Notification of winning the Green Card lottery means only the right to submit documents and get in line with other applicants — 55,000 DV visas are allocated annually, but more than 120,000 people are selected along with their family members. Due to document inaccuracies, missed deadlines, or failure to meet education or work experience requirements, many lottery winners never receive a visa.
Why More Winners Are Selected Than Visas Available
Winning the DV lottery is not a guarantee of a green card, but an opportunity to submit documents and become a candidate. The program provides up to 55,000 DV visas per year, but significantly more candidates are selected. According to the State Department, some selected applicants will not meet the requirements, and some will not complete the process — so candidates are selected with a surplus.
Position in the queue is determined by the case number — Case Number, which is counted separately for each region. When a number becomes “current” according to the visa bulletin, an applicant may be scheduled for an interview if their application and documents are ready. Applicants with lower numbers have more time to prepare and a better chance of reaching their turn — those with higher numbers may simply not reach their turn before the year ends.
Time Trap: Your Winning Ticket Can Simply Expire
The lottery has its own visa (fiscal) year — from October 1 to September 30. For DV-2026 winners, the final day was September 30, 2026. If the visa is not issued by this date, the winning ticket expires without the right to appeal, transfer to the next year, or refund of expenses.
Visas can run out before September 30 if the annual quota is exhausted faster than expected.
Requirements You Must Meet at Your Interview
Even reaching the interview stage doesn’t guarantee success — you must prove you qualify for immigration. To qualify, you must have either a completed secondary education (11–12 years of school) or work experience — at least 2 years within the last 5 years in a highly skilled occupation. You can verify whether your profession meets these requirements using the O*NET Online database: in Job Zone you need a number 4 or 5, and the SVP indicator nearby — 7 or higher. Without a high school diploma and without appropriate experience, you won’t get a refund of fees paid in case of denial.
A separate requirement is a police clearance certificate. A common mistake is obtaining a certificate only from Ukraine, without getting one from other countries. You need certificates from your country of citizenship, any country where you lived for more than six months, and every country where you lived for a year or longer after age 16. The certificate from Ukraine must be complete, not abbreviated. Documents in foreign languages must be translated into English by a certified translator, but for interviews in Kyiv, Ukrainian documents don’t need to be translated. Obtain certificates in advance, but not too early: they are valid for two years.
Medical examination is also mandatory — only at a clinic authorized by the U.S. Embassy. For interviews in Kyiv, the MOM clinic in Kyiv or an authorized physician in another country are acceptable. Medical exam results are typically valid for 6 months.
How Much the “Free” Lottery Actually Costs
The consular fee is 330 dollars per person, including children, and is not refunded even if denied. After the visa is issued, you must pay an additional USCIS immigration fee — 235 dollars per person, without which your green card won’t be issued.
Medical exam prices are set by each clinic independently: at the MOM clinic in Kyiv, a medical exam for an adult costs around 400–420 dollars, plus additional fees for any required vaccinations you’re missing. Add to this document translations, travel, accommodation, and meals. Total expenses for a family can easily reach several thousand dollars before even buying plane tickets.
Common Scam Scheme
Scammers send mail notifications about winning and demand payment for participation. The State Department does not notify winners by mail, email, or SMS — the only way to learn about your selection is to check the information yourself on the official DV Program website using your confirmation number. The date, time, and location of your interview must also be verified on the same website.
You don’t need an intermediary to participate in the lottery — you can only register through the official DV Program website. You should verify the current official fee amount directly before registration, as rules can change. If they demand an amount greater than the official fee, it’s a sign of fraud.
Interview rules and visa issuance procedures can change after winners are selected, so those who won should check State Department announcements before each subsequent step.
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Reader experience is useful, but it is not advice: check the rules on the official site.
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