[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 1, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79997-80006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22482]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 12558]


Diversity Visa Instructions for DV-2026

ACTION: Notice of Diversity Visa Program for Fiscal Year 2026.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This public notice provides information on how to apply for 
the DV-2026 Program and is issued pursuant to the Immigration and 
Nationality Act.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Program Overiew

    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 2026, 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.
    Applicants who are selected in the program (selectees) must meet 
simple but strict eligibility requirements to qualify for a DV. The 
Department of State determines selectees through a randomized computer 
drawing. The Department of State distributes diversity visas among six 
geographic regions, and no single country may receive more than seven 
percent of the available DVs in any one year.
    For DV-2026, 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, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, 
Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, 
Philippines, Republic of Korea (South Korea),Venezuela, Vietnam, 
Natives of Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible. With the exception of 
Cuba, which is not eligible for DV-2026, there were no changes in 
eligibility from the previous fiscal year.

Eligibility

    Requirement One: 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.
    <bullet> 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.

[[Page 79998]]

    <bullet> 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-
2026 program. For more details on what this means, see the Frequently 
Asked Questions.
    Requirement Two: Each DV entrant must meet the education/work 
experience requirement of the DV program by having either:
    <bullet> 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
    <bullet> 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. For more information about qualifying work experience, 
see the Frequently Asked Questions.
    You should not submit an entry to the DV program unless you meet 
both of these requirements.

Entry Period

    Applicants must submit entries for the DV-2026 program 
electronically at dvprogram.state.gov between 12:00 p.m. (noon), 
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), Wednesday, October 4, 2023, and 
12:00 p.m. (noon), Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5), Tuesday, 
November 7, 2023. Do not wait until the last week of the registration 
period to enter as heavy demand may result in website delays. No late 
entries or paper entries will be accepted. The law allows only one 
entry per person during each entry period. The Department of State uses 
sophisticated technology to detect multiple entries. Submission of more 
than one entry for a person will disqualify all entries for that 
person.

Completing Your Electronic Entry for the DV-2026 Program

    Submit your Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form (E-DV Entry Form 
or DS-5501), online at dvprogram.state.gov. We will not accept 
incomplete entries or entries sent by any other means. There is no cost 
to submit the online entry form. Please use an updated browser when 
submitting your application; older browsers (Internet Explorer 8, for 
example) will likely encounter problems with the online DV system.
    We strongly encourage you to complete the entry form yourself, 
without a ``visa consultant,'' ``visa agent,'' or other person who 
offers to help. If someone helps you, you should be present when your 
entry is prepared so that you can provide the correct answers to the 
questions and keep your unique confirmation number and a printout of 
your confirmation screen. It is extremely important that you have the 
printout of your confirmation page and unique confirmation number. 
Unscrupulous visa facilitators have been known to assist entrants with 
their entries, keep the confirmation page print out, and then demand 
more money or illegal activities in exchange for the confirmation 
number. Without this information, you will not be able to access the 
online system that informs you of your entry status. Be wary if someone 
offers to keep this information for you. You also should have access to 
the email account listed in your E-DV entry. See the Frequently Asked 
Questions for more information about DV program scams.
    After you submit a complete entry, you will see a confirmation 
screen containing your name and a unique confirmation number. Print 
this confirmation screen for your records. Starting May 4, 2025, you 
will be able to check the status of your entry by returning to 
dvprogram.state.gov, clicking on Entrant Status Check, and entering 
your unique confirmation number and personal information. You must use 
Entrant Status Check to check if you have been selected for DV-2026 
and, if selected, to view instructions on how to proceed with your 
application. The U.S. government will not inform you directly. Entrant 
Status Check is the sole source for instructions on how to proceed with 
your application. If you are selected and submit a visa application and 
required documents, you must use Entrant Status Check to check your 
immigrant visa interview appointment date. Please review the Frequently 
Asked Questions for more information about the selection process.
    You must provide all of the following information to complete your 
entry. Failure to accurately include all the required information may 
make you ineligible for a DV.
    1. Name--last/family name, first name, middle name--exactly as it 
appears on your passport, if you have a passport (for example, if your 
passport shows only your first and last/family name, please list your 
last/family name and then first name; do not include a middle name 
unless it is included on your passport. If your passport includes a 
first, middle and last/family name, please list them in the following 
order: last/family name, first name, middle name). If you have only one 
name, it must be entered in the last/family name field.
    2. Gender--male or female.
    3. Birth date--day, month, year.
    4. City where you were born.
    5. Country where you were born--Use the name of the country 
currently used for the place where you were born.
    6. Country of eligibility for the DV program--Your country of 
eligibility will normally be the same as your country of birth. Your 
country of eligibility is not related to where you live or your 
nationality if it is different from your country of birth.
    If you were born in a country that is not eligible, please review 
the Frequently Asked Questions to see if there is another way you may 
be eligible.
    7. Entrant photograph(s)--Recent photographs (taken within the last 
six months) of yourself, your spouse, and all your derivative children 
included on your entry. See Submitting a Digital Photograph for 
compositional and technical specifications. You do not need to include 
a photograph for a spouse or child who is already a U.S. citizen or a 
Lawful Permanent Resident, but you will not be penalized if you do. DV 
entry photographs must meet the same standards as U.S. visa photos. You 
may be ineligible for a DV if the entry photographs for you and your 
family members do not fully meet these specifications or have been 
manipulated in any way. Submitting the same photograph that was 
submitted with a prior year's entry will make you ineligible for a DV. 
See Submitting a Digital Photograph (below) for more information.
    8. Mailing Address--In Care Of

Address Line 1
Address Line 2
City/Town
District/Country/Province/State
Postal Code/Zip Code Country

    9. Country where you live today.
    10. Phone number (optional).
    11. Email address--An email address to which you have direct access 
and will continue to have direct access through May of the next year. 
If you check the Entrant Status Check in May and learn you have been 
selected, you will later receive follow-up email communication from the 
Department of State with details if an immigrant visa interview becomes 
available. The Department of State will never send you an email telling 
you that you have been selected for the DV program. See the Frequently 
Asked Questions for more information about the selection process.

[[Page 79999]]

    12. Highest level of education you have achieved, as of today: (1) 
Primary school only, (2) Some high school, no diploma, (3) High school 
diploma, (4) Vocational school, (5) Some university courses, (6) 
University degree, (7) Some graduate-level courses, (8) Master's 
degree, (9) Some doctoral-level courses, or (10) Doctorate. See the 
Frequently Asked Questions for more information about educational 
requirements.
    13. Current marital status: (1) unmarried, (2) married and my 
spouse is NOT a U.S.citizen or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR), 
(3) married and my spouse IS a U.S. citizen or U.S. LPR, (4) divorced, 
(5) widowed, or (6) legally separated. Enter the name, date of birth, 
gender, city/town of birth, and country of birth of your spouse, and a 
photograph of your spouse meeting the same technical specifications as 
your photo.
    Failure to list your eligible spouse or, listing someone who is not 
your spouse, may make you ineligible as the DV principal applicant and 
your spouse and children ineligible as DV derivative applicants. You 
must list your spouse even if you currently are separated from them 
unless you are legally separated. Legal separation is an arrangement 
when a couple remain married but live apart, following a court order. 
If you and your spouse are legally separated, your spouse will not be 
able to immigrate with you through the DV program. You will not be 
penalized if you choose to enter the name of a spouse from whom you are 
legally separated. If you are not legally separated by a court order, 
you must include your spouse even if you plan to be divorced before you 
apply for the Diversity Visa, or your spouse does not intend to 
immigrate.
    If your spouse is a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident, do 
not list them in your entry. A spouse who is already a U.S. citizen or 
LPR will not require or be issued a visa.Therefore, if you select 
``married and my spouse IS a U.S. citizen or U.S. LPR'' on your entry, 
you will not be prompted to include further information on your spouse. 
See the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about family 
members.
    14. Number of children--List the name, date of birth, gender, city/
town of birth, and country of birth for all living, unmarried children 
under 21 years of age, regardless of whether they are living with you 
or intend to accompany or follow to join you, should you immigrate to 
the United States. Submit individual photographs of each of your 
children using the same technical specifications as your own 
photograph.
    Be sure to include:
    [cir] all living natural children;
    [cir] all living children legally adopted by you; and,
    [cir] all living stepchildren who are unmarried and under the age 
of 21 on the date of your electronic entry, even if you are no longer 
legally married to the child's parent, and even if the child does not 
currently reside with you and/or will not immigrate with you. Married 
children and children who are already aged 21 or older when you submit 
your entry are not eligible for the DVprogram. However, the Child 
Status Protection Act protects children from ``aging out'' in certain 
circumstances: if you submit your DV entry before your unmarried child 
turns 21, and the child turns 21 before visa issuance, it is possible 
that he or she may be treated as though he or she were under 21 for 
visa processing purposes.
    A child who is already a U.S. citizen or LPR when you submit your 
DV entry will not require or be issued a Diversity Visa; you will not 
be penalized for either including or omitting such family members from 
your entry.
    Failure to list all children who are eligible or listing someone 
who is not your child may make you ineligible for a DV, in which case 
your spouse and children will also be ineligible as Diversity Visa 
derivative applicants. See the Frequently Asked Questions for more 
information about family members.
    See the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about 
completing your Electronic Entry for the DV-2026 Program.

Selection of Entries

    Based on the allocations of available visas in each region and 
country, the Department of State will randomly select individuals by 
computer from among qualified entries. All DV-2026 entrants must go to 
the Entrant Status Check using the unique confirmation number saved 
from their DV-2026 online entry registration to find out whether their 
entry has been selected in the DV program. Entrant Status Check will be 
available on the E-DV website at dvprogram.state.gov from May 4, 2025, 
through at least September 30, 2026.
    If your entry is selected, you will be directed to a confirmation 
page providing further instructions, including information about fees 
connected with immigration to the United States. Entrant Status Check 
will be the ONLY means by which the Department of State notifies 
selectees of their selection for DV-2026. The Department of State will 
not mail notification letters or notify selectees by email. U.S. 
embassies and consulates will not provide a list of selectees. 
Individuals who have not been selected also ONLY will be notified 
through Entrant Status Check.You are strongly encouraged to access 
Entrant Status Check yourself. Do not rely on someone else to check and 
inform you.
    In order to immigrate, DV selectees must be admissible to the 
United States. The DS-260, Online Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration 
Application, electronically, and the consular officer, in person, will 
ask you questions about your eligibility to immigrate under U.S. law. 
These questions include criminal and security-related topics.
    All selectees, including family members, must be issued visas by 
September 30, 2026, or prior to issuance of the approximately 55,000 
visas available each year--whichever is earlier. Under no circumstances 
can the Department of State issue DVs nor can USCIS approve adjustments 
after this date, nor can family members obtain DVs to follow-to-join 
the principal applicant in the United States after this date. The U.S. 
government only authorizes issuance of approximately 55,000 diversity 
visas each year. Given the limited number of visas available, selectees 
should act promptly in submitting their materials and pursuing their 
application.
    See the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about the 
selection process.

Submitting a Digital Photograph

    You can take a new digital photograph or scan a recent (taken 
within the last six months) photograph with a digital scanner if it 
meets all of the standards below. DV entry photos must be of the same 
quality and composition as U.S. visa photos. You can see examples of 
acceptable photos at the following link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos/photo-examples.html. Do not submit a photograph older than six months or a 
photograph that does not meet all the standards described below. 
Submitting the same photograph that you submitted with a prior year's 
entry, a photograph that has been manipulated, or a photograph that 
does not meet the specifications below may make you ineligible for a 
DV.
    Your photos or digital images must be:

[ssquf] In color
[ssquf] In focus
[ssquf] Sized such that the head is between 1 inch and 1\3/8\ inches 
(22 mm and 35 mm) or 50 percent and 69 percent of the image's total 
height from the

[[Page 80000]]

bottom of the chin to the top of the head. View the Photo Composition 
Template for more size requirement details.
[ssquf] Taken within the last six months to reflect your current 
appearance.
[ssquf] Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
[ssquf] Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
[ssquf] With a neutral facial expression and both eyes open
[ssquf] Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis
[ssquf] Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious 
clothing that is worn daily.
[ssquf] Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or 
hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose.Your full face must 
be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your 
face.
[ssquf] Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are 
not acceptable in your photo.
[ssquf] Do not wear eyeglasses.
[ssquf] If you normally wear a hearing device or similar articles, they 
may be worn in your photo.

    Review the Photo Examples at this link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos/photo-examples.html to see examples of acceptable and unacceptable photos. 
Photos copied or digitally scanned from driver's licenses or other 
official documents are not acceptable. In addition, snapshots, magazine 
photos, low quality vending machine, and full-length photographs are 
not acceptable.
    You must upload your digital image as part of your entry. Your 
digital image must be:

<bullet> In JPEG (.jpg) file format
<bullet> Equal to or less than 240 kB (kilobytes) in file size
<bullet> In a square aspect ratio (height must equal width)
<bullet> 600 x 600 pixels in dimension
    Do you want to scan an existing photo? In addition to the digital 
image requirements, your existing photo must be:
<bullet> 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)
<bullet> Scanned at a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (12 pixels per 
millimeter)

    Taking photos of your baby or toddler--When taking a photo of your 
baby or toddler, no other person should be in the photo, and your child 
should be looking at the camera with his or her eyes open. Tip 1: Lay 
your baby on his or her back on a plain white or off-white sheet. This 
will ensure your baby's head is supported and provide a plain 
background for the photo. Make certain there are no shadows on your 
baby's face, especially if you take a picture from above with the baby 
lying down. Tip 2: Cover a car seat with a plain white or off-white 
sheet and take a picture of your child in the car seat. This will also 
ensure your baby's head is supported.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Eligiblity

1. What do the terms``native'', and ``chargeability'' mean?
    Native ordinarily means someone born in a particular country, 
regardless of the individual's current country of residence or 
nationality. Native can also mean someone who is entitled to be charged 
to a country other than the one in which he/she was born under the 
provisions of Section 202(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
    Because there is a numerical limitation on immigrants who enter 
from a country or geographic region, each individual is charged to a 
country. Your chargeability refers to the country towards which 
limitation you count. Your country of eligibility will normally be the 
same as your country of birth. However, you may choose your country of 
eligibility as the country of birth of your spouse, or the country of 
birth of either of your parents if you were born in a country in which 
neither parent was born and in which your parents were not resident at 
the time of your birth. These are the only three ways to select your 
country of chargeability.
    Listing an incorrect country of eligibility or chargeability (i.e., 
one to which you cannot establish a valid claim) may make you 
ineligible for DV-2026.
2. Can I still apply if I was not born in a qualifying country?
    There are two circumstances in which you still might be eligible to 
apply. First, if your derivative spouse was born in an eligible 
country, you may claim chargeability to that country. As your 
eligibility is based on your spouse, you will only be issued an 
immigrant visa if your spouse is also eligible for and issued an 
immigrant visa. Both of you must enter the United States together, 
using your DVs. Similarly, your minor dependent child can be 
``charged'' to a parent's country of birth.
    Second, you can be ``charged'' to the country of birth of either of 
your parents as long as neither of your parents was born in or a 
resident of your country of birth at the time of your birth. People are 
not generally considered residents of a country in which they were not 
born or legally naturalized. For example, persons simply visiting, 
studying, or temporarily working in a country are not generally 
considered residents.
    If you claim alternate chargeability through either of the above, 
you must provide an explanation on the E-DV Entry Form, in question #6.
    Listing an incorrect country of eligibility or chargeability (i.e., 
one to which you cannot establish a valid claim) will make you 
ineligible for a DV.
3. Why do natives of certain countries not qualify for the DV program?
    DVs are intended to provide an immigration opportunity for persons 
who are not from ``high admission'' countries. U.S. law defines ``high 
admission countries'' as those from which a total of 50,000 persons in 
the Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based visa categories immigrated to 
the United States during the previous five years. Each year, the 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) counts the family and employment 
immigrant admission and adjustment of status numbers for the previous 
five years to identify the countries that are considered ``high 
admission'' and whose natives will therefore be ineligible for the 
annual Diversity Visa program. Since DHS makes this calculation 
annually, the list of countries whose natives are eligible or not 
eligible may change from one year to the next.
4. How many DV-2026 visas will go to natives of each region and 
eligible country?
    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determines the regional 
DV limits for each year according to a formula specified in Section 
203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The number of 
visas the Department of State eventually will issue to natives of each 
country will depend on the regional limits established, how many 
entrants come from each country, and how many of the selected entrants 
are found eligible for the visa. No more than seven percent of the 
total visas available can go to natives of any one country.
5. What are the requirements for education or work experience?
    U.S. immigration law and regulations require that every DV entrant 
must have at least a high school education or its equivalent or have 
two years of work experience within the past five years in an 
occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience. 
A ``high school education or equivalent'' is defined as successful 
completion of a 12-year course of elementary and

[[Page 80001]]

secondary education in the United States OR the successful completion 
in another country of a formal course of elementary and secondary 
education comparable to a high school education in the United States. 
Only formal courses of study meet this requirement; correspondence 
programs or equivalency certificates (such as the General Equivalency 
Diploma [G.E.D.]) are not acceptable. You must present documentary 
proof of education or work experience to the consular officer at the 
time of the visa interview.
    If you do not meet the requirements for education or work 
experience you will be ineligible for a DV, and your spouse and 
children will be ineligible for derivative DVs.
6. What occupations qualify for the DV program?
    The Department of State will use the U.S. Department of Labor's 
(DOL) O*Net OnLine database to determine qualifying work experience. 
The O*Net OnLine database categorizes job experience into five ``job 
zones.'' While the DOL website lists many occupations, not all 
occupations qualify for the DV program. To qualify for a DV on the 
basis of your work experience, you must have, within the past five 
years, two years of experience in an occupation classified in a 
Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher.
    If you do not meet the requirements for education or work 
experience, you will be ineligible for a DV, and your spouse and 
children will be ineligible for derivative DVs.
7. How can I find the qualifying DV occupations in the Department of 
Labor's O*Net OnLine database?
    When you are in O*Net OnLine, follow these steps to determine if 
your occupation qualifies:
    [cir] Under ``Find Occupations,''select ``Job Family'' from the 
pull down menu;
    [cir] Browse by ``Job Family,'' make your selection, and click 
``GO''.
    [cir] Click on the link for your specific occupation; and
    [cir] Select the tab ``Job Zone'' to find the designated Job Zone 
number and Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) rating range.
    As an example, select Aerospace Engineers. At the bottom of the 
Summary Report for Aerospace Engineers, under the Job Zone section, you 
will find the designated Job Zone 4, SVP Range, 7.0 to <8.0. Using this 
example, Aerospace Engineering is a qualifying occupation.
    For additional information, see the Diversity Visa--List of 
Occupations web page: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry/diversity-visa-if-you-are-selected/diversity-visa-confirm-your-qualifications.html.
8. Is there a minimum age to apply for the E-DV Program?
    There is no minimum age to apply, but the requirement of a high 
school education or work experience for each principal applicant at the 
time of application will effectively disqualify most persons who are 
under age 18.

Completing Your Electronic Entry for the DV-2026 Program

9. When can I submit my entry?
    The DV-2026 entry period will run from 12:00 p.m. (noon), Eastern 
Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), Wednesday, October 4, 2024, until 12:00 
p.m. (noon), Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5), Tuesday, November 7, 
2024. Each year, millions of people submit entries. Restricting the 
entry period to these dates ensures selectees receive notification in a 
timely manner and gives both the visa applicants and our embassies and 
consulates time to prepare and complete cases for visa issuance.
    We strongly encourage you to enter early during the registration 
period. Excessive demand at end of the registration period may slow the 
processing system. We cannot accept entries after noon EST on Tuesday, 
November 7, 2024.
10. I am in the United States. Can I enter the DV program?
    Yes, an entrant may apply while in the United States or another 
country. An entrant may submit an entry from any location.
11. Can I only enter once during the registration period?
    Yes, the law allows only one entry per person during each 
registration period. The Department of State uses sophisticated 
technology to detect multiple entries. Individuals with more than one 
entry will be ineligible for a DV.
12. May my spouse and I each submit a separate entry?
    Yes, each spouse may each submit one entry if each meets the 
eligibility requirements. If either spouse is selected, the other is 
entitled to apply as a derivative dependent.
13. Which family members must I include in my DV entry?
     Spouse: If you are legally married, you must list your spouse 
regardless of whether they live with you or intend to immigrate to the 
United States. You must list your spouse even if you currently are 
separated from them unless you are legally separated. Legal separation 
is an arrangement when a couple remains married but lives apart, 
following a court order. If you and your spouse are legally separated, 
your spouse will not be able to immigrate with you through the 
Diversity Visa program. You will not be penalized if you choose to 
enter the name of a spouse from whom you are legally separated. If you 
are not legally separated by a court order, you must include your 
spouse even if you plan to be divorced before you apply for the 
Diversity Visa, or your spouse does not intend to immigrate. Failure to 
list your eligible spouse or listing someone who is not your spouse 
will make you ineligible for a DV. If you are not married at the time 
of entry but plan on getting married in the future, do not list a 
spouse on your entry form, as this would make you ineligible for a DV.
    If you are divorced or your spouse is deceased, you do not have to 
list your former spouse.
    The only exception to this requirement is if your spouse is already 
a U.S. citizen or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident. If your spouse is a 
U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident, do not list them in your 
entry. A spouse who is already a U.S. citizen or a Lawful Permanent 
Resident will not require or be issued a DV. Therefore, if you select 
``married and my spouse IS a U.S. citizen or U.S. LPR'' on your entry, 
you will not be able to include further information on your spouse.
    Children: You must list ALL your living children who are unmarried 
and under 21 years of age at the time of your initial DV entry, whether 
they are your natural children, your stepchildren (even if you are now 
divorced from that child's parent), your spouse's children, or children 
you have formally adopted in accordance with the applicable laws. List 
all children under 21 years of age at the time of your electronic 
entry, even if they no longer reside with you or you do not intend for 
them to immigrate under the DV program.You are not required to list 
children who are already U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents, 
though you will not be penalized if you do include them.
    Parents and siblings of the entrant are ineligible to receive DV 
visas as dependents, and you should not include them in your entry.
    If you list family members on your entry, they are not required to 
apply for a visa or to immigrate or travel with you. However, if you 
fail to include an

[[Page 80002]]

eligible dependent on your original entry or list someone who is not 
your dependent, you may be ineligible for a DV, in which case your 
spouse and children will be ineligible for derivative DVs. This only 
applies to those who were family members at the time the entry was 
submitted, not those acquired at a later date. Your spouse, if eligible 
to enter, may still submit a separate entry even though they are listed 
on your entry, and both entries must include details about all 
dependents in your family (see FAQ #13 above).
14. Must I submit my own entry, or can someone else do it for me?
     We encourage you to prepare and submit your own entry, but you may 
have someone submit the entry for you. Regardless of whether you submit 
your own entry, or an attorney, friend, relative, or someone else 
submits it on your behalf, only one entry may be submitted in your 
name. You, as the entrant, are responsible for ensuring that 
information in the entry is correct and complete; entries that are not 
correct or complete may be disqualified. Entrants should keep their 
confirmation number, so they are able to check the status of their 
entry independently, using Entrant Status Check at dvprogram.state.gov. 
Entrants should retain access to the email account used in the E-DV 
submission.
15. I'm already registered for an immigrant visa in another category. 
Can I still apply for the DV program?
    Yes.
16. Can I download and save the E-DV entry form into a word processing 
program and finish it later?
    No, you will not be able to save the form into another program for 
completion and submission later. The E-DV Entry Form is a web-form 
only. You must fill in the information and submit it while online.
17. Can I save the form online and finish it later?
    No. The E-DV Entry Form is designed to be completed and submitted 
at one time. You will have 60 minutes, starting from when you download 
the form, to complete and submit your entry through the E-DV website. 
If you exceed the 60-minute limit and have not submitted your complete 
entry electronically, the system discards any information already 
entered. The system deletes any partial entries so that they are not 
accidentally identified as duplicates of a later, complete entry. Read 
the DV instructions completely before you start to complete the form 
online so that you know exactly what information you will need.
18. I don't have a scanner. Can I send photographs to someone else to 
scan them, save them, and email them back to me so I can use them in my 
entry?
    Yes, as long as the photograph meets the requirements in the 
instructions and is electronically submitted with, and at the same time 
as, the E-DV online entry. You must already have the scanned photograph 
file when you submit the entry online; it cannot be submitted 
separately from the online application. The entire entry (photograph 
and application together) can be submitted electronically from the 
United States or from overseas.
19. If the E-DV system rejects my entry, can I resubmit my entry?
    Yes, you can resubmit your entry as long as your submission is 
completed by 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5) on 
Tuesday, November 7, 2023. You will not be penalized for submitting a 
duplicate entry if the E-DV system rejects your initial entry. Given 
the unpredictable nature of the internet, you may not receive the 
rejection notice immediately. You can try to submit an application as 
many times as is necessary until a complete application is received and 
the confirmation notice sent. Once you receive a confirmation notice, 
your entry is complete, and you should NOT submit any additional 
entries.
20. How soon after I submit my entry will I receive the electronic 
confirmation notice?
    You should receive the confirmation notice immediately, including a 
confirmation number that you must record and keep. However, the 
unpredictable nature of the internet can result in delays. You can hit 
the ``Submit'' button as many times as is necessary until a complete 
application is sent and you receive the confirmation notice. However, 
once you receive a confirmation notice, do not resubmit your 
information.
21. I hit the ``Submit'' button but did not receive a confirmation 
number. If I submit another entry, will I be disqualified?
    If you did not receive a confirmation number, your entry was not 
recorded. You must submit another entry. It will not be counted as a 
duplicate. Once you receive a confirmation number, do not resubmit your 
information.

Selection

22. How do I know if I am selected?
    You must use your confirmation number to access the Entrant Status 
Check available on the E-DV website at dvprogram.state.gov from May 4, 
2025, through September 30, 2026. Entrant Status Check is the sole 
means by which the Department of State will notify you if you are 
selected, provide further instructions on your visa application, and 
notify you of your immigrant visa interview appointment date and time. 
To ensure the use of all available visas, the Department of State may 
use Entrant Status Check to notify additional selectees after May 4, 
2025. Retain your confirmation number until September 30, 2026, in case 
of any updates. The only authorized Department of State website for 
official online entry in the Diversity Visa Program and Entrant Status 
Check is dvprogram.state.gov.
    The Department of State will NOT contact you to tell you that you 
have been selected (see FAQ #25).
23. How will I know if I am not selected? Will I be notified?
    The Department of State will NOT notify you directly if your entry 
is not selected. You must use the Entrant Status Check to learn whether 
you were selected. You may check the status of your DV-2026 entry 
through the Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website from May 4, 2025, 
until September 30, 2026. Keep your confirmation number until at least 
September 30, 2026. (Status information for the previous year's DV 
program, DV-2024, is available online through September 30, 2024.)
24. What if I lose my confirmation number?
    You must have your confirmation number to access Entrant Status 
Check. A tool is now available in Entrant Status Check on the E-DV 
website that will allow you to retrieve your confirmation number via 
the email address with which you registered by entering certain 
personal information to confirm your identity.
    U.S. embassies and consulates and the Kentucky Consular Center are 
unable to check your selection status for you or provide your 
confirmation number to you directly (other than through the Entrant 
Status Check retrieval tool). The Department of State is NOT able to 
provide a list of those selected to continue the visa process.

[[Page 80003]]

25. Will I receive information from the Department of State by email or 
by postal mail?
    The Department of State will not send you a notification letter. 
The U.S. government has never sent emails to notify individuals that 
they have been selected, and there are no plans to use email for this 
purpose for the DV-2026 program. If you are a selectee, you will only 
receive email communications regarding your visa appointment after you 
have responded to the notification instructions on Entrant Status 
Check, if an immigrant visa interview becomes available. These emails 
will not contain information on the actual appointment date and time; 
they will simply tell you to go to the Entrant Status Check website for 
details. The Department of State may send emails reminding DV program 
applicants to check the Entrant Status Check for their status. However, 
such emails will never indicate whether the DV program applicant was 
selected or not.
    Only internet sites that end with the ``.gov'' domain suffix are 
official U.S. government websites. Many other websites (e.g., with the 
suffixes ``.com,'' ``.org,'' or ``.net'') provide immigration and visa-
related information and services. The Department of State does not 
endorse, recommend, or sponsor any information or material on these 
other websites.
    Warning: You may receive emails from websites that try to trick you 
into sending money or providing your personal information. You may be 
asked to pay for forms and information about immigration procedures, 
all of which are available free on the Department of State website, 
travel.state.gov, or through U.S. embassy or consulate websites. 
Additionally, organizations or websites may try to steal your money by 
charging fees for DV-related services. If you send money to one of 
these non-government organizations or websites, you will likely never 
see it again. Also, do not send personal information to these websites, 
as it may be used for identity fraud/theft.
    Deceptive emails may come from people pretending to be affiliated 
with the Kentucky Consular Center or the Department of State. Remember 
that the U.S. government has never sent emails to notify individuals 
they have been selected, and there are no plans to use email for this 
purpose for the DV-2026 program.The Department of State will never ask 
you to send money by mail or by services such as Western Union, 
although applications to USCIS for adjustments of status do require 
mailing a fee. Visit this site for more details on adjusting status.
26. How many individuals will be selected for DV-2026?
    For DV-2026, 55,000 Diversity Visas are available. The Department 
of State selects more than 55,000 selectees to account for selectees 
who will not qualify for visas and those who will not pursue their 
cases to completion. This means there will not be a sufficient number 
of visas for all those selected. The Department does this to try to use 
as many of the 55,000 DVs as we can.
    You can check the E-DV website's Entrant Status Check to see if you 
have been selected for further processing and later to see the status 
of your case. Interviews for the DV-2026 program will begin in October 
2025 for selectees who have submitted all pre-interview paperwork and 
other information as requested in the notification instructions. 
Selectees whose applications have been fully processed and have been 
scheduled for a visa interview appointment will receive a notification 
to obtain details through the E-DV website's Entrant Status Check four 
to six weeks before the scheduled interviews with U.S. consular 
officers overseas.
    Each month, visas may be issued to those applicants who are 
eligible for issuance during that month, as long as visas are 
available. Once all the 55,000 diversity visas have been issued, the 
program will end. Visa numbers could be finished before September 2026. 
Selected applicants who wish to apply for visas must be prepared to act 
promptly on their cases. Being randomly chosen as a selectee does not 
guarantee that you will receive a visa or even the chance to make a 
visa application or to schedule a visa interview. Selection merely 
means that you may be eligible to apply for a Diversity Visa. If your 
rank number becomes eligible for final processing, you may have the 
chance to make an application and potentially maybe issued a Diversity 
Visa. A maximum of 55,000 visas may be issued to such applicants.
27. How will successful entrants be selected?
    Official notifications of selection will be made through Entrant 
Status Check, available May 4, 2025, through September 30, 2026, 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. See this site for more 
information on adjusting status.
    All entries received from each region are individually numbered; at 
the end of the entry period, a computer will randomly select entries 
from among all the entries received for each geographic region. Within 
each region, the first entry randomly selected will be the first case 
registered; the second entry selected will be the second case 
registered, etc. All entries received within each region during the 
entry period will have an equal chance of being selected. When an entry 
has been selected, the entrant will receive notification of his or her 
selection through the Entrant Status Check available starting May 4, 
2025, on the E-DV website, dvprogram.state.gov. For individuals who are 
selected and who respond to the instructions provided online via 
Entrant Status Check, the Department of State's Kentucky Consular 
Center (KCC) will process the case until those selected are instructed 
to appear for visa interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate or until 
those in the United States who are applying to adjust status apply with 
USCIS in the United States.
28. I am already in the United States. If selected, may I adjust my 
status with USCIS?
    Yes, provided you are otherwise eligible to adjust status under the 
terms of Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), you 
may apply to USCIS for adjustment of status to permanent resident. You 
must ensure that USCIS can complete action on your case, including 
processing of any overseas applications for a spouse or for children 
under 21 years of age, before September 30, 2026, since on that date 
your eligibility for the DV-2026 program expires. The Department of 
State will not approve any visa numbers or adjustments of status for 
the DV-2026 program after midnight EDT on September 30, 2026.
29. If I am selected, for how long am I entitled to apply for a 
Diversity Visa?
    If you are selected in the DV-2026 program, you may apply for visa 
issuance only during U.S. government fiscal year 2026, which is from 
October

[[Page 80004]]

1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. We encourage selectees to apply 
for visas as early as possible once their program rank numbers become 
eligible. As noted above, once all the 55,000 diversity visas have been 
issued, the program will end.
    Without exception, all selected and eligible applicants must obtain 
their visa or adjust status by the end of the fiscal year. There is no 
carry-over of DV benefits into the next year for persons who are 
selected but who do not obtain visas by September 30, 2026 (the end of 
the fiscal year). Also, spouses and children who derive status from a 
DV-2026 registration can only obtain visas in the DV category between 
October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026. Individuals who apply overseas 
will receive an appointment notification from the Department of State 
through Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website four to six weeks 
before the scheduled appointment.
30. If a DV selectee dies, what happens to the case?
    If a DV selectee dies at any point before he or she has traveled to 
the United States or adjusted status, the DV case is automatically 
closed. Any derivative spouse and/or children of the deceased selectee 
will no longer be entitled to apply for a DV visa. Any visas issued to 
them will be revoked.

Fees

31. How much does it cost to enter the Diversity Visa program?
    There is no fee charged to submit an electronic entry. However, if 
you are selected and apply for a DiversityVisa, you must pay all 
required visa application fees at the time of visa application and 
interview directly to the consular cashier at the U.S. embassy or 
consulate. If you are a selectee already in the United States and you 
apply to USCIS to adjust status, you will pay all required fees 
directly to USCIS. If you are selected, you will receive details of 
required fees with the instructions provided through the E-DV website 
at dvprogram.state.gov.
32. How and where do I pay DV and immigrant visa fees if I am selected?
    If you are a randomly selected entrant, you will receive 
instructions for the DV application process through Entrant Status 
Check at dvprogram.state.gov. You will pay all fees in person only at 
the U.S. embassy or consulate at the time of the visa application and 
interview. The consular cashier will immediately give you a U.S. 
government receipt for payment. Do not send money for DV fees to anyone 
through the mail, Western Union, or any other delivery service if you 
are applying for an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
    If you are selected and are already present in the United States 
and plan to file for adjustment of status with USCIS, the instructions 
page accessible through Entrant Status Check at dvprogram.state.gov 
contains separate instructions on how to mail adjustment of status 
application fees to a U.S. bank.
33. If I apply for a DV, but don't qualify to receive one, can I get a 
refund of the visa fees I paid?
    No. Visa application fees cannot be refunded. You must meet all 
qualifications for the visa as detailed in these instructions. If a 
consular officer determines you do not meet requirements for the visa, 
or you are otherwise ineligible for the DV under U.S. law, the officer 
cannot issue a visa and you will forfeit all fees paid.

Ineligibilites

34. As a DV applicant, can I receive a waiver of any grounds of visa 
ineligibility? Does my waiver application receive any special 
processing?
    DV applicants are subject to all grounds of ineligibility for 
immigrant visas specified in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). 
There are no special provisions for the waiver of any ground of visa 
ineligibility aside from those ordinarily provided in the INA, nor is 
there special processing for waiver requests. Some general waiver 
provisions for people with close relatives who are U.S.citizens or 
Lawful Permanent Resident aliens may be available to DV applicants in 
some cases, but the time constraints in the DV program may make it 
difficult for applicants to benefit from such provisions.

Fraud Warning and Scams

35. How can I report internet fraud or unsolicited emails?
    Please visit the econsumer.gov website, hosted by the Federal Trade 
Commission in cooperation with consumer-protection agencies from 36 
nations. You also may report fraud to the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center. To file a 
complaint about unsolicited email, use the ``Telemarking and Spam'' 
complaint tool on the econsumer.gov website or visit the Department of 
Justice Unsolicited Commercial Email (``Spam'') web page for additional 
information and contacts.

Statistics

36. How many visas will be issued in DV-2026?
    By law, a maximum of 55,000 visas are available each year to 
eligible persons.

Miscellaneous

37. If I receive a visa through the DV program, will the U.S. 
government pay for my airfare to the United States, help me find 
housing and employment, and/or provide healthcare or any subsidies 
until I am fully settled?
    No. The U.S. government will not provide any of these services to 
you if you receive a visa through the DV program. If you are selected 
to apply for a DV, before being issued a visa you must demonstrate that 
you will not become a public charge in the United States. If you are 
selected and submit a diversity visa application, you should 
familiarize yourself with the Department of State's public guidance on 
how the likelihood of becoming a public charge is assessed and what 
evidence can be provided to demonstrate that you are not likely to 
become a public charge.

List of Countries/Areas by Region Whose Natives Are Eligible for DV-
2026

    The list below shows the countries and areas whose natives are 
eligible for DV-2026, grouped by geographic region. Dependent areas 
overseas are included within the region of the governing country. DHS 
identified the countries whose natives are not eligible for the DV-2026 
program according to the formula in Section 203(c) of the INA. The 
countries whose natives are not eligible for the DV program (because 
they are the principal source countries of Family-Sponsored and 
Employment-Based immigration or ``high-admission'' countries) are noted 
after the respective regional lists.

Africa

Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cabo Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Congo
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Djibouti
Egypt *

[[Page 80005]]

Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia, The
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

    In Africa, natives of Nigeria are not eligible for this year's 
Diversity Visa program.

Asia

Afghanistan
Bahrain
Bhutan
Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel *
Japan ***
Jordan *
Kuwait
Laos
Lebanon
Malaysia
Maldives
Mongolia
Nepal
North Korea
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Syria *
Taiwan **
Thailand
Timor-Leste
United Arab Emirates
Yemen

    * Persons born in the areas administered prior to June 1967 by 
Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt are chargeable, respectively, to 
Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt. Persons born in the Gaza Strip are 
chargeable to Egypt; persons born in the West Bank are chargeable to 
Jordan; persons born in the Golan Heights are chargeable to Syria.
    ** Macau S.A.R. (Europe region, chargeable to Portugal) and Taiwan 
(Asia region) do qualify and are listed. For the purposes of the 
diversity program only, persons born in Macau S.A.R. derive eligibility 
from Portugal.
    *** Persons born in the Habomai Islands, Shikotan, Kunashiri, and 
Etorofuare chargeable to Japan. Persons born in Southern Sakhalin are 
chargeable to Russia.
    Natives of the following Asia Region countries are not eligible for 
this year's Diversity Visa program: Bangladesh, China (including Hong 
Kong), India, Pakistan, South Korea, Philippines, and Vietnam.

Europe

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Estonia
Finland
France (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau Special Administrative Region **
North Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Northern Ireland ***
Norway (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Poland
Portugal (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Romania
Russia ****
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tajikistan
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
United Kingdom (including dependent areas)
Uzbekistan
Vatican City

    ** Macau S.A.R. does qualify and is listed above and for the 
purposes of the diversity program only; persons born in Macau S.A.R. 
derive eligibility from Portugal.
    *** For purposes of the diversity program only, Northern Ireland is 
treated separately. Northern Ireland does qualify and is listed among 
the qualifying areas.
    **** Persons born in the Habomai Islands, Shikotan, Kunashiri, and 
Etorofu are chargeable to Japan. Persons born in Southern Sakhalin are 
chargeable to Russia.

North America

Bahamas, The

    In North America, natives of Canada and Mexico are not eligible for 
this year's DV program.

Oceaania

Australia (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Fiji
Kiribati
Marshall Islands
Micronesia, Federated States of
Nauru
New Zealand (including components and dependent areas overseas)
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu

South American, Central America, and the Caribbean

Antigua and Barbuda

[[Page 80006]]

Argentina
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Chile
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Ecuador
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay

    Countries in this region whose natives are not eligible for this 
year's DV program:
    Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, 
Jamaica, Mexico, and Venezuela.

Rena E. Bitter,
Assistant Secretary, Consular Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2024-22482 Filed 9-30-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-06-P