Applicants for the U.S. Green Card Lottery will now be required to pay a $1 (approximately Sh129) registration fee beginning with the 2027 Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery.
According to a notice published in the U.S. Federal Register, the new fee reflects the operational costs of managing the annual DV lottery. These include system maintenance, data storage, random selection of winners, and security checks necessary for the program’s integrity.
Previously, participation in the Green Card Lottery was free, with only successful applicants paying the $330 (Sh42,570) Diversity Visa Application fee. However, the new regulation shifts part of the financial burden to all registrants rather than just the small percentage of winners who move forward in the visa process.
The Department of State stated that the change aims to “more fairly place the burden of the lottery registration on individuals seeking the benefit” of gaining access to the DV application process.
The $1 registration fee will be collected electronically through an authorized U.S. government payment portal at the time of registration. The amount is non-refundable, regardless of whether the applicant is selected or proceeds with a visa application. Additionally, payments cannot be transferred between lottery years.
This policy adjustment comes just weeks before the registration period for the DV-2027 Lottery, which opens in early October.
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program offers up to 50,000 immigrant visas each year through a random selection process among individuals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. Most winners complete their immigration process through U.S. consular offices abroad.
The U.S. government emphasized that all applications must be submitted exclusively via the official state.gov website to avoid scams and fraudulent intermediaries.
