Green card lottery applicants will have to meet with new requirements if they desire to see their dream of moving to America become a reality.
This is with particular reference to the 2027 Diversity Immigrant Visa Programme, which many people know as green card lottery.
With the latest development, applicants would be required to
- provide details from a valid, unexpired passport
- upload a scan of the passport’s biographic and signature page when submitting their electronic entry form.
- Applicants who do not meet this requirement must indicate that they qualify for an exemption.
Tightening vetting procedures is part of the Department of State’s efforts at reducing fraud.
“The Department published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), Visas: Enhancing Vetting and Combating Fraud in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (90 FR 37437), on August 5, 2025.
“The NPRM proposed requiring a DV Program petitioner to provide valid, unexpired passport information and upload a scan of the passport’s biographic and signature page to the electronic entry form or otherwise indicate that he or she is exempt from this requirement,” the Department said in a statement.
The rule, which took effect on April 10, 2026, marks a shift from previous application procedures, where passport information was not mandatory at the entry stage.
According to the department, millions of fraudulent entries have been recorded in recent years, including submissions made by third parties without applicants’ knowledge.
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It said in the 2025 programme alone, it identified 2.5 million fraudulent entries, many linked to organised schemes in which intermediaries submitted applications on behalf of unsuspecting individuals and later demanded payment to release confirmation details.
With the new passport requirement, it added, it would now become difficult fraudsters or proxies to file applications without the consent of the applicant’s consent.
Other changes that Green Card Lottery Applicants need to note are:
- The term “gender” has been replaced with “sex” and “age” has been substituted with “date of birth” to better reflect the data collected during the visa process.
- The word “shall” has been incorporated to clarify instructions for consular officers.
- The updated rules will apply to entries submitted for the FY2027 Diversity Visa Programme, which is administered annually and offers up to 55,000 immigrant visas to individuals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.
According to the Department of State, the estimated time required for green card lottery applicants to complete an application has increased by an hour.
The statement notes that notwithstanding participation amongst eligible applicants is not expected to be significantly affected.
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