Program Overview:
The Department of State administers the Congressionally-mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program annually. Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides for a class of immigrants known as “diversity immigrants” from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. For Fiscal Year 2020, 50,000 Diversity Visas (DVs) will be available. There is no cost to register for the DV program. Complete DV instructions are available on the Department of State’s public webpage at www.usvisas.state.gov/dv/instructions
A video tutorial about the DV program is available on YouTube:
When does DV-2020 open?
The United States’ Diversity Visa Program will open for electronic entries on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 19:00 (Romania time). It will remain open until Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 19:00 (Romania time). To participate in this year’s program, please visit the Department of State’s web page https://dvprogram.state.gov/ during this registration period. There you will find the entry form (E-DV) and complete instructions on submitting your entry.
There is no fee! How do I enter?
The Department accepts entries ONLY through the E-DV site. Entrants must provide an email address as part of their entry. We strongly encourage entrants to prepare and submit their own entries from their personal e-mail address. Entrants may have someone submit the entry for them, though they should be cautious if the assistant tries to charge them a fee – remember, the online form is simple and there is NO COST to enter. Whether an individual submits an entry directly, or an attorney, friend, relative etc. provides assistance, only one entry may be submitted in the name of each individual.
Is it important to print my online confirmation page?
It is very important that entrants print their online confirmation page and keep it until September 30, 2020. This confirmation number is the only way to check whether an entry has been selected and to obtain visa application and appointment information, if selected. Entrants should not allow others to retain their confirmation page information for them, but should hold on to it themselves so they may independently check the status of their entry. Please be aware of a new requirement to submit a recent photograph (without eyeglasses) that has been taken within the last six months. Entries submitted with the same photo from the last DV year (DV-2019) will be disqualified.
How will I know if I was selected?
Beginning May 7, 2019, DV-2020 entrants will be able to use their confirmation number to check the online Entrant Status Check at https://dvprogram.state.gov/ to see if their entry was selected. Entrant Status Check will inform successful entrants how to apply for their Diversity Visas for themselves and their eligible family members. The Department of State never uses email to notify entrants that they have been selected for the Diversity Visa. This information is available ONLY at the Entrant Status Check. You should not believe any email claiming you have been selected to apply for a visa under the DV program. These malicious emails are sent by criminal operators who seek to defraud individuals of their money or obtain their personal information. Remember that the U.S. government has never sent emails to notify the participants they have been selected, and there are no plans to do so for the DV-2020 program. The Department of State will never ask you to send money by mail or by services such as Western Union.
DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY PROGRAM DV-2020 FACT SHEET
Instructions: Complete instructions can be found on the Department of State’s public webpage at www.usvisas.state.gov/dv/instructions.
Video tutorial about the DV Immigrant Visa Program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOQlh2d2EbQ
When: Submit entries for DV-2020 beginning Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 19:00 (Romania time) and before Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 19:00 (Romania time).
Where: Electronic entries are accepted ONLY at https://dvprogram.state.gov/
Fees: There is NO fee to enter the Diversity Visa Lottery Program.
How: Complete instructions can be found at https://dvprogram.state.gov/ only during the registration period.
How many times can I enter?
The law allows only one entry per person during the registration period.
New rules: Entrants must submit a photo taken within 6 months. Entries submitted with the same photo from the last DV year (DV-2019) will be disqualified. No eyeglasses can be worn in the photograph.
Winning: 50,000 entrants will be randomly selected and beginning May 7, 2019 entrants will be able to use their unique confirmation number to check if they’ve won only through the online Entrant Status Check at https://dvprogram.state.gov/. However, not everyone who is selected will apply or qualify for the visa, so additional winners may be drawn. Therefore you must keep your confirmation number until the last day of the DV-2020 program, September 30, 2020.
Be careful! The Department of State will NOT send notification that an entrant has won the visa lottery and will not ask you to send money by mail or by services such as Western Union. This is fraud – don’t be a victim! Only use the Entrant Status Check at https://dvprogram.state.gov/ to learn if you were selected.
