The U.S. Department of State has announced a new rule requiring all Diversity Visa (DV) lottery applicants to pay a $1 electronic fee when submitting their entry. This is the first time the Green Card lottery will not be completely free to enter.
Under the final rule published on September 16, 2025, the $1 fee takes effect for the DV-2027 cycle (whose registration will open in fall 2025). The $1 charge is in addition to the existing $330 Diversity Visa application fee that only applies if an applicant is later selected.
What Are the Changes?
- $1 entry fee at registration. Every person submitting a Diversity Visa entry must pay $1 when they hit the “submit” button on the official lottery website. (Previously, no fee was required at the entry stage.)
- Standard visa fee unchanged. The existing $330 DV immigrant visa application fee still applies to any winners who move on to apply for a visa, but the $1 is a new, separate charge.
- Paid through official portal. Payment must be made online at the time of registration via the U.S. government’s official DV entry portal. Major credit/debit cards or other electronic methods accepted by the State Department can be used. (No paper checks or money orders are allowed for DV registration.)
- Non-refundable fee. The $1 registration fee will not be refunded under any circumstances – even if an entry is later found invalid, cancelled, or not selected. It also cannot be transferred to a future year; a fresh fee is required for each DV lottery entry.
These are the only program changes announced. The overall DV process remains the same: a fixed number of 50,000–55,000 green cards will be randomly awarded to winners from eligible countries. No changes were made to eligibility criteria, visa allotments, or the timing of the lottery except for the new fee.
Why Was the Fee Introduced?
The State Department provided several reasons for adding a $1 entry fee:
- Fairer cost distribution. Until now, only lottery winners have paid to get a visa ($330 each), while tens of millions of hopeful entrants have not paid anything. The new fee spreads the administrative costs of the lottery across all applicants, instead of burdening only the select few. In other words, each of an estimated 25 million annual registrants will chip in $1, rather than just 50,000–55,000 winners covering the entire expense.
- Revenue for system improvements. The Department estimates that the $1 fee will generate about $25 million per year in new revenue for the DV program. That money is intended for system maintenance and upgrades (including cybersecurity and fraud detection tools) needed to process and secure the massive lottery database.
- Fraud and abuse deterrence. Officials hope a nominal fee will discourage fraudulent or automated bulk entries. The rule notes that it may “help to reduce specious registrations by actors seeking to exploit unsuspecting potential entrants”. In practice, it means scammers who once automated thousands of fake entries might think twice if each costs $1.
These goals align with a broader trend of shifting government program costs onto users. (Similar fee hikes have been seen in other immigration services recently.) In announcing the change, the State Department emphasized that the fee helps match the “user-pays” approach – making the lottery more self-funded and less reliant on general appropriations.
How Will Payment Be Made?
All payments will be handled electronically through the official U.S. government DV lottery website (the only authorized portal for Diversity Visa entries). When a user fills out the online entry form and clicks “submit,” they will be prompted to complete the $1 payment through a secure U.S. Treasury payment system. Accepted payment methods will include major credit and debit cards (and possibly online bank transfer options, as supported by the DOS portal) – exact details will be provided by the State Department when DV-2027 registration opens.
Importantly, applicants should not use any third-party “Visa consultant” or other website to pay the $1 fee. Only the official DV entry site will collect the fee. Fraudsters may set up fake lottery websites asking for the $1 (or more) fee; to protect themselves, entrants should go directly to the U.S. State Department’s DV program site (typically at dvprogram.state.gov) and pay only there.
When Does the New Fee Take Effect?
The final rule was published on September 16, 2025 and will take effect roughly 30 days later. In practice, that means registrations submitted on or after mid‑October 2025 will require the $1 fee. The State Department has said the fee will apply to the next DV registration round (DV-2027).
For example, the DV-2026 registration period (October–November 2024) was fee-free. When the DV-2027 registration period opens in fall 2025 (see next section), every entrant at that time must pay the new $1 fee.
When Will the DV-2027 Lottery Start?
While exact dates for DV-2027 have not yet been announced, the registration period is expected to open in early October 2025. In recent years, the lottery window typically runs from early October to early November.
For instance, the DV-2026 entry period was October 2 through November 7, 2024. The State Department’s announcement notes that the new fee rule comes just weeks before the DV-2027 registration period (“early October”). We expect DOS to formally set the dates in the Federal Register or on travel.state.gov ahead of time.
Prospective applicants should keep an eye on the official Diversity Visa website for the exact launch date. Once announced, the $1 fee must be paid at the time of entry via the government portal. No payment will be accepted after an entry has already been submitted – it must happen simultaneously with registration
Possible Effects / What This Means
Slightly fewer entries, slightly better odds. A $1 fee is small for most applicants, but it may discourage some borderline or multiple filings. The State Department itself expects overall demand for the lottery to decline slightly after the fee is imposed. Fewer total entries would marginally improve the statistical odds of winning for those who do apply. (Since winners are still capped at ~50,000 visas, a drop in entries means each entrant’s chances go up a bit.)- Additional program funding. The $25 million or so raised annually can help maintain and secure the lottery system without dipping into other budgets. That funding could enable better software, more staff support, and faster entry processing – improvements that might benefit applicants by reducing technical glitches and delays.
- New, modest financial barrier. While just one dollar sounds trivial, it is technically a new hurdle for all would-be entrants. For most people, the cost is negligible – but for some applicants in low-income countries, even $1 (plus any foreign transaction fees) could be a hardship. Experts warn that even a small fee may slightly reduce participation from applicants in disadvantaged regions. Given that the DV program aims to promote diversity, some worry this change could undercut that goal in a minor way.
- Fraud prevention – but caution needed. The fee may deter automated scams (as intended). However, observers also caution applicants to be alert for new rip-offs. Fraudsters know that entrants now have to pay online, so some may create fake “official” sites and charge higher fees. It’s essential to only use the U.S. government’s official DV site when paying the $1, and to ignore any other sites or agents claiming to help for a fee.
Overall, this change is largely a policy tweak rather than a dramatic overhaul. The entry fee is quite small in practical terms, so the DV lottery remains an attractive green card option for millions of people worldwide. In effect, the rule formalizes costs that already existed behind the scenes (in the visa fee) and asks all applicants to share them. Applicants should simply plan to include that $1 payment in their budgeting for the next lottery cycle.
Conclusion
The $1 entry fee for the U.S. Diversity Visa lottery will take effect in the next registration round, meaning DV-2027 applicants (in fall 2025) must pay at the time of entry. The State Department’s goal is to make the program more self-sustaining and fraud-resistant by spreading costs across all entrants. The change may slightly lower participation and improve odds, but for most hopeful immigrants it is a minor new requirement.
It’s important for applicants to be prepared: gather the necessary documents, check the registration start date, and have the ability to pay $1 through the official website. Above all, watch out for scams – always register and pay only on the U.S. State Department’s DV lottery portal, and never through an unverified third party.
Staying informed about these updates will help serious applicants navigate the process smoothly. While the fee is new, the core diversity visa program – a chance to win one of up to 55,000 green cards – remains a valuable opportunity for eligible individuals worldwide.
The Law Offices of Anne Z. Sedki
If you have questions about the DV lottery changes or any U.S. immigration matter, we can help. The Law Offices of Anne Z. Sedki is a U.S. immigration law firm with almost two decades of experience guiding individuals and families through visas, green cards, and naturalization. We offer personalized advice on the green card lottery process and all other immigration options.
To discuss your situation or get professional guidance, please contact us. You can reach our Garden City, NY office by phone at +15169636617, or send us a message through the online contact form. Scheduling a consultation is easy and can help ensure your entry is properly completed. The Law Offices of Anne Z. Sedki (also serving New Jersey) is licensed in the U.S. and dedicated to protecting your rights and opportunities under U.S. immigration law.
Whether you’re applying for the diversity visa or another immigration benefit, our team is here to make the process clearer and to represent your interests every step of the way. Reach out today to see how we can assist you with your immigration goals.
