Property tax in California for foreigners (UK guide)
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US Diversity Immigrant Visa: How the Green Card Lottery works for Brits
The US Green Card Lottery, also known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, takes place every year. Up to 55,000 visas are awarded to applicants who come from countries with low migration to the US.
There are strict eligibility requirements, and you need to fill out a digital application form and attend an interview to be in with a chance of securing a visa.
People from the UK now have the chance to apply for the Green Card Lottery, since migration rates to the US have dropped. If you’ve been thinking about moving abroad, and you’re keen to live and work in the US, now’s your chance to enter the lottery.
In this guide to the US Green Card Lottery for UK citizens, we share the eligibility criteria, walk through the application step-by-step, and explain how to check your entry status.
We’ll also show you how you could save on relocation costs as well as spending in USD as soon as you arrive with a Wise account.
Understanding the US Green Card Lottery (Diversity Visa Program)
If you want to become a permanent resident in the US, then the Green Card lottery can be a route towards this. Here’s some key things to know about it:
What is the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Lottery)?
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program awards a limited number of visas to people from countries with low migration rates to the US. The program aims to increase the diversity of the US population.
Applicants submit an online entry and, if successful, have an interview with a consular officer, who will approve or deny their visa. A list of eligible and ineligible countries is released for each year, by the US Department of State.
How does the Green Card Lottery work?
Individuals can submit a single entry to the Green Card Lottery, within a specific registration period. The registration period dates are announced by the Department of State each year. You need to have high school education or qualifying work experience to be eligible.
You submit an entry digitally, on the Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) website. After applying, you’ll get a confirmation number on your screen. Keep this number safe, you’ll need it to check your entry status and schedule an interview if successful.
If you’re selected, you’ll need to fill out DS-260 application forms for you and your family, sharing additional information about your eligibility for the program. Ahead of being interviewed, you’ll also need to prepare supporting documents to confirm your identity and eligibility.
Selection doesn’t guarantee you a visa, and visas are awarded randomly, based on the number available for each specific country and region.
The US Department of State offers detailed instructions for submitting a DV Lottery entry online.
Eligibility requirements for the US Green Card Lottery for UK applicants
UK applicants weren’t previously eligible for the US Green Card Lottery, but falling migration rates from the UK to the US now mean you can apply. Here’s what you need to know about eligibility criteria and restrictions.
Is the UK eligible for the DV Lottery?
Yes, the UK was added to the list of countries for the DV-2025 Program. There’s a list of eligible DV countries on the Department of State website.
Education or work experience requirements for the Green Card Lottery
You’re required to have high school education or equivalent, or two years of qualifying work experience. This criteria is defined in US law, as the following:1
- High school education: The successful completion of formal elementary and secondary education, comparable to the 12-year course in the US.
- Qualifying work experience: Two years’ experience in the last five years, in a job that the US Department of Labor defines as requiring at least two years of training or experience, and is in job zone 4 or 5, and has a Special Vocational Preparation (SVP) rating of 7.0 or higher.
You can find out if your job meets the work experience criteria by searching for it on the O*NET Online website.
What disqualifies you from the Green Card Lottery?
If you don’t have a high school education as defined above, or qualifying work experience, you won’t be eligible for the Green Card Lottery. Your birth country must also be listed by the US government as eligible for the DV Program.
Submitting multiple entries to the DV Program disqualifies you, as does providing false or non-compliant information in your application. You’ll also be disqualified if you fail to mention a spouse or family members on your original application.2
How to apply for the US Green Card Lottery
You submit an entry to the US Green Card Lottery online, during a specific registration window. Here’s a simple step by step for applying.
Registering your entry
Registration dates change each year. For the 2026 DV Lottery, applicants needed to submit their entry between 2 October 2024 and 7 November 2024. The registration dates haven’t been released yet for the 2027 DV Lottery, but the visa application period (which follows the registration window), will remain as 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027.³
How to submit your Diversity Visa entry
Head to the Electronic Diversity Visa (EDV) website, and complete the online entry form.
Essential information needed for the application
The Department of State offers a full list of information needed for a DV application, but expect to provide:4
- Your full name
- Gender
- Birth country
- The eligible country you’re submitting an entry for
- Photos of yourself, spouse, and children (if you’re migrating with family)
- Highest level of education achieved (or work experience equivalent)
- Marital status
Tips for a successful US Green Card Lottery application
Avoid disqualification by getting your application right the first time. Here are some tips:
- Make sure photos of you and your family meet US visa standards
- If you entered last year, submit different photos from last years’ entry
- Only make an entry using the EDV website
- Keep your confirmation number somewhere safe so you can use it to check your entry status
After submitting your Diversity Visa application
The only way to get updates on your entry status is using your confirmation number. Here’s what to do after submitting your entry.
How to check your DV Lottery status
Check your entry status on the EDV website, by entering your confirmation number, family name, and year of birth.
Next steps if selected
If you’ve been selected, the EDV website will show you extra steps, and you’ll need to complete the DS-260 Online Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration form. This form confirms details about yourself and your family to make sure you’re eligible.
After your DS-260 has been submitted online, you’ll get a visa interview date (providing there’s a visa number available for you), and instructions on which supporting documents you’ll need to bring with you. This could include birth certificates, court and prison records, military records, police certificates, or a photocopy of valid passport biographic data page.4
You and your family also need to have medical exams by an authorised doctor ahead of your interview. Exam results in a sealed envelope must be brought to your interview, along with your supporting documents.
Finally, you need to pay the fee for a Diversity Visa, which is $330 per family member.5
You’ll then have a visa interview with a consular officer where you’ll be asked questions about your eligibility to migrate to the US. At the end of the interview, you’ll be told whether your visa is confirmed or denied.
What to do if you are not selected for the DV Program?
You can always apply next year if you’re not selected, providing your birth country remains eligible. If you get through to the interview and your visa is denied, you’ll be told why. Other options, such as an employment visa, might be an alternative for you.
Save on your US relocation costs with Wise
The US Green Card Lottery gives you the opportunity to obtain a US visa for yourself and your family. Even though applying is straightforward, other steps such as organising documents, filling out the DS-260, and preparing for the interview can make things challenging.
You’ll also need to pay for your DV visa before the interview. And there are likely to be costs associated with relocating. Alongside your documents and visa fees, you should make sure you have a reliable way to pay in US dollars without costly exchange rate markups.
With a Wise account, you can hold multiple currencies and spend like a local in 150+ countries. Whether you’re paying the visa fee in US dollars, or covering moving costs in your current home country, Wise gives you low fees* and the mid-market rate for currency exchanges, so you can keep more of your money for living in the US.
FAQs: Green Card Lottery for UK citizens
Avoid the common pitfalls and make sure you’re fully prepped for the Green Card Lottery process with these frequently asked questions:
How many people are selected each year?
Up to 55,000 permanent resident visas are made available for the Green Card Lottery each year.6
Does applying for the DV Lottery cost money?
Previously entering was free, but a $1 fee for submitting an entry to the DV Lottery is coming into place.7
When is the best time to apply for the DV Lottery in 2026?
It’s too late to apply for the DV-2026. The next lottery is the DV-2027, and registration dates are yet to be announced and are currently delayed.8
Is the Green Card Lottery for 2027 open?
No, the Department of State is making changes to the DV Lottery process, and registration dates are yet to be announced.3
Which countries have more chances for the US Green Card Lottery?
For the DV-2026, Egypt had the most selected applicants, at 5,527. You can check which countries had the most selected applicants for previous years on the Department of State website.8
Sources used in this article:
1. Travel.State.Gov - eligibility and qualifications
2. Travel.State.Gov - applicant interviews
3. Travel.State.Gov - changes to entry period for 2027 diversity visa (DV) program
4. Travel.State.Gov - supporting documents
5. Travel.State.Gov - fees for US visa services
6. Travel.State.Gov - DV 2025 selected entrants
7. Federal register - schedule of fees for consular services
8. Travel.State.Gov - Diversity visa program statistics
Sources last checked: 15 Jan 2026
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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