Overview: Being selected in the Diversity VisaAn annual program under INA 203(c) that makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available through a random drawing run by the Department of State, for people from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. Entrants generally need at least a high school education or equivalent, or two years of qualifying work experience. Being selected does not guarantee a visa.See it in the glossary lottery only means USCIS or the State Department will consider an application; it is not a visa and not a guarantee of one. A selectee still has to meet the base eligibility requirements, pass a full Immigrant visaA visa issued at a consulate to a person intending to live permanently in the United States. On admission the holder becomes a permanent resident.See it in the glossary interview and background check, and be found admissible, all before the program year ends, or the selection simply expires with no visa issued.
What DV selection actually confirms
Selection means the entrant's case has been randomly chosen for further processing, in a rank order that determines roughly when their case will be reviewed during the program year. It does not confirm eligibility has already been verified or that a visa is coming.
The base eligibility requirements that still apply
A selectee still has to show they meet the underlying education or work experience requirement, that they were a native of a qualifying country (or otherwise qualify through a spouse or parent), and every other DV program requirement, all of which are verified after selection, not before.
The interview and admissibility review process
Selectees complete a DS-260 immigrant visa application, submit required documents, and attend an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate, where a consular officer evaluates eligibility and admissibility the same way any other immigrant visa applicant is evaluated.
Why running out the fiscal year can eliminate an otherwise-qualified selectee
Because DV visas must generally be issued within the specific fiscal year for that program, delays in scheduling, document collection, or Administrative processingAdditional review of a visa application after a consular interview and before a final decision. While it is pending, the application is typically refused under INA 221(g), and the consular officer may later find the applicant qualified or conclude the applicant remains ineligible. The State Department says how long it takes varies with each case.See it in the glossary can cause an otherwise-qualified selectee to lose the opportunity entirely simply because time ran out, not because of any finding against them.
Grounds of inadmissibility that can block issuance despite selection
The same grounds of InadmissibilityA finding that a person is not eligible for a visa, admission or a green card under the grounds listed in INA 212(a). The grounds cover health, crimes, security, public charge, misrepresentation, unlawful presence, prior removal and others. Some grounds can be waived.See it in the glossary that apply to any immigrant visa applicant, certain criminal history, prior immigration violations, health-related grounds, and others, apply equally to DV selectees, and selection itself does not waive or excuse any of them.
Acting quickly and getting an eligibility review after selection
Given the fixed deadline and the real possibility of a denial despite selection, anyone selected should begin gathering documents and, where any complicating factor exists, prior visa denials, past immigration violations, or any admissibility concern, seek a legal eligibility review immediately rather than waiting.
Official sources
Related reading
- The Diversity Visa Lottery
- Diversity Visa Lottery vs. Family-Based Immigration
- Diversity Visa Lottery vs. Employment-Based Immigration
TR Immigration is an independent immigration information platform. It is not a law firm. Nothing here is legal advice, an eligibility determination, or a prediction about your case. Rules and fees change often, so confirm anything you rely on against the official page it links to.