28/10/2025
Summary of DV-2027 lottery changes
The following changes impact the DV-2027 lottery, which is expected to begin its registration period in late 2025.
New $1 electronic registration fee
A first-time charge: For the first time, all applicants for the Diversity Visa lottery will be required to pay a non-refundable $1 fee when they register their entry electronically. Previously, the registration was free, and only those selected for a visa paid a fee.
Fee's purpose: The U.S. Department of State (DOS) implemented the fee to help cover the administrative costs of running the lottery. It aims to more fairly distribute the burden of these costs among all entrants, rather than solely on the small percentage of winners.
Online payment required: Payment must be made electronically through the official DV lottery website at the time of submission.
Expected revenue: The State Department estimates the fee will generate approximately $25 million in annual revenue.
Delayed registration period
Unspecified delay: The State Department has not yet provided the official registration dates for the DV-2027 lottery. Typically, the registration window opens in early October, but this year it has been delayed.
Reason for delay: While no official reason was given, immigration lawyers speculate the delay is related to the time needed to implement the new electronic payment processing system for the registration fee. The DOS stated that new dates will be "widely publicized in the coming months".
Other updates and clarifications
DV-2026 is over: The registration period for the DV-2026 program ran from October to November 2024, and the selection results were made available in May 2025.
Passport requirement: A previous proposal to require a valid passport scan for the DV-2026 entry did not become a final rule for that cycle. A recent report states that a passport will not be mandatory for DV-2027 registration.
Separate from visa fee: The new $1 registration fee is separate from the $330 immigrant visa application fee, which selected winners still need to pay later in the process.