Green Card: US Announces Key Changes to Visa Lottery Selection Process

• The United States government announced changes to how foreigners are selected for the Diversity Visa Lottery programme
• The update affects millions of applicants worldwide who enter the annual Green Card draw each year
• New selection rules are set to reshape how winners are picked from the pool of eligible entrants

The United States government has announced significant changes to the selection process for the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery, affecting millions of foreign nationals who apply annually for the chance to live and work in America.

The update alters how applicants are chosen from the global pool of entries, marking a notable shift in how the programme operates.

What the visa lottery changes mean

The Diversity Visa Lottery is an annual programme administered by the US Department of State that grants up to 55,000 immigrant visas to nationals from countries with historically low immigration rates to the United States.

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Applicants who are selected do not automatically receive a Green Card but must still meet a range of eligibility requirements before being granted permanent residency.

Under the revised process, the method by which winners are drawn and notified is being updated to improve transparency and reduce fraudulent activity, which has long been a concern for US immigration authorities.

Officials have pointed to a pattern of third-party agents and scammers exploiting applicants by charging fees to submit entries or falsely claiming to improve an applicant's chances of selection.

What applicants need to know

The US government has reiterated that submitting a Diversity Visa Lottery entry is entirely free of charge.

Applicants must complete the process through the official Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) entry portal, and any individual or organisation requesting payment in exchange for submitting an application should be treated with caution.

Eligible applicants must hold a high school diploma or its equivalent, or have at least two years of qualifying work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience.

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Results for each programme year are made available exclusively through the official DV Lottery results website, and the State Department does not notify selectees by email or post.

Winners are advised to check their status only through official government channels to avoid falling victim to scams.

The announcement has drawn renewed attention to the programme at a time when global interest in US immigration pathways remains high.

For many applicants across Africa and beyond, the Diversity Visa Lottery represents one of the few accessible routes to obtaining a US Green Card without an employer sponsorship or close family ties to an American citizen.

US introduces new entry requirements for foreigners

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh had reported earlier that the United States had announced a new health declaration requirement for all international air travellers entering the country starting November 3, 2026.

The policy applied to passengers on all international flights bound for the US, marking a significant shift in border health protocols.

Authorities had outlined specific details on what travellers would need to disclose before arriving on American soil.

Source: YEN.com.gh