Diversity Visa 2026: Passport Now Required to Enter the Lottery
Millions of people enter the U.S. green card lottery every year hoping for a life-changing result. But starting April 10, 2026, there is a new rule that could disqualify your entry before it is even reviewed. If you do not have a passport, you may not be able to apply at all.
If you plan to enter the Diversity Immigrant Visa lottery — also called the green card lottery — you now need a valid, unexpired passport before you apply. A new rule from the U.S. Department of State took effect on April 10, 2026. Without a passport, your entry may be rejected.
What Changed and Why
The Department of State updated the rules for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Program), which gives up to 55,000 green cards each year to people from countries with low immigration rates to the U.S. Under the new rule, every person who submits a DV lottery entry must provide valid, unexpired passport information. You must also upload a scan of the passport's biographic page — the page with your photo and personal details — and the signature page. If you qualify for an exemption from this requirement, you must indicate that in your entry form.
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The Department says this change is meant to reduce fraud and improve the integrity of the program. A 2013 State Department inspector general report on the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, had flagged fraud concerns in the DV Program. A previous attempt to add a passport requirement in 2019 was struck down by a federal court, which ruled the government had skipped required public comment steps. This time, the Department followed the full rulemaking process, making the rule harder to challenge in court.
What to Do
- If you do not have a passport, apply for one in your home country as soon as possible — processing times vary widely by country.
- Make sure your passport is valid and unexpired before the DV lottery entry window opens. Check the official DV Program site at dvprogram.state.gov for exact dates.
- When filling out your entry, upload a clear scan of your passport's biographic page and signature page — blurry or incomplete scans may disqualify your entry.
- If you believe you qualify for an exemption from the passport requirement, mark that clearly in your entry form and keep any supporting documents ready in case you are selected.
Fishkin Law Firm, New York
This passport requirement closes a real loophole that fraudsters exploited for years — but it also creates a barrier for applicants in countries where passports are expensive or hard to obtain. If you are selected as a DV selectee and face any issue with your passport documentation, do not ignore correspondence from the National Visa Center; missing a deadline can end your case permanently. Given the complexity of the DV process after selection, consulting an immigration attorney before your consular interview is strongly advisable.