Changes to Diversity Visa Lottery for FY 2027: Passport Requirement Returns Starting April 10th

On March 11, 2026, the U.S. Department of State published a final rule in the Federal Register requiring applicants to hold a valid passport before entering the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery—commonly known as the “green card lottery,” effective April 10, 2026.

This change marks a return to a policy first introduced during the Trump administration, later struck down in 2022, and now reinstated through formal rulemaking. For many applicants around the world, the update will reshape how—and whether—they can participate the green card lottery.

What Is the Diversity Visa Program?

The Diversity Visa program allocates up to 55,000 immigrant visas each year to individuals from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States.

Applicants are selected through a randomized lottery system. For many, particularly in parts of Africa and other underrepresented regions, the program serves as a rare opportunity to pursue lawful permanent residency.

What’s Changing Under the New Rule?

The most important change is simple but impactful:

Applicants must now possess a valid, unexpired passport at the time of entry
They must provide passport details (number, country, expiration date) and
They must upload a digital scan of the passport’s biographic page at the time of registering.

Previously, applicants could enter the lottery without a passport and only needed one if selected. That flexibility is now gone.

The rule is expected to take effect April 10, 2026, and apply to the DV-2027 lottery cycle.

Why the Government Says This Matters

According to the State Department, the new requirement is aimed at reducing fraud and improving identity verification in the lottery process.

Officials have pointed to widespread abuse in prior years, including:

Duplicate or fake entries
Third parties submitting applications without applicants’ knowledge
Identity manipulation to increase selection chances

By requiring passports upfront, the government believes it can better confirm identity and eliminate invalid submissions early in the process.

What This Means for Future Applicants

The DV-2027 lottery registration start date has not been officially announced and is delayed beyond the traditional October opening due to administrative changes.

Nevertheless, for those planning to apply for the DV lottery, preparation starts now.

Before the registration window opens, applicants should:

Ensure they have a valid passport
Confirm passport details are accurate and unexpired
Prepare a clear digital scan of the passport

Failure to meet these requirements could result in automatic disqualification.

To read the final rule, please click here.

Contact Us. If you would like to schedule a consultation, please text 619-483-4549 or call 619-819-9204.

Helpful Links

JOIN OUR NEW FACEBOOK GROUP

Need more immigration updates? We have created a new facebook group to address the impact of the new executive orders and other changing developments. Follow us there!