Green Card Lottery and Diversity Visa Lottery refer to the same U.S. Government visa program

In spite of the popular name Green Card Lottery, winners in the Diversity Visa program do not win a green card, but a chance to apply for an immigrant visa.  Succesful applicants will be issued an immigrant visa, and immigrant visa holders will attain legal permanent residence or green card status upon admission to the United States.

If you do not qualify for employment-based or family-based immigration, the most common way to obtain a green card is via the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery.

This year's DV registration period will run from noon, EDT, on October 4, 2011 through noon, EDT, on November 5, 2011.  Please review the detailed instructions (PDF 279 KB).  The Department of State has established a dedicated website for the submission of online DV applications: www.dvlottery.state.gov. The DV-2013 lottery is conducted entirely electronically, including online entries.  Paper entries are not accepted.   

Detailed information and future updates on the DV-2013 program: 

http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ 

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322.html

The official Diversity Visa Lottery website is www.dvlottery.state.gov .  All official websites will end with “.gov.” The Department of State has only one Kentucky Consular Center. Other organizations using similar names have no connection to the Department of State or KCC. There have been instances of fraudulent websites posing as official U.S. Government sites. Some companies posing as the U.S. Government have sought money in order to "complete" lottery entry forms. There is no charge to download and complete the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form. The Department of State does NOT notify successful Diversity Visa applicants by e-mail or by regular mail.  To learn more, see the Department of State Warning. 

There is no fee charged by the Department or KCC for sending your online participation to the DV Lottery program.  Only if you are selected, will DV fees be charged, at the time of the visa application at a U.S. consular office.  Each applicant (the principal DV participant and each accompanying family member) will be charged a USD 440 Diversity Lottery visa fee, plus a USD 305 immigrant visa processing fee and a USD 74 visa security enhancement surcharge.  These fees are non-refundable, even if the visa is refused.