The Department of State annually administers the statutorily created Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides for a class of immigrants known as “diversity immigrants” from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. For Fiscal Year 2025, up to 55,000 Diversity Visas (DVs) will be available. There is no cost to register for the DV program, but selectees who are scheduled for an interview will be required to pay a visa application fee prior to making their formal visa application where a consular officer will determine whether they qualify for the visa.
For DV-2025, natives of the following countries and areas are not eligible to apply, because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, The People’s Republic of China (including mainland and Hong Kong born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Venezuela, and Vietnam.
Eligibility
Requirement #1: Natives of countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States may be eligible to enter.
If you are not a native of a country with historically low rates of immigration to the United States, there are two other ways you might be able to qualify.
• Is your spouse a native of a country with historically low rates of immigration to the United States?
If yes, you can claim your spouse’s country of birth – provided that you and your spouse are named on the selected entry, are found eligible and issued diversity visas, and enter the United States at the same time.
• Are you a native of a country that does not have historically low rates of immigration to the United States, but in which neither of your parents was born or legally resident at the time of your birth?
If yes, you may claim the country of birth of one of your parents if it is a country whose natives are eligible for the DV-2025 program. For more details on what this means, see the Frequently Asked Questions.
Requirement #2:
Each DV applicant must meet the education/work experience requirement of the DV program by having either:
• at least a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of formal elementary and secondary education;
OR
• two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform.
The Department of State will use the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net Online database to determine qualifying work experience.
Selection
Official notifications of selection will be made through Entrant Status Check, available May 4, 2024, through September 30, 2025, on the E-DV website, dvprogram.state.gov. The Department of State does not send selectee notifications or letters by regular postal mail or by email.
Any email notification or mailed letter stating that you have been selected to receive a DV that does not come from the Department of State is not legitimate. Any email communication you receive from the Department of State will direct you to review Entrant Status Check for new information about your application. The Department of State will never ask you to send money by mail or by services such as Western Union unless you are adjusting status.
Method of Application
For More Information,
Visit the Official Webpage
Application Deadline: November 7, 2023.
