Registration for the 2024 Diversity Visa Lotto starts on October 5

Tue Jul 30 2024 08:50:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The State Department in the U.S. will begin taking online entries for the Diversity Visa 2024 lottery on October 5th at noon EDT. People can apply until November 8th at noon EDT.

In FY 2024, the State Department is offering 55,000 green cards to foreign individuals.

The Diversity Visa plan allows individuals from nations with a lower immigration rate to the United States to obtain a green card. 

In 2024, certain countries are ineligible for application, including:

  • India, 
  • Brazil, 
  • Mexico, 
  • China (HK SAR included), 
  • Colombia, 
  • El Salvador, 
  • the Dominican Republic,
  • Bangladesh, 
  • Haiti, 
  • Nigeria, 
  • Pakistan, 
  • Honduras, 
  • Philippines, 
  • South Korea 
  • Canada, 
  • the United Kingdom (except for the Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories.

Residents of Taiwan and Macau SAR remain eligible to participate.

State Departments advise submitting your application early during the registration period to account for potential website delays caused by high demand. Each individual is limited to a single submission.

Related

Recent posts

DV-2026 Deadline: What Diversity Visa Winners Must Do Before September 30

A time-sensitive, official-source checklist for DV-2026 selectees: confirm selection safely, understand Visa Bulletin cut-offs, prepare for the right process, and act before the fiscal-year deadline.

Form I-9 Update for August 2026: Which Version Employers Must Use Now

A practical August 2026 update for employers on the correct Form I-9 edition, where to check the expiration date, and how to update an onboarding workflow without confusing new hires or existing records.

August 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 India Unavailable, Filing Charts, and DV-2026 Deadlines

A plain-English guide to the August 2026 Visa Bulletin, with the employment-based, family-based, and Diversity Visa details applicants should check before acting.

How to Change Your Address With USCIS After Moving: E-COA, AR-11, and Pending Cases

A practical, official-source guide to reporting a move to USCIS, including pending cases, sponsors, receipt numbers, and situations requiring special instructions.

July 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 India Unavailable and What Applicants Should Do

The July 2026 Visa Bulletin brings major employment-based green card changes, including EB-2 India becoming unavailable for the rest of FY 2026, EB-1 India retrogression, and EB-5 unreserved India unavailability.

Form I-20 and I-901 SEVIS Fee Before the F-1 Visa Interview

A pre-interview guide for F-1 students covering Form I-20 review, SEVIS fee timing, payment basics, and the documents students commonly prepare before the visa interview.