The U.S. Department of State has announced the winners for the 2024 Diversity Visa lottery. Out of the millions who entered last year’s lottery, 55,000 applicants have been selected to apply for permanent resident status.
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program provides foreign nationals from countries that typically do not send many immigrants to the U.S. a chance to obtain green cards. The program is often used by applicants who otherwise would not have a path to legal immigration in the United States. The entry process is simple — applicants fill out an online form and there is no fee to enter.
To check whether they’ve been selected, entrants must visit the “DV Entrant Status Check” portal on the State Department website. On the site, foreign nationals can enter the confirmation information they received when registering for the visa lottery to check their status. The State Department does not notify selectees directly (either by mail or email), so the only way to confirm whether you’ve been selected is through the status check portal. Results will be available on the portal through the end of September 2023.
Being selected in the lottery does not guarantee an applicant will be approved for a green card — it simply means they are eligible to apply for a diversity visa. If selected, applicants must complete the green card application process to prove they are admissible to the U.S.. The process itself includes filing Form DS-260 (the online immigrant visa application), attending a visa interview at a U.S. Embassy or consulate, and paying any required government filing fees.
Selectees are encouraged to start the application process as soon as possible, as all of the diversity visas available this fiscal year must be issued no later than September 30, 2024.