The State Department has begun to accept online applications for the 2024 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program lottery. The window for applications opened on October 5, 2022, at noon EDT, and will close on November 8, 2022, at noon EDT. 

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program provides green card opportunities for foreign citizens residing in countries with historically low rates of immigration to the US. For fiscal year 2024, the State Department will make 55,000 green cards available to eligible foreign citizens. Selectees of the allotted green cards are selected through a randomized computer drawing, or lottery, of eligible applicants. 

There is no cost to register for the Diversity Visa program. The diversity visas are distributed among six geographic regions, and no single country can receive more than 7% of all available diversity visas in any one year. 

Diversity Visa eligibility requirements include:

• You must meet the following education/work experience requirements:
  • Have a high school education or its equivalent
  • Have 2 years of work experience within the past 5 years of in an occupation that requires at least 2 years of training and experience to perform
• Be a citizen of any of the countries eligible for Diversity Visas are listed here
  • You may also qualify if your spouse or parent is a native of a country in the list linked above

If you meet both of the requirements listed above, you are eligible to apply for the Diversity Visa lottery. It is recommended to apply as soon as possible in order to ensure that your application is submitted on time. 

You can submit your application online via the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program portal here. 

To see if you are selected in the 2024 Diversity Visa Lottery, use your confirmation number (sent to you after successfully applying online) to access the Entrant Status Check system at dvprogram.state.gov from May 6, 2023 through September 30, 2024. 

For more information regarding the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, visit here.