DV-2027 FAQ: answers to common questions

Who can enter

Under the latest published Diversity Visa instructions, you need two things:

• An eligible country. Usually the country where you were born. You can also claim your spouse's country of birth, or a parent's country if neither parent was born in or lived in your country of birth when you were born. The DV-2027 list of eligible countries will be in the DV-2027 instructions.
• Education or work. Either a high school education or its equivalent (12 years of elementary and secondary school completed), or two years of work experience in the last five years in a job that needs at least two years of training or experience.

Where you live does not matter, and there is no age limit, but you must meet the education or work requirement yourself when you apply for the visa.

When and how to enter

DV-2027 registration did not open in 2025 as it usually would. The State Department has not yet announced official DV-2027 registration dates (checked 31 October 2026). Reported A U.S. federal court ordered registration to open by 1 November 2026; the government has appealed, and the State Department has not yet announced official dates (checked 31 October 2026). The sources are listed in the DV-2027 guide. The dates that count are the ones the State Department publishes on travel.state.gov and dvprogram.state.gov.

• Entries are accepted only online at dvprogram.state.gov, during the registration period. Paper entries are not accepted.
• One entry per person. More than one entry for the same person disqualifies all of them.
• A $1 registration fee per entry, collected when you register, under a State Department fee rule published in September 2025 Confirmed. Pay it only on the official form.

What you need to enter

• Your passport. From DV-2027, the entry asks for your valid passport's number, issuing country and expiry date, and a JPEG scan of its biographic and signature page, unless you are exempt (final rule, March 2026) Confirmed.
• A photo of every person on the entry: 600 × 600 pixels, JPEG, 240 kB or less, taken in the last 6 months (photo requirements).
• Your details exactly as in your passport, your education level, your marital status, and the details of your spouse and children.
• A safe place for the confirmation number you get when you submit.

Spouses and children

List your spouse and every unmarried child under 21, including stepchildren and adopted children, even those who already live elsewhere or will not move with you. The only exception is a child or spouse who is already a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Leaving out someone who should be listed makes you ineligible for the visa.

A married couple can each submit their own entry and list the other, which gives the family two chances. Each person on an entry needs their own photo; see DV photos for your spouse and children.

Results and what comes next

Results are only in Entrant Status Check on dvprogram.state.gov, with your confirmation number. If you are selected, you apply for the visa with the DS-260, documents, a medical exam and an interview, and every DV-2027 visa must be issued by 30 September 2027. The full steps are in DV-2027: what happens after you enter.

Avoiding scams

Only dvprogram.state.gov takes entries, the only entry fee is the $1 paid on that site, and nobody is told by email or WhatsApp that they won. Agents can't improve your chances. Read DV Lottery scams to avoid before you pay anyone anything.