DV Lottery (Green Card) Frequently Asked Questions

Not by itself. The Department of State says submitting Form DS-260 online does not formally execute the visa application; the application is not formally made until the applicant is interviewed by a consular officer.

Official sources: DOS DS-260 FAQ; DOS applicant interview page.

Yes, corrections are possible. Use the case-management channels identified in the official DV instructions to request an unlock if you need to fix material errors, then bring truthful updated information and supporting documents to the interview.

Official sources: DOS submit DS-260 page; DOS DS-260 FAQ.

As soon as you are ready to complete it accurately. The Department of State encourages selected entrants to complete the online immigrant-visa application immediately because delay can hurt scheduling chances in a program that ends at the close of the fiscal year.

Official sources: DOS selection page; DOS if selected page.

Yes. The Department of State’s DS-260 FAQ says answers, except where specifically allowed otherwise, must be in English and in English characters. Applications submitted in another language may be rejected for correction.

Official sources: DOS DS-260 FAQ.

The principal applicant and every family member who will apply for a diversity visa must complete a separate DS-260. Each person has their own visa application even though the case is connected to one principal applicant.

Official sources: DOS submit DS-260 page; DOS DS-260 FAQ.

Start by reading the official instructions shown through Entrant Status Check, then move quickly through the required steps. Selection does not reserve a visa for you, and the Department of State tells selectees to act promptly.

Official sources: DOS if selected page; DOS selection page.

As of April 9, 2026, the Department of State says diversity-visa issuances are paused. If you are a current selectee, monitor the official DOS guidance page and your Entrant Status Check account for updates instead of relying on rumors about when issuance may resume.

Official sources: DOS diversity visa issuance guidance.

Yes. If the Department of State discovers a system or eligibility issue, it can publish an official correction or update, as it has done in past program years for certain entrants. Always re-check your status through Entrant Status Check if the Department posts an official DV update affecting your country or category.

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

Yes. The law caps the share that can be issued to people chargeable to any one country at seven percent of the total available diversity visas for the year. This is one reason country-based cutoffs and case movement matter.

Official sources: DOS DV-2026 selected entrants page; USCIS Green Card through the Diversity Visa Program.

The Department of State selects more people than the annual visa limit because many selectees will not pursue the case, will not qualify, or will not finish processing in time. That is why selection never equals a guaranteed visa.

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

No. A lower case number may help, but it does not guarantee interview scheduling or visa issuance. The case still has to be documentarily ready, the post must have interview capacity, and the applicant must remain eligible through the end of the fiscal year.

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

The case number is the number assigned to a selected DV case and is used during later processing. It matters because interviews are scheduled according to visa-number availability and processing readiness, not simply because you were selected.

Official sources: DOS submit DS-260 page; DOS if selected page.

Use the confirmation-number retrieval tool built into Entrant Status Check. You will need the email address used for the original entry and certain personal information to verify your identity.

Official sources: DOS DV-2026 instructions PDF; DOS selection page.

No. Selection only means you may continue in the process. You must still qualify under all DV rules, submit the required forms and documents, complete processing in time, and be found admissible under U.S. law.

Official sources: DOS if selected page; DOS confirm qualifications page.

Yes, keep your confirmation number and monitor the official Entrant Status Check page through the end of the relevant program year. The Department of State has said it may use Entrant Status Check to notify additional selectees if needed to use all available visas.

Official sources: DOS selection page; DOS DV-2026 instructions PDF.

Yes. The Department of State says Entrant Status Check is the only official way by which selectees are notified, and it is also the official way to learn that an entry was not selected. Keep using the official E-DV site rather than trusting messages from third parties.

Official sources: DOS selection page; DOS if selected page; DOS visa fraud warning.

No. The Department of State says it does not mail winning letters and does not directly notify selectees by email. Official instructions are delivered through Entrant Status Check, although case-related emails may be sent later only after you have already responded to the official instructions.

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

Selected applicants should expect at least the Diversity Visa application fee and, if they later immigrate, the USCIS Immigrant Fee for production of the physical Green Card. If you adjust status in the United States instead of doing consular processing, separate USCIS filing fees also apply.

Official sources: DOS prepare for interview page; USCIS immigrant fee page; DOS adjustment of status page; USCIS adjustment of status page.

For each program year, use the official instructions and the Entrant Status Check schedule for that year. As of April 9, 2026, the Department of State has said the date when DV-2027 results may become available through Entrant Status Check will be announced later.

Official sources: DOS DV-2027 entry-period notice; DOS selection page.

Yes. Every person included in a DV entry who requires a photo must have a photo that meets the official standards for that application stage. The same core rules about visibility, recency, and technical quality still apply.

Official sources: DOS photo requirements; DOS photo examples.

Yes. The current Diversity Visa applicant fee listed by the Department of State is $330 per person at the visa stage, and it is nonrefundable whether or not the visa is issued. That fee is separate from the newer $1 registration fee for the entry stage.

Official sources: DOS prepare for interview page; Federal Register consular fee rule; DOS visa fee page.

No. The Department of State’s photo examples say eyeglasses are not allowed in new visa photos. Remove them for your DV entry photo unless the official guidance changes in a future program year.

Official sources: DOS photo examples; DOS photo requirements.

Yes, if the head covering is worn daily for religious reasons and the full face remains visible. The official photo rules focus on making sure your facial features are clearly shown and the image still meets all technical standards.

Official sources: DOS photo requirements; DOS photo examples.

No. The Department of State requires a recent photo that reflects your current appearance, and photos more than six months old can lead to disqualification. Reused or recycled images are a common DV problem.

Official sources: DOS photo FAQ; DOS visa fraud warning.

That is one of the most serious DV mistakes. If you failed to list a spouse or child who had to be included, your visa case can be denied and any fees paid will not be refunded.

Official sources: DOS supporting documents page; DOS DV-2026 instructions PDF.