Last Updated on April 27, 2023
NOTE: This article was updated on May 10, 2022 to reflect new information on the 2023 Diversity Visa lottery program.
UPDATE: The U.S. State Department has selected winners for the 2023 Diversity Visa lottery. Registrants can now check the status of their entries on the E-DV website. Results will be available through Sept. 30, 2023. Individuals should be prepared to provide their entry confirmation number, year of birth and last name to access their results. Individuals who are selected in the 2023 Diversity Visa lottery will receive instructions on how they and their eligible family members can apply for an immigrant visa.
Individuals can only check their status through the Entrant Status Check website. The State Department notes that it will not notify winners by letter or email.
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The State Department has announced that registration has opened for the 2023 Diversity Visa lottery. Applications will be accepted electronically through the State Department’s e-DV website through Nov. 9, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. EST.
Overview
For FY 2023, approximately 55,000 diversity immigrant visas will be available to individuals from countries with historically low immigration rates to the U.S. As before, lottery winners will be selected through a random process. Registrants will receive a confirmation number when they apply, and they may use that number to see if they have been selected starting on May 8, 2022. To apply for the lottery, registrants may only submit an entry form online using the State Department’s website. Paper applications will not be accepted. Applications are limited to one per person. Submitting multiple entries may disqualify a registrant from receiving a visa.
Individuals from the following countries are not eligible to apply for a 2023 Diversity Visa: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Macau, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Venezuela and Vietnam.
Looking Ahead
Eligible individuals should follow instructions from the State Department to apply online. Additionally, the State Department advises registrants to avoid waiting until the deadline to apply in order to avoid delays and potential website impacts due to a high volume of registrations.
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Envoy is pleased to provide you this information, which was prepared in collaboration with Anne Walsh, who is a Partner at Global Immigration Associates (GIA), one of the two independent U.S. law firms Envoy exclusively works with on the Envoy Platform (the “U.S. Law Firms”).
Content in this publication is for informational purposes only and not intended as legal advice, nor should it be relied on as such. For additional information on the issues discussed, consult an attorney at one of the two U.S. Law Firms working with the Envoy Platform or another qualified professional. On non-U.S. immigration issues, consult an Envoy global immigration service provider or another qualified representative.
