A valid, unexpired passport will be mandatory with every Diversity Visa lottery entry starting April 10, 2026, under a final rule published by the U.S. Department of State on March 11, 2026. The change applies to the DV-2027 Program and marks the most significant overhaul of the lottery's entry requirements in years.

The rule, titled "Visas: Enhancing Vetting and Combatting Fraud in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program," also introduces a new non-refundable $1 registration fee and revised entry form language. The DOS published the rule in the Federal Register, and applicants should anchor all eligibility questions to that official text.

What is the DV Program?

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program offers up to 55,000 immigrant visas each year to nationals of countries with historically low U.S. immigration rates. A randomized computer drawing selects winners, who may then apply for U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (green card) status.

What exactly changes on the entry form?

The new rule reshapes the initial entry process in several ways:

• Passport requirement: Entrants must hold a valid, unexpired passport at the time they submit the initial entry form.
• Scan upload: Applicants must upload a JPEG scan of the passport biographic and signature page together with the entry.
• Spouses and children: The passport scan applies only to the primary petitioner. Derivative spouses and children must still provide photographs and identifying information.
• Registration fee: A new, non-refundable $1 form entry fee applies.
• Updated terminology: The form now uses "sex" instead of "gender" and "date of birth" instead of "age," aligning the entry form with information collected later in the immigrant visa process.

Are there exemptions from the passport rule?

Yes, but only narrow ones. The rule exempts:

• applicants who are stateless;
• nationals of a Communist-controlled country whose government will not issue them a passport;
• beneficiaries of an individual waiver approved jointly by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State.

Applicants claiming an exemption must submit evidence for review. Anyone else entering the lottery without a compliant passport risks disqualification.

When does DV-2027 registration open?

The DOS has delayed the opening of the DV-2027 registration period because of the new passport requirement and has not yet announced a start date. For those selected, the application window remains October 1, 2027 through September 30, 2028 — the standard fiscal-year cycle for diversity visa processing.

Who should act now?

Passport processing times vary significantly by country, and the new rule makes the document a gatekeeping requirement at the very first step. Foreign nationals from eligible countries should secure a valid, unexpired passport as early as possible to avoid processing delays or disqualification of their entry.

Employers and HR teams supporting potential entrants should flag the requirement in workforce planning. The change does not alter the lottery's country-eligibility logic or the 55,000-visa cap; it tightens what an applicant must prove at entry.

This article summarizes the published rule for general information. Entrants with individual circumstances — particularly those who believe they may qualify for an exemption — should consult the final rule in the Federal Register and official DOS guidance.