happens if You Win?

Winning the lottery does not guarantee you a green card. It only gives you the opportunity to apply for one.

If you are selected in May 2026, you will be given a “Rank Number” based on your region (e.g., AF for Africa, EU for Europe). Starting in October 2026, you must monitor the Visa Bulletin every month. When your region’s rank number becomes current on the Visa Bulletin, you can proceed with your application.

If you are inside the US on a valid visa (like an F-1 or H-1B), you can file Form I-485 for Adjustment of Status. If you are abroad, you will go through Consular Processing at your local US Embassy.

You must complete the entire process and have the visa issued before September 30, 2027. If you run out of time, your winning ticket expires, and you get nothing.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When does the DV-2027 lottery open? The registration period typically opens in early October 2025 and closes in early November 2025.

2. How much does it cost to enter the DV lottery? Entry into the lottery is 100% free. If selected, you pay fees later during the visa application process.

3. What are the eligibility requirements? You must be a native of an eligible country and have at least a high school education or two years of qualifying work experience.

4. Can I apply if my country is ineligible but my spouse’s is eligible? Yes. You can claim “cross-chargeability” to your spouse’s country of birth.

5. Do I need a passport to enter? As of recent rules, a valid unexpired passport is generally required to submit an entry.

6. How do I know if I was selected? You must check the Entrant Status Check on the official Department of State website starting in May 2026. You will NOT receive an email.

7. Does being selected guarantee a green card? No. More people are selected than there are visas available. You must still pass an interview and background check.

8. Can I enter multiple times? No. Submitting more than one entry will result in immediate disqualification.

9. Can I apply if I am already in the US? Yes. If selected, you can adjust status (file I-485) if you are in the US on a valid nonimmigrant visa.

10. Do I need a lawyer to enter the lottery? No. The entry process is designed to be simple and straightforward. Beware of scams charging fees to enter.