# DV lottery green card: where to enter, what it costs and how to avoid scams

DV lottery green card: enter only at dvprogram.state.gov, $1 registration, $330 visa fee, photo rules, Warsaw interviews and how to spot scams.

The DV lottery green card program (the Diversity Visa, or DV) takes entries only on the official site, [dvprogram.state.gov](https://dvprogram.state.gov), and only during a registration period the State Department announces in advance. As of October 28, 2026, the site says entries are not being accepted. Registration now costs $1, and results are available only on that same site with your confirmation number. Any letter, email or call saying you "won" and asking for money is a scam.

Below: where the program stands now, whether people born in Russia and nearby countries can enter, the education and photo rules, what the whole process costs, and how to tell a real notice from a fake one.

## What the DV lottery green card program is

The Diversity Visa program is run by the U.S. Department of State. According to travel.state.gov, up to 55,000 immigrants a year can come to the United States through it. It is open to natives of countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S., and selection is random.

Being selected is not the same as getting a green card. It gives you the right to apply for an immigrant visa. After that you go through the same checks as any immigrant: documents, an interview, eligibility review. Everything must be finished by September 30 of the fiscal year the lottery belongs to. USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) says unused DV visas do not carry over to the next year.

## Is registration open now, and what changes with DV-2027

The last program that ran registration on the E-DV site was DV-2026, with entries accepted from October 2 to November 7, 2024. As of October 28, 2026, the instructions page on travel.state.gov still shows the DV-2026 rules, with no DV-2027 instructions posted. On November 5, 2025, the State Department said it was changing the DV entry process and would announce the DV-2027 registration start date as soon as practicable. As of October 28, 2026, no start date for DV-2027 or DV-2028 registration is posted on travel.state.gov or dvprogram.state.gov, and the Federal Register has no DV-2027 instructions. The same notice says the visa application period for people selected for DV-2027 stays October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. Everyone selected for DV-2026 had to get the visa or adjust status by September 30, 2026.

When the next registration opens, the State Department will publish instructions with exact dates. The E-DV site only accepts entries from the announced date and time. There are no late or paper entries.

Two changes are already written into the rules for the next round:

- **A $1 registration fee.** A State Department rule published September 16, 2025 added a $1 electronic fee, paid by the principal entrant when submitting the entry. It already appears in the fee table on travel.state.gov.
- **Passport details.** A rule published March 11, 2026 (effective April 10, 2026) requires the number of a valid, unexpired passport, your name as it appears in it, the issuing country and the expiration date, plus a JPEG scan of the biographic page, up to 5 MB. PDFs are not accepted. The rule starts with the DV-2027 program. Stateless entrants and a few other narrow groups are exempt.

If a site offers "DV-2028 registration right now," check the address. The real form lives only on dvprogram.state.gov.

## Can people born in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus or Kazakhstan enter

Eligibility depends on your country of birth, not your citizenship or where you live. The country list changes every year and is published in the instructions.

In the DV-2026 instructions, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan were on the list of eligible European countries. Natives of Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam, among others, were not eligible. Check the new list before the next registration. If your birth country is excluded, there are two legal exceptions:

- **Through a spouse.** You can use your spouse's birth country if you are both named on the selected entry and enter the U.S. together.
- **Through a parent.** You can use a parent's birth country if neither parent was born in, or living in, your birth country when you were born.

Visa issuance is a separate question. From January 21, 2026, the State Department paused immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries, including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Ukraine was not on the list. In a notice dated August 28, 2026, the Department said that as of August 21, 2026 the pause is no longer in effect, under a court order in CLINIC et al. v. Rubio. It also said it is reviewing its screening and vetting policies, so check travel.state.gov for news before your interview.

## Entry requirements: education, work, family, photo

**Education or work experience.** The instructions list two requirements and say you should not enter unless you meet both: a qualifying country of birth (above) and the education or work requirement. For the second one, the instructions say either of these is enough:

- a completed high school education, meaning 12 years of elementary and secondary schooling (a GED or equivalency certificate does not count);
- two years of work in the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience, as defined in the Labor Department's O*NET database.

**Family.** The entry must list your spouse (unless you are legally separated by court order) and all living unmarried children under 21, including stepchildren. Leaving out an eligible spouse or child, or listing someone who is not your spouse or child, can make you ineligible, and your family members with you.

**One entry per person.** More than one entry in a registration period disqualifies all of that person's entries.

**Photo.** The most common technical reason for disqualification.

| Rule | DV-2026 instructions |
|---|---|
| Age of photo | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Glasses | No eyeglasses |
| Background | Plain white or off-white |
| Face | Full face, neutral expression, both eyes open |
| Head size | 50-69% of image height |
| File | JPEG, square, 600 x 600 pixels, 240 KB or less |
| Reuse | A photo from a prior year's entry can make you ineligible |

Requirements checked October 28, 2026 against the DV-2026 instructions; compare them with the new instructions before you enter.

## What the DV lottery costs, step by step

Entering costs almost nothing. The real costs start only if you are selected.

| Step | Fee | Who pays, where |
|---|---|---|
| Lottery registration | $1 | The principal entrant, when submitting on dvprogram.state.gov |
| DV visa application | $330 | Each family member applying for a DV visa, at the embassy cashier at the interview |
| Adjustment of status in the U.S. (Form I-485) | Per the USCIS fee schedule | Only people already lawfully in the U.S., see [uscis.gov/g-1055](https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055) |

Fees checked October 28, 2026 on travel.state.gov and uscis.gov.

The State Department says DV fees are paid to the embassy or consulate cashier at the time of your appointment. The U.S. government will never ask you to send payment in advance by check, money order or wire transfer.

## How to check your results and what to do if selected

Results are available only through Entrant Status Check on dvprogram.state.gov. You need the confirmation number shown right after you submit the entry. Save or print that page. Without the number you cannot check your status or get further instructions.

For DV-2026, Entrant Status Check opened on May 3, 2025, and entrants had to keep their number until at least September 30, 2026. The instructions call Entrant Status Check the only way the State Department notifies selectees. There are no letters and no "you won" emails. You may get an email reminding you to check your status, but it will not tell you that you were selected.

If you are selected:

1. Confirm that you meet the education or work rule and that your family is listed correctly.
2. Submit the immigrant visa application as Entrant Status Check instructs.
3. Watch the monthly Visa Bulletin: interviews are scheduled when your rank number is reached.
4. Prepare your documents and attend the interview at the assigned embassy.

**Where Russian nationals interview.** The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has suspended immigrant visa services. The State Department designated the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw as the immigrant visa processing post for nationals and residents of Russia.

**If you are already in the U.S. in lawful status**, you can file Form I-485 with USCIS instead of going through a consulate. A visa must be immediately available under the Visa Bulletin when you file, and you need the receipt for the State Department's DV fee. Other routes are covered in our [guide to getting a green card](/en/immigration/how-to-get-green-card-usa). After you arrive you will need a Social Security number, see our [SSN guide](/en/immigration/how-to-get-ssn-usa).

## DV lottery scams and how to spot them

The State Department warns of a notable increase in fake emails and letters sent to DV entrants. The senders pose as the U.S. government to get payment. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) describes the same schemes.

Warning signs:

- **A letter or email saying you won.** The State Department does not notify winners by mail or email. Only Entrant Status Check.
- **A request to pay in advance.** Western Union, a card transfer, a check, a "processing fee." DV fees are paid only at the embassy cashier at the interview (plus the $1 at registration on the official site).
- **A promise of better odds.** The FTC says there is no special access and nobody can increase your chance of winning. The State Department says it does not work with consultants.
- **A site that does not end in .gov.** The FTC notes that real U.S. government website addresses end with .gov.
- **A helper who keeps your confirmation number.** If someone helps you, be there while the entry is filled in and keep the number and confirmation page. Use your own email address.
- **A "notario" or consultant offering legal help.** In the U.S., only attorneys and representatives accredited by the Justice Department can give immigration legal advice.

False information can disqualify your entry, and fake documents can keep you from ever entering the United States.

If you have a past visa denial, a status violation, a criminal record or a complicated family situation, talk to an immigration attorney before you file. You can find one in our [directory of lawyers](/en/directory/lawyers). If you received a "you won" message or already paid someone, report it to the FTC at [ReportFraud.ftc.gov](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov).

## Questions people ask

### How much does it cost to enter the DV lottery?

Registration on dvprogram.state.gov costs $1, paid by the principal entrant when submitting the entry. If you are selected, each family member applying for a DV visa pays a $330 DV application fee to the embassy cashier at the interview. The U.S. government never asks you to wire money in advance.

### Where do I check DV lottery results?

Only through Entrant Status Check on the official site dvprogram.state.gov, using the confirmation number you received when you entered. The State Department does not notify winners by letter or email, so any message claiming you won should be treated as a scam.

### Can I enter the lottery if I was born in Russia?

In the DV-2026 instructions, natives of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan were eligible. The country list changes every year, so check the new instructions on travel.state.gov before you enter. The State Department has designated the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw as the immigrant visa processing post for nationals and residents of Russia.

### What happens if I leave my spouse or child off the entry?

Under the DV-2026 instructions, failing to list your spouse or a living unmarried child under 21, including stepchildren, can make you ineligible as the principal applicant. Your family members would then be ineligible too. The same applies if you list someone who is not your spouse or child.

## Sources

- [U.S. Department of State: Electronic Diversity Visa Program (E-DV) and Entrant Status Check](https://dvprogram.state.gov/)
- [travel.state.gov: Diversity Visa Instructions (DV-2026)](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry/diversity-visa-instructions.html)
- [travel.state.gov: Diversity Visa Program, Submit an Entry](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry/diversity-visa-submit-entry1.html)
- [travel.state.gov: Fees for Visa Services](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/fees/fees-visa-services.html)
- [travel.state.gov: Fraud Warning, Diversity Visa Program scammers sending fraudulent emails and letters](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/fraud.html)
- [travel.state.gov: Immigrant Visa Processing Updates for Nationalities at High Risk of U.S. Public Benefits Reliance (August 28, 2026)](https://travel.state.gov/en/newsroom/visas/2026/immigrant-visa-processing-updates-for-nationalities-at-high-risk-of-public-benefits-usage.html)
- [Federal Register: Diversity Visa Instructions for DV-2026 (October 1, 2024)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-10-01/html/2024-22482.htm)
- [Federal Register: Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, DV registration fee (September 16, 2025)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-09-16/html/2025-17851.htm)
- [Federal Register: Enhancing Vetting and Combatting Fraud in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (March 11, 2026)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-03-11/html/2026-04737.htm)
- [USCIS: Green Card Through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program](https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-eligibility/green-card-through-the-diversity-immigrant-visa-program)
- [FTC Consumer Advice: How To Avoid Immigration Scams and Get Real Help](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-immigration-scams-get-real-help)
- [U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Russia: Immigrant Visas](https://ru.usembassy.gov/immigrant-visas/)
- [travel.state.gov: Changes to Entry Period for 2027 Diversity Visa (DV) Program (November 5, 2025)](https://travel.state.gov/en/newsroom/visas/2025/changes-to-2027-dv-program-entry-period.html)

Page: https://www.russiansinusa.com/en/immigration/dv-lottery-green-card-scams
Facts checked: 2026-10-28