Diversity Visa Lottery Winners Announced
Applicants who entered into the DV-2024 Diversity Visa Lottery between October 5, 2022 and November 8, 2022, can now use their confirmation number to check if they were selected (starting May 6, 2023) through the Bureau of Consular Affairs website.
You will need the following information to check if you won at
- Confirmation number or code you received when you applied
- Names listed on the entry form
- Birth year (all 4-digits)
- Authentication code indicated by the website
Background on the Diversity Visa Lottery
In total, 55,000 diversity visas were allocated for the fiscal year 2024. Individuals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S. who are selected in the lottery can apply for visas.
To check if they have been chosen, foreign nationals must enter their unique confirmation number saved from their DV-2024 entry registration through a blue button labeled “Check Status,” following the official instructions for the 2024 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.
If selected, applicants will be taken to a confirmation page with additional instructions, such as details about the fees associated with immigrating to the U.S.
Will I Receive Something in the Mail?
The Department of State will not send notification letters or inform selected individuals via email, and the list of winners will not be provided by U.S. consulates and embassies. If you have received an email informing you of your selection in the Diversity Visa Lottery, be extremely cautious. Scammers have been known to send such emails and demand money from unsuspecting individuals. To verify if you were indeed selected, use only the official State Department portal.
Even though there are 55,000 green cards available, not everyone chosen as a selectee will be eligible for an immigrant visa or able to fulfill the necessary steps to acquire one. Therefore, being randomly picked as a selectee does not assure an individual of receiving a visa or being able to make an application or schedule an interview. It simply implies that they may qualify to apply for a Diversity Visa.
Steps to Apply for a Visa
If you were selected in the lottery you are eligible to apply for the lottery from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. If you are deemed admissible then you’ll need to submit Form DS-260, followed by passing an in-person consular interview. Bring the following documents when attending your interview:
- Appointment information from the Entrant Status Check site
- DS-260 confirmation page
- Valid passport (six months beyond the intended day of entry)
- Certified copies of civil documents or certified copies
How to Adjust Status Under the DV Program
If you are already living in the U.S. then you can go through the adjustment of status process. In order to adjust your status you must prove the following:
Individuals who have been selected must apply to USCIS to adjust their status to permanent resident and make sure that USCIS can complete any necessary actions, including processing any overseas applications for spouses or children under 21, before September 30, 2024. After this date, their eligibility for the DV-2024 program will expire.
To begin the process of obtaining a green card under the Diversity Visa Program, selectees in this group must first submit Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, along with any supporting evidence.
All selectees, including their family members, must receive their visas before September 30, 2024. Although most Diversity Visa Program selectees live in a foreign country, some foreign nationals chosen may already be living in the U.S. under a non-immigrant legal status.
