The results of the 2026 American Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery have been published. The U.S. Department of State released the results online at 12 PM (New York time).
Winners can begin their visa process from October 1, 2025, and must complete it by September 30, 2026. If they miss this deadline, they will automatically lose their chance.
People who applied between October 2 and November 7 last year can check their results online. They are advised to keep their confirmation number safe at least until September 30, 2026.
How to Check the DV Result?
To find out if you were selected, enter your confirmation number, last name, and year of birth on the official U.S. State Department website. Once submitted, you’ll know whether you were selected and what to do next if you were.
What About Next Year’s DV Program?
The U.S. government plans to offer 50,000 DV visas for the fiscal year 2026. Applicants must meet some clear eligibility requirements. These visas are distributed across six global regions, and no more than 7% can go to applicants from any single country in a year.
Is the Future of the DV Program Uncertain?
Yes. If Donald Trump wins a second term as U.S. President, the DV program might be at risk. A new bill has been proposed in Congress to end the DV lottery, including removing benefits for family members of DV winners. This bill, introduced by Republican Congressman Mike Collins in February, has not been passed yet.
The DV program has faced criticism for years. After a 2017 truck attack in Manhattan, where eight people died, former President Trump called for ending the DV lottery because the attacker, Sayfullo Saipov, had come to the U.S. through the DV program.
Trump supported the RAISE Act, which aimed to reduce family-based immigration, change the employment-based visa system, and end the DV program. However, this bill and a similar one in 2018 both failed to pass.
What Is the DV Lottery Program?
The Diversity Visa (DV) program is run by the U.S. government to increase diversity among immigrants. It gives people from countries with low immigration rates to the U.S. a chance to apply for a green card.
Every year, winners are randomly selected by a computer system, and those chosen can move to the U.S. with their families to live, work, and study permanently.
Started in 1990, the DV program is part of the U.S. immigration law. Since 1995, more than 57,000 Nepalis have received green cards through the DV lottery—making up over 25% of all Nepali green card holders in the U.S.
