Washington, D.C. – The U.S. State Department has announced a new policy requiring a $1 fee for all applicants entering the annual Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, marking the first time the green card lottery will no longer be completely free.
The DV Lottery, which grants up to 55,000 permanent resident visas each year to individuals from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States, has traditionally not required a fee for online entry. That will change with the upcoming application cycle. It opens this fall.
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In a statement released this week, the department said the nominal fee is intended to help offset administrative costs. It will support infrastructure improvements for processing millions of applications. With more than 20 million people applying annually, the department expects to raise approximately $25 million from the new fee.
“While the fee is minimal, it ensures that the program continues to run efficiently and securely,” the department noted.
However, critics point out that even a small fee could pose a barrier for individuals in poorer countries. Access to credit cards or digital payment platforms is often limited or unreliable in these regions. Many of the countries whose citizens rely most on the DV Lottery also face challenges with online financial systems.
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Potential Barriers to Access
Applicants must pay the $1 fee online via a U.S. government website, using an accepted form of electronic payment. While this may seem trivial for many users globally, immigration advocates warn it could disenfranchise some of the world’s most vulnerable populations, who may not have the resources to make international payments or may rely on third-party agents who charge exorbitant fees.
“It’s not the dollar that’s the issue—it’s the payment mechanism,” said a representative from a nonprofit immigration organization. “This change could make the program less accessible to the very people it was designed to help.”
Background: What Is the Diversity Visa Lottery?
The Diversity Visa Lottery was established by the Immigration Act of 1990 to promote immigration from underrepresented countries. Each year, nationals from eligible countries can enter a random draw. Winners receive the opportunity to apply for a U.S. green card. The program has been a popular—and often the only—legal immigration pathway for many aspiring migrants.
Looking Ahead
The new $1 fee will take effect starting with the DV-2027 lottery, which opens for entries in October 2025. Further details on how to pay the fee and updates to the application process will be published on the official dvprogram.state.gov website.
Despite its small size, the introduction of the fee reflects broader trends in immigration policy. These trends aim at balancing accessibility with cost recovery and security. Whether it will discourage applicants or reshape participation remains to be seen.
