The American Lottery returns, application rules change

2026-03-25 11:26:00, Aktualitet CNA

The American Diversity Visa Lottery Program is expected to return after suspending applications in January, while US authorities have announced a series of new changes that will take effect from April 10.

According to the US State Department, the new rules will be implemented starting with the 2027 program and include additional measures to verify applicants and increase security in the process.

One of the main changes is the introduction of a symbolic fee of $1 for each application, without any exceptions. Applicants will also have to upload a valid passport and a scan of the biographical page and signature on the electronic form.

The changes are intended to reduce cases of forged documents and improve the identification of applicants. Authorities will be able to more easily verify eligibility based on country of birth and ties to countries with low eligibility levels.

The basic criteria remain that applicants must have completed secondary education or its equivalent. For married persons, it is mandatory to include the data of the spouse and all children under the age of 21, including those adopted or from a previous marriage.

It is also noted that there will be stricter controls to prevent fictitious marriages, where selected applicants will have to submit documents and proof of the relationship.

We recall that the previous suspension had affected the processing of applications for 75 countries, affecting various visa categories, including the Diversity Lottery program./ CNA