The Diversity Visa Lottery

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program was created by the Immigration Act of 1990 to bring immigrants from countries that send few people to the United States. Each year the State Department runs a free online registration, and millions of people enter. Natives of countries that sent more than 50,000 immigrants in the previous five years, such as Mexico, India, China, and the Philippines, are not eligible. About 50,000 visas are available after a share is set aside for another program.

Entrants are chosen at random, but winners must still have at least a high school education or two years of qualifying work experience, pass security and medical checks, and complete their case before the end of the fiscal year. More people are selected than there are visas, so not every winner receives one. Winners have come largely from Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Critics have long argued that awarding green cards by chance makes little sense and poses security risks, and proposals to end the program have been included in several immigration bills. Supporters say it offers a path to people without family or employer connections and adds diversity. In December 2025 the administration paused the program after a shooting suspect was found to have entered through it, and its future has been tied up in court.