Report an Issue
We read every report and respond
🇺🇸 United States · DV Lottery
3 mandatory requirements, 1 supporting factor, and 7 core documents — here is exactly what United States expects.
Missing any of these disqualifies an application outright — confirm them before investing in fees or document preparation.
Must be a native of a country with low immigration to the US. Certain high-sending countries are ineligible.
Must have a high school diploma/equivalent OR 2+ years experience in a qualifying occupation in the past 5 years
Must have been randomly selected in the annual DV lottery drawing
Not strictly required, but each strengthens your case — the weight shown reflects how heavily our scoring engine (and in practice, adjudicators) value it.
Must complete all visa steps by September 30 of the fiscal year — extensions are not granted
Valid Passport
Valid passport with at least 6 months of validity
Birth Certificate
Official birth certificate showing name, date, and place of birth
High School Diploma or Equivalent
Diploma or academic credentials proving secondary school completion
Police Clearance Certificates
Police certificates from each country where applicant has lived for 6+ months since age 16
Marriage Certificate (if applicable)
Legal marriage certificate for married applicants wishing to include spouse
Children's Birth Certificates
Birth certificates for all unmarried children under 21 to be included as derivatives
DV Lottery Selection Notice
Official notification of DV lottery selection from the State Department
Official source: government website. See also: costs & fees and processing time.
Answer a few questions and get scored against this pathway — and the other 46 we track across the US, Canada, UK, and Australia. Free, no credit card.
Check my eligibility — freeFree eligibility check
Get your personalized eligibility report for the US, Canada, UK, and Australia — scored against today's actual rules. No credit card needed.
We only email you about your report and major rule changes. Unsubscribe anytime.