What Are the Requirements to Apply for the U.S. Green Card Lottery?
To apply for the U.S. Diversity Visa (DV) Program, also called the Green Card Lottery, you must meet several eligibility requirements related to your country of birth, education or work experience, family information, and photo standards. The application is free, but you must submit it only through the official government website during the announced registration period.
1. You must be from an eligible country
Your eligibility is generally based on the country where you were born, not your current nationality or country of residence. People born in countries with high levels of immigration to the United States are usually not eligible.
However, there is an important exception: if neither of your parents was born in or legally resided in your country of birth at the time of your birth, you may be able to use the country of birth of either parent. This is called the chargeability rule.
2. You must meet the education or work requirement
To qualify, you must meet at least one of the following requirements:
- You have a high school education or its equivalent, usually meaning successful completion of a 12-year course of primary and secondary education; or
- You have at least two years of qualifying work experience within the past five years in an occupation that normally requires at least two years of training or experience.[usafis][travel.state]
You do not need both. Meeting either the education requirement or the work-experience requirement can be enough.
3. You must provide correct personal details
When completing the form, you must enter accurate information, including:
- Full name exactly as shown in your passport
- Date and place of birth
- Gender
- Country of birth
- Current mailing address
- Email address
- Recent photograph
- Details of your spouse and children, if applicable.[travel.state]
You must include your spouse and all unmarried children under 21, even if they do not intend to immigrate with you. Failing to include an eligible family member can make the entry invalid.[travel.state]
4. You must upload a valid photo
Your photo must meet the official requirements. It must be:
- Taken within the last six months
- In color
- In focus
- Taken against a plain white or off-white background
- A full-face view directly facing the camera
- Taken with a neutral expression and both eyes open.[travel.state][travel.state]
The digital file must be in JPEG (.jpg) format, no larger than 240 kB, square, and 600 × 600 pixels.[travel.state][travel.state]
5. You must apply only once
Each person may submit only one entry per year. Submitting more than one entry can lead to disqualification.
Important warning
Be careful with websites or agents that ask for large payments to “register” you for the Green Card Lottery. The official U.S. government says there is no cost to enter the DV Program and encourages people to complete the form themselves without using a “Visa Consultant” or “Visa Agent.”
Avoid anyone who promises:
- Guaranteed selection
- A “guaranteed green card”
- A special paid slot for submitting an entry
- A guaranteed visa after selection
Even if someone is selected, they must still meet all requirements and complete the official process.
Bottom line
To apply for the U.S. Green Card Lottery, you must generally meet the country-eligibility rule and the education or work-experience requirement. You must also provide accurate personal information and upload a photo that meets the official standards.[travel.state]