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Diversity Visa Lottery Winners 2023 

Good news for participants in the 2023 Diversity Visa Lottery.  The long wait is finally over for millions of foreign nationals from around the world who participated in the 2023 visa lottery last year to legally immigrate to the United States with permanent resident status. The U.S. Department of State has since May 9, 2022 announced the winners of the 2023 Diversity Visa Lottery. Out of the millions of people who participated in last year’s lottery, 55,000 applicants were selected to apply for permanent resident status.

If you were one of those who participated, you can now check the results to see if you were selected. In this article, we will first show you how to check if you have been selected (I), then you will be informed about the next steps you need to take if you are selected (II) or if you are a winner. 

How should a Visa Lottery participant check their status?

To check if they have been selected, participants should visit the “DV Entrant Status Check“ portal on the Department of State website. On this site, foreign nationals can check their status by entering the confirmation information they received when they registered for the visa lottery. You must carry the following information:

• A confirmation number or code that was issued to you when you registered for the lottery,
• The last name you entered during registration,
• Your four-digit year of birth,

The Department of State does not notify selected individuals directly (by mail or e-mail). Participants themselves can check their status on the “DV Entant Status Check” portal on the Department of State website.

Therefore, the status check portal is the only way to confirm that you have been selected. Results will be available on the portal until the end of September 2023.

Being selected in the lottery does not guarantee that an applicant will receive a green card. It simply means that they can apply for a diversity visa. If selected, applicants must go through the green card application process to demonstrate that they can enter the United States. The actual process includes filing Form DS-260 (online immigrant visa application), attending a visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate, and paying all government-required application fees.

Those selected are encouraged to begin the application process as soon as possible, as all available diversity visas for the current fiscal year must be issued by September 30, 2023.

Next steps for diversity immigrant visa winners

Once a participant is selected, the individual will be directed to a confirmation page that will provide additional instructions, including U.S. immigration legal fees. “Selected applicants wishing to apply for a visa should be prepared to act quickly on their case,” officials said in the instructions. “The program will end once all 55,000 diversity visas have been issued.”

To immigrate to the U.S., DV winners must demonstrate their eligibility. The steps to do so are:

1.) Electronically submit Form DS-260, Online Application for Immigrant Visa, and Alien Registration.

2.) When the visa number is available at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate selected on the DS-260 form, conduct a face-to-face consular interview, which includes criminal and security questions to determine eligibility for immigration to the United States. An approved visa cannot be obtained on the day of the interview. You must bring the following items to the interview:

• Letter of nomination
• Confirmation of DS-260 page
• Passport
• Photos
• Medical test results
• Original supporting documents
• Certified English translations of these documents
• Visa fee ($330) “Depending on the U.S. embassy or consulate where you are applying, there may be additional instructions for obtaining civil documents in a particular country or additional documents may be required,” the department explains on its page.

Cases of green card winners living legally in the United States under non-immigrant legal status

While most lottery winners live in foreign countries and process immigration through consulates, some selected foreign nationals are already residing in the United States as nonimmigrants or under another legal status. For them, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will process the adjustment of the status applications.

The first step in obtaining a green card for this group under the diversity visa program is to file Form I-485, Application for Permanent Residence Document or Adjustment of Status and supporting evidence. All available diversity visas, including those for family members, must be issued by September 30, 2023. Otherwise, selected foreign nationals will have to spend a lot of money to obtain a green card through the 2023 visa lottery, paving the way to full U.S. citizenship.

Beware of fraudsters

If you receive an email informing you that you have been selected for the Diversity Visa Lottery, please be extra careful. Scammers have been known to do the same thing and ask for money. You should only check your status on the official State Department portal to see if you have been selected. 

Frequently Asked Question

Do I automatically get a green card now?

Just because you were selected in the diversity visa lottery does not mean you automatically qualify for a green card. It means that you have the right to apply for an immigrant visa for yourself and eligible family members.

How do I adjust my status in the DV program?

In order to adjust your status, you must demonstrate the following:

First, you were selected in the lottery,

Second, when you file an adjustment of status application (Form I-485, Application for Registration of Permanent Residence or Adjustment of Status), you are immediately issued an immigrant visa (see the latest visa bulletin); and

Finally, you can be admitted to the United States.

Need assistance with the process?

Schedule a consultation with one of the experienced immigration lawyers at Herman Legal Group by calling 1-800-808-4013 or 1-216-696-6170, or by booking online.  Consultations can be conducted by zoom, skype, WhatsApp, facetime, or in-office.

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