The Diversity Visa Lottery 2025 Dates: A Time Guide

Are you dreaming of living in the USA? Here is your chance provided by the U.S. Department of State this fall. Taking your first step is easy and free!

Let’s talk about the time frame for the Green Card lottery in 2023.

Table of contents

• The entry period for the Green Card Lottery 2025 is from October 4, 2023, to November 8, 2023
• DV Lottery Photo Tool
• When will DV Lottery results be available?
• How much time do I have to apply for the immigrant visa?
• Why is the Green Card Lottery called the Diversity Visa Program 2025 when it's held in 2023?

The entry period for the Green Card Lottery 2025 is from October 4, 2023, to November 8, 2023

During the entry period, an online form is available on the Department of State website. You must fill it in to take the part. The form is taken down from the website upon completion of the entry period.

Your first step to win a green card is to submit a DV Lottery application form. It consists of only 14 questions about your name, gender, birth date, city and country of birth, country of eligibility for the program, photo, mailing address, country where you live today, phone number, email, level of education, marital status, and the number of children. Here, you can check an example of the Green Card Lottery entry form and train to fill it out online.

After the DV Lottery opening date, you will have 35 days to submit this simple application. And no passport is needed to apply anymore! So, find half an hour to complete the form starting from October 4, 2023.

Here you can find the detailed list of Green Card Lottery requirements.

DV Lottery Photo Tool

One of the prerequisites for participating in the Green Card Lottery is having a compliant photo that meets the strict requirements of the Department of State. It must be a color image in a square format with a white background. The minimum required DV Lottery photo size is 600x600 pixels, and the maximum is 1200x1200 pixels. Not only do the photo dimensions matter, but also the size of the head (1 inch to 1 3/8 inches), as well as the eye line (1 1/8 inches to 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the photo). The file must not exceed 240KB in size.

It is essential that the photo must be new, taken no more than 6 months ago. If you have already participated in the Green Card Lottery, you must take a new picture, as the old one will not work.

Here is an example:

Remember that you will need to attach photos of your family members (i.e., spouse and children) as well.

With Visafoto, you can instantly get a proper DV Lottery photo online. Our smart algorithms will process your photo to meet all DV Lottery requirements, ensuring your submission is picture-perfect.

Simply upload your photo taken in full-face with good lighting on any background. Our DV Lottery photo editor will instantly edit the size, format, background, and quality of the image.

Take an image with a smartphone or camera against any background, upload it here, and instantly get a professional photo for your visa, passport, or ID.

You will get two files from Visafoto: a digital photo for electronic applications and a template ready for printing.

When will DV Lottery results be available?

The Green Card Lottery winnings will be announced in early May 2024. Remember that you should check your results by yourself on the official website. All calls, texts, or other messages claiming you won the DV lottery are fake, as the Department of State never contacts the winners. They expect you to check your results and claim your winnings on your own.

Here, you can find our detailed guidelines on checking DV Lottery results.

How much time do I have to apply for the immigrant visa?

Remember that winning the DV Lottery does not grant you a green card but the right to apply for an immigrant visa. Therefore, if you find yourself among the winners, you must initiate the process by completing and submitting Form DS-260 and scheduling an appointment for an interview at a U.S. consulate.

Technically, you can submit your DS 260 form and apply for an interview up to September 30, 2025, but for your own benefit, the earlier you apply, the better. There are often delays in interviews and other unforeseen impediments to your immigrant interview, and if you do not apply before the deadline, you will stop being eligible for an interview.

There is also a limit on the number of visas. For example, as of September 7, 2023, the Department of State has issued all available visas for the 2023 DV Program, with the entry period in 2021. That is even before the official deadline!

So, to be more sure in your interview, apply as soon as you find out you are eligible.

Why is the Green Card Lottery called the Diversity Visa Program 2025 when it's held in 2023?

The name "Diversity Visa Program 2025" refers to the fiscal year for which the green cards are issued, not the year the lottery is held. The U.S. government uses fiscal years to manage various aspects of its budget and operations, and the Diversity Visa Program aligns with this system.

Here's how it works:

• The DV Lottery typically opens for applications in one year, such as 2023.
• The results and winners of the DV Program for that application year are announced the following year, which might be 2024.
• The actual immigrant visas (green cards) are issued in the fiscal year associated with the program. In this case, it would be fiscal year 2025.

So, while the lottery application process occurs in one year, the issuance of the green cards is tied to a different fiscal year, which can lead to the program's name having a different year designation. This system helps the U.S. government allocate visas and other resources according to its budgetary and operational needs.