They say April showers bring May flowers—but this April has delivered something else: new State Department rules affecting diversity visa applicants.

The U.S. Department of State has introduced significant changes to the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program—often called the “green card lottery”—through a new rule published in the Federal Register, with an emphasis on enhanced vetting and combating fraud. These changes, which took effect on April 10, 2026, are designed to strengthen identity verification and reduce fraud, but they also create new requirements that applicants must carefully follow. 

What is the Diversity Visa Lottery?

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (often called the DV Lottery) provides up to 50,000 green cards each year through a random selection process. It is designed for individuals from countries with historically low immigration to the United States and is managed by the U.S. Department of State.

Most people who are selected in the lottery live outside the United States and complete their immigration process at a U.S. consulate in their home country. After approval, they enter the United States as lawful permanent residents (green card holders).

A much smaller group of winners are already in the United States in a valid immigration status at the time they are selected. Instead of going through consular processing abroad, these individuals may apply for their green cards in the United States, through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), with an adjustment of status I-485 application.

Stricter Identity Verification Requirements

One of the most important changes is that applicants must now provide a valid, unexpired passport number and upload a scan of the passport’s biographical page when submitting their lottery entry. 

This is a major shift from prior years, when applicants could enter the lottery without a passport. The government’s goal is to prevent fraud, such as individuals submitting multiple entries under different identities. By requiring a passport upfront, the State Department aims to ensure that each entry is tied to a real, verifiable person.

There are limited exceptions—for example, for stateless individuals—but most applicants should expect this requirement to apply.

New Fee and Application Changes

The new rule also introduces a small but notable change: a $1 registration fee for DV lottery entries. While minimal, this fee is mandatory and cannot be waived. 

Additionally, the rule updates certain terminology on application forms. For example, “gender” has been replaced with “sex,” and “date of birth” instead of “age.” 

Increased Scrutiny and Risk of Disqualification

Perhaps most important for applicants is that these changes increase the risk of disqualification for even small errors. Failing to provide correct passport information, uploading the wrong document, or entering inconsistent personal details could have very negative consequences.

The government has made clear that these reforms are intended to catch fraud earlier in the process, rather than at the interview stage. While this may improve overall program integrity, it also means applicants must be more careful than ever when preparing their entries.

What This Means for You

If you are considering applying for the Diversity Visa lottery, preparation is now critical. You should make sure your passport is valid well before the registration period opens, and that it matches other legal documents you possess. Carefully review all application requirements, and good luck in the lottery!