Chances to win the American Green Card in the visa lottery for Nepali citizens

Each year, the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery offers a route to permanent residency in the United States, though the likelihood of success varies depending on your country of origin. This article examines the DV lottery chances for Nepalese citizens, dispels common myths about the programme, and offers tips on how to maximise your odds of winning.

Table of contents

• What is the Diversity Visa program (DV lottery)?
• Nepal and the Diversity Visa program
• Chances of winning: statistics
• How to increase your Green Card lottery chances
• Get your Green Card lottery photo online!
• DV lottery photo app
• DV lottery myths and misconceptions
• Tips for Nepali applicants

What is the Diversity Visa program (DV lottery)?

The Diversity Visa (DV) program, commonly known as the Green Card lottery, is a U.S. government initiative that grants permanent residency to randomly selected applicants from countries with low immigration rates to the United States. Each year, around 55,000 visas are issued, offering winners and their families the opportunity to live and work legally in the U.S.

These visas are distributed among six global regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America (including Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean), North America (restricted to Canada and the Bahamas), and Oceania. The U.S. Department of State ensures no single country receives over 7% of the total visas, translating to a maximum of around 3,850 visas per nation each year. Despite this, yearly application numbers often range between 10 and 15 million, resulting in a winning probability of approximately 1-2% per entry.

The process is conducted online during a designated registration period, typically from early October to early November. Applicants must provide precise personal information and passport-style photos for themselves and each family member, including spouses and children. Selection occurs randomly through a computer-generated draw from all qualified entries, with results announced in May of the following year.

Note: Winning the lottery gives you the chance to apply for an immigrant visa, but it does not guarantee you will receive one.

Nepal and the Diversity Visa program

Nepal has been an active and highly represented participant in the Diversity Visa program for many years, with tens of thousands of applicants entering annually. This section explains why Nepal continues to rank among the top participating countries and how high participation levels can influence an individual applicant’s odds.

Is Nepal eligible for the Green Card lottery? Yes, as it hasn't surpassed the U.S. immigration threshold over the past five years, Nepal qualifies for the DV programme. It has a strong track record in the lottery and consistently submits a large number of applications. For instance, the number of Nepalese DV lottery applicants ranges from 600,000 to over 1 million each year, demonstrating a significant interest in U.S. residency opportunities. If Nepal were ever disqualified, eligibility could still be claimed via parental or spousal birth countries. Applicants must satisfy education or work credentials to participate.

The key reasons why Nepal remains one of the top participating countries are as follows:

• The program provides a free route to U.S. permanent residency without needing a sponsor.
• Many young Nepalis seek better opportunities through migration.
• Media, social networks, and cultural focus on the DV lottery elevate awareness.
• Straightforward application process with relaxed passport submission rules.

Despite the large applicant pool, a statutory cap limits any country to 7% (around 3,850) of the 55,000 visas available annually. This cap creates competition within Nepal’s pool, reduces individual odds of winning, but ensures no single country dominates. The lottery process remains random and respects these limits to maintain global diversity.

Chances of winning: statistics

While the DV Lottery is based on random selection, data shows that Nepali applicants often enjoy relatively favourable odds compared to many other countries. Understanding past statistics helps estimate realistic expectations and highlights why Nepal remains one of the most successful participant nations.

How many DV lottery winners were there in Nepal? In 2023, out of 421,765 Nepali participants, 3,808 were selected as winners, reflecting a success rate of around 0.90%. For the fiscal year 2025, 3,861 Nepali applicants won, ranking Nepal third in Asia, following Iran and Afghanistan. Globally, 131,060 entrants were chosen to ensure the complete allocation of the 55,000 available visas, underlining the high competition with millions of global applicants.

For a detailed breakdown of Diversity Visa Lottery statistics by country and to calculate your personal odds of success, visit the DVLottery.me website.

How to increase your Green Card lottery chances

Improving your chances in the DV lottery starts with submitting a fully compliant entry that meets all technical and eligibility requirements. Here, you’ll learn how accurate form completion, a proper photo, and meeting education or work criteria help ensure your entry remains valid throughout the selection process.

Follow these essential steps to boost your chances of winning the Green Card lottery:

• Correctly fill out the DV entry form
  Efficiently fill out the official Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form (E-DV), ensuring you provide correct details such as your full name, birthdate and place, gender, and country of eligibility. Include all family members - spouse and unmarried children under 21 - with exact personal information to prevent disqualification. Check for and eliminate errors or typos to avoid application rejection. To learn more about how to apply for the DV lottery in Nepal or any other country, check out our step-by-step DV Lottery Application Guide.

• Submit a photo that meets the official requirements.
  Upload a recent, colour passport-style photo taken within the past six months that aligns with U.S. Department of State standards. Pay attention to precise guidelines for photo size, background, and composition. Note that DV Lottery photos meet the same standards as U.S. passport photos. Use our free online DV Lottery photo checker to verify compliance and avoid disqualification due to photo errors.

• Avoid duplicate or incorrect entries
  Submit only one entry per person, as multiple entries for the same individual result in disqualification. Keep a track of your confirmation number to avoid accidental duplicate submissions. Maintain fairness by ensuring only valid, non-duplicate entries are submitted.

• Meet education or work-experience criteria
  Ensure you have at least a high school education or its equivalent, or possess two years of qualifying work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience. Meeting these criteria is critical to avoid disqualification during visa processing.

• Submit within the official registration period
  Enter the lottery during the official registration period, usually about a month in early fall (October-November). Submit your application early to avoid last-minute website congestion or technical issues. Entries submitted outside the official period are automatically rejected.

Get your Green Card lottery photo online!

Enhance your Green Card Lottery odds by perfecting every element of your application, especially your photo. Visafoto simplifies this process. Since 2013, it has been assisting individuals globally in producing passport, visa, and ID photos that fulfill official standards.

To use Visafoto, take a picture in daylight using your camera or smartphone, and upload it to Visafoto.com. The platform will automatically refine the background, optimize resolution, adjust colours, and crop your image to the correct size.

Here is an example of the photo you can upload:

After processing, you’ll receive a digital copy suitable for online submission and a version ready for printing. If you're not satisfied, you can request a free replacement. Furthermore, if authorities reject your photo, we guarantee a full refund.

DV lottery photo app

Creating the compliant DV Lottery photo is effortless with the 7ID Photo App, accessible on both iPhone and Android. This app, powered by Visafoto, guarantees your photo adheres to the DV program's strict criteria.

Upload your image and choose your country and document type - in this case, the US Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery. The app handles the rest, offering:

• Automatic resizing: your photo is cropped to meet DV Lottery size specifications, with precise head and eye position and correct file size.

• Background adjustments: the app simplifies your background to a uniform white.

• 24/7 support: unsatisfied with your photo? Reach out to customer support for a complimentary replacement directly through the app.

• The app also conducts a free photo compliance check to ensure it meets DV Lottery standards.

Additionally, the 7ID app features “DV Program Sidekick”, a tool to securely save your DV Program confirmation code. This feature simplifies tracking your DV Lottery status, consolidating all essential information within one convenient app.

DV lottery myths and misconceptions

Many popular beliefs about the DV lottery - such as the idea that paid agents can secure a higher chance of selection - are simply untrue. Below, we clarify the most common misconceptions so that Nepali applicants understand what genuinely affects their odds and what leads to automatic disqualification.

Paying agents or consultants does not increase chances! Hiring an agent or consultant to submit your entry does not boost your chances of winning the DV lottery. The selection process is fully random and computer-generated, meaning every valid entry competes equally, regardless of who submits it. The U.S. government offers a free official online application, and any third-party fees do not affect the selection process.

Multiple entries from one person lead to disqualification! You can only submit one entry per registration period. Submitting more than one entry for yourself results in a disqualification of all entries. The system is designed to rigorously detect and eliminate duplicates. However, a married couple can increase their household odds by each spouse submitting a separate entry.

Claims of “priority countries” or “guaranteed approvals” are myths! The DV lottery selections are entirely random, with no preferential treatment for any country, person, or group aside from regional allocations and quotas. Nobody can guarantee a win or approval in the lottery. Promises of priority or guaranteed selection are fraudulent. Participation should only be through the official government website during the designated period.

Tips for Nepali applicants

A successful DV entry often comes down to careful preparation and relying only on official sources. Below, you’ll find practical tips on using the correct website, preparing compliant photos, and avoiding scams that target Nepali entrants.

• Use only the official U.S. government website. The U.S. Department of State’s dedicated lottery portal at dvprogram.state.gov is your only secure route to register for the DV Lottery. Guarantee claims, or “fast-track” services from third-party agents are often fraudulent.
• Prepare a compliant photo in advance. You must upload a square JPEG of exactly 600 × 600 pixels (or up to 1200 × 1200), no larger than 240 kB, in sRGB colour space, taken in the last six months. Non-compliant photos trigger automatic disqualification. Ensure each family member listed has an individual compliant photo uploaded.
• Secure your confirmation number. After you submit your online form, you’ll receive a unique confirmation number - keep it safe. You will need this number to check results and move forward if selected. Losing it means you cannot verify your outcome. To avoid misuse, never share your confirmation number with anyone else.
• Stay alert to scams and fake “lottery registration” websites. The State Department will never notify you by email or phone that you’ve “won” the lottery. If someone claims they can “guarantee” your Green Card or accelerate your entry, that service is a scam.

Best of luck with the Lottery!