DOS restores passport requirement for the Diversity Visa lottery programme

The United States Department of State has issued a new regulation tightening the Diversity Visa Programme, also known as the green card lottery. Under this regulation, many applicants will need to provide valid, unexpired passport information and upload a scan of their passport when submitting their application. The regulation is effective from 10/04/2026.

The government stated this change is intended to reduce fraud and improve the vetting process. In the final rule, the Department of State noted it had detected over 2.5 million duplicate applications in the Diversity Visa programme for fiscal year 2025, and argued that requiring passport information earlier in the process would make it harder for third parties to submit fraudulent or unauthorised applications.

The timing of the implementation is also notable. Although the regulation is effective in April 2026, the Department of State said it plans to implement the passport requirement starting from the DV-2027 programme. This means applicants may need to be prepared for the next registration cycle.

Changes in the new regulation

The biggest change is at the application stage. The Diversity Visa application form DS-5501 now requires the primary applicant to provide passport information from a valid, unexpired passport and upload a scan of the passport’s biographical and signature pages.

Key requirements include: a valid, unexpired passport at the time of application; a JPEG scan of the biographical and signature pages of the passport; a maximum file size of 5 MB; PDF files are not accepted.

The final rule also introduces several other updates:

• The form replaces the word “gender” with “sex”;
• A field replaces “age” with “date of birth”;
  The form reflects the new Diversity Visa registration fee of US$1 issued in 2025.

Who may be exempt

Exemptions are very limited, applying to: stateless persons; nationals of communist-controlled countries who are unable to obtain a passport; and certain applicants granted individual waivers approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State.

For most applicants, the takeaway is simple: you need a valid passport before entering the lottery.

Reasons the Department of State believes this change is necessary

The Department of State stated that fraud is a persistent problem in the programme. In the regulation, the agency describes cases where third parties submit applications without the applicant’s knowledge and then demand payment to provide the confirmation code needed to continue the process.

Requiring passport information from the application stage helps authorities: verify identity earlier in the process; detect duplicate or altered applications; confirm the applicant’s country of birth and eligibility; and compare names across different spellings and alphabets.

The government stated that a similar previous passport regulation helped reduce abuse. During the years this regulation was in effect, the number of duplicate applications removed by the Department of State was significantly lower than in fiscal year 2025.

Concerns about accessibility and fairness

Not everyone supports this change. Some public comments argued that requiring a passport upfront could make the lottery less accessible to people in low-income countries, rural areas with limited government services, and regions of conflict or political instability.

In the final rule, the Department of State acknowledged these concerns but stated it still expects all available Diversity Visas to be used.

The agency also updated its estimate of the time required to complete the application. The final rule now estimates approximately 90 minutes per application, accounting for the time needed to gather passport information, scan documents, and upload them during the registration process.

What Diversity Visa applicants need to do right now

If you intend to participate in the green card lottery, early preparation will be more important under the new regulation.

Below are 5 practical steps applicants can take right now:

1. Check passport expiration date: ensure the passport is valid and has not expired. If it is about to expire, start the renewal process early.
2. Prepare a clear passport scan: the scan must be a JPEG file under 5 MB. Reviewing the scan beforehand can help avoid last-minute issues.
3. Save copies of your documents: save the passport scan, confirmation page, and confirmation code after submission.
4. Confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements: The passport rule does not replace the core requirements of the Diversity Visa programme. Applicants generally must hold a high school diploma or equivalent, or two years of qualifying work experience within the past five years.
5. Be prepared to pay the US$1 registration fee: The new US$1 Diversity Visa registration fee applies when submitting a lottery entry.

Implications of this regulation

For applicants, the rule introduces a new step at the beginning of the Diversity Visa process. Unless the regulation is delayed or successfully challenged, applicants should expect the passport requirement to apply starting from the DV-2027 lottery cycle.

Ensure your passport is valid and ready before the registration period opens.