DV Lottery (Green Card) Frequently Asked Questions

As of April 9, 2026, the Department of State has said the DV-2027 registration start date will be announced later. The official visa-application period for people selected for DV-2027 is still listed as October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, but the entry opening date itself has not yet been announced.

Official sources: DOS DV-2027 entry-period notice.

For the upcoming DV-2027 cycle, applicants should expect a $1 DV registration fee because the Department of State published a final fee rule that added a $1 fee to register for the DV lottery. Some older DV pages still say there is no registration cost, so use the official DV-2027 entry page when it opens for the actual payment workflow and instructions.

Official sources: Federal Register consular fee rule; DOS DV-2027 entry-period notice; DOS DV program overview.

For the upcoming DV-2027 cycle, applicants should expect that yes, a valid unexpired passport will be required at entry unless a limited exemption applies. A State Department final rule effective April 10, 2026 requires passport information and a passport-image upload for DV entries, and the Department has said the DV-2027 entry period will be announced later.

Official sources: Federal Register DV final rule; DOS DV-2027 entry-period notice.

Under the final rule, the entrant must provide the passport number, the country or authority of issuance, the passport expiration date, and the date the passport was originally issued. The passport must be valid and unexpired unless the entrant qualifies for an exemption allowed by the rule.

Official sources: Federal Register DV final rule.

Yes for DV-2027, unless an exemption applies. The final rule requires a scan of the passport’s biographic and signature page to be uploaded with the electronic entry.

Official sources: Federal Register DV final rule.

Yes, but they are limited and must fit the rule exactly. Because the passport requirement now comes from a final regulation, applicants should review the official exemption language carefully once the DV-2027 entry period opens instead of relying on forum summaries or old instructions.

Official sources: Federal Register DV final rule; DOS DV-2027 entry-period notice.

Only if it still meets the official standards. The Department’s rules specifically say that photos copied or digitally scanned from driver’s licenses or other official documents are not acceptable, and scanned printed photos must still meet the technical requirements.

Official sources: DOS photo requirements; DOS DV-2026 instructions PDF.

Your DV photo must meet the Department of State’s current digital photo standards. The official pages explain size, head position, background, recency, and technical requirements, and the Department provides photo examples and a cropping tool to help you prepare a compliant image.

Official sources: DOS photo requirements; DOS digital image requirements; DOS photo examples; DOS photo composition template.

Use the Department of State’s DV program pages, Entrant Status Check, and U.S. embassy or consulate instructions for your interview post. For issues after U.S. entry, use USCIS.gov. Avoid relying on screenshots, social-media rumors, or recycled advice from older DV years.

Official sources: DOS DV program overview; DOS if selected page; USCIS Green Card through the Diversity Visa Program.

Derivative spouses and children can sometimes follow to join, but only within the DV program’s strict legal timeline. They must have been properly connected to the case and they cannot derive DV status after the fiscal-year deadline for that program year.

Official sources: DOS DV-2026 selected entrants page; DOS if selected page.

Yes, a DV immigrant who becomes a lawful permanent resident may later seek naturalization if they meet the residence, physical-presence, and other legal requirements. Permanent residence is the starting point, not the end of the immigration process.

Official sources: USCIS Green Card overview; USCIS maintaining permanent residence.

Use Form I-90 when USCIS says it is the correct form to replace a lost, stolen, or expiring permanent resident card. Read the current USCIS instructions before filing because not every situation uses the same form or process.

Official sources: USCIS replace your Green Card; USCIS Form I-90.

Yes, but travel as a permanent resident has rules. USCIS explains that permanent residents generally need a passport from their country of citizenship or other acceptable travel document and should understand how length of absence can affect status.

Official sources: USCIS international travel as a permanent resident; USCIS maintaining permanent residence.

Extended time abroad can put your permanent-resident status at risk. USCIS warns that permanent residence means living in the United States permanently, and long absences can raise abandonment issues even if the physical Green Card is still valid.

Official sources: USCIS maintaining permanent residence; USCIS international travel as a permanent resident.

Review USCIS guidance before you travel. Depending on the circumstances and length of the trip, you may need to consider a reentry permit or other planning because repeated or extended absences can be inconsistent with maintaining permanent residence.

Official sources: USCIS maintaining permanent residence; USCIS international travel as a permanent resident.

Permanent residents must obey U.S. laws, file taxes as required, support the constitutional system of government, and carry evidence of registration if age 18 or older. USCIS’s rights-and-responsibilities page is the best official checklist after arrival.

Official sources: USCIS rights and responsibilities of a Green Card holder; USCIS after we grant your Green Card.

Yes. USCIS says permanent residents who are age 18 or older are required to have valid proof of permanent residence in their possession at all times.

Official sources: USCIS after we grant your Green Card.

A lawful permanent resident generally has the right to live permanently in the United States and work in the United States, as long as they do not commit acts that make them removable. USCIS also explains that permanent residents receive other legal protections and obligations under U.S. law.

Official sources: USCIS rights and responsibilities of a Green Card holder; USCIS Green Card overview.

Update your address with USCIS promptly so your card and later notices are not lost. Do not assume mail forwarding will fix everything automatically for immigration documents.

Official sources: USCIS after we grant your Green Card; USCIS Green Card overview.

Use a reliable U.S. mailing address where you can safely receive government mail after entry. Make sure the address is accurate and current, because USCIS will use the information connected to your immigrant processing to mail the physical card.

Official sources: USCIS immigrant fee page; USCIS after we grant your Green Card.

USCIS says it may take up to 90 days from the date of payment for the card to arrive if you paid after entry. Timing can vary, so use USCIS’s official tools if the card does not arrive as expected.

Official sources: USCIS green card delivery timing; USCIS immigrant fee page.

A lawful permanent resident may live and work permanently in the United States. Once you are admitted as an immigrant, you are not waiting for separate work authorization in the same way many temporary visa holders do.

Official sources: USCIS Green Card overview; USCIS rights and responsibilities of a Green Card holder.

Yes. The physical card is normally produced after you are admitted and after the USCIS immigrant fee is paid. The immigrant visa endorsed at admission can serve as temporary evidence of permanent residence for a limited period while you wait for the card.

Official sources: USCIS immigrant fee page; USCIS temporary I-551 / MRIV guidance.

No. USCIS says you will not receive your Green Card until you have paid the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

Official sources: USCIS immigrant fee page.

Yes. The USCIS immigrant fee is paid for each person who needs a green card through the immigrant-visa process, not just once per family case.

Official sources: USCIS immigrant fee page.