The United States government has clarified how entries for the 2026 Diversity Visa (DV) programme, often called the Green Card Lottery, are selected, confirming that a computer-based random draw determines successful applicants from each geographic region. The US Department of State also issued a warning about fraudulent selection notifications, emphasizing that official notices are never sent by email or postal mail.
How the Random Selection Works
According to official guidance from the US Department of State, all entries received from each geographic region during the entry period are individually numbered. Once the entry window closes, a computer randomly draws from the full pool of entries submitted for each region. The order in which entries are drawn determines each applicant's case number: the first selected entry becomes the first registered case, the second becomes the second, and so on.
Every entry submitted within a region carries an equal chance of being picked, regardless of when it was submitted during the entry period. This means that early submissions do not have an advantage over later ones, and each applicant's odds are identical within their region.
How Applicants Learn They Are Selected
The Department of State said it notifies successful entrants exclusively through the Entrant Status Check tool on the official E-DV website, dvprogram.state.gov. This tool was made available from May 3, 2025, and will remain accessible through September 30, 2026.
The Department stressed that it does not send selection notices by email or regular postal mail. Any letter or email claiming that a person has been selected for a Diversity Visa, and which does not come directly from the Department of State, should be treated as fraudulent. The Department added that any genuine email it sends will only direct the recipient to check the Entrant Status Check portal for updates, and that it will never request money to be sent by post or through services like Western Union, except in cases involving adjustment of status within the United States.
What Happens After Selection
Applicants who are selected and respond to the instructions provided through the Entrant Status Check portal will have their cases handled by the Department of State's Kentucky Consular Center (KCC). The KCC processes each case until the selected individual is either called for a visa interview at a US embassy or consulate abroad, or, for those already in the United States, directed to apply for adjustment of status through the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the US government had explained how to know you have been selected for the Green Card Lottery.
About the US Green Card Lottery
The Diversity Immigrant Visa programme, managed by the US Department of State (DOS), makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available each year. Selection is random, but participation is restricted to nationals of countries that historically send low numbers of immigrants to the United States. The programme is free to enter.
Source: Legit.ng
