USA plans major changes to Green Card lottery

The United States government is preparing to implement significant updates to the Diversity Visa Program, commonly known as the Green Card lottery. These changes, which are expected to take effect by April 10, 2026, will apply to the upcoming DV-2027 cycle. According to the US Federal Register, the primary goal of these adjustments is to enhance program transparency and combat the rising tide of fraudulent and duplicate applications. Reports Tengrinews.kz.

Under the proposed guidelines, applicants will be required to provide a valid passport, including a scanned copy of the page containing personal information and a signature. Furthermore, the application process will now include a nominal fee of 1 dollar. To assist applicants, the time limit for completing the online form will be extended from 30 minutes to 90 minutes. Officials also plan to refine terminology, replacing terms like gender and age with biological sex and date of birth, while mandating stricter verification protocols for consular staff.

These measures follow a surge in suspicious activity, with authorities identifying approximately 2.5 million fraudulent or duplicate entries during the DV-2025 cycle. Despite these procedural changes, the core eligibility requirements remain largely unchanged, and there are currently no plans to introduce an English language proficiency mandate. The Diversity Visa Lottery continues to serve as a vital pathway for individuals from countries with historically low immigration rates to the United States.