What is the DV-Program?

The DV Program (also called the Green Card Lottery or DV Lottery) is an annual lottery of US immigrant visas organized by the US government.

The abbreviation "DV" stands for "Diversity Visa," which already gives away the meaning behind the DV program: continuous immigration to the USA that guarantees the diversity and success of the United States.

Each year, 55,000 winners from all participating countries are granted the right to live and work in the United States without restrictions through the DV Program.

The official designation of the US authorities is followed by a year, which, however, does not indicate the year of registration but the American tax year in which the winners will immigrate to the USA at the earliest.

For example:
Anyone who registers 2024 for the lottery will take part in the DV-2026. The draw will then take place in spring 2025. As the US tax year begins on October 1st 2025 an ends on September 30th 2026, the winners will receive their Green Cards in tax year 2026.

The only requirement for participation in the DV Program is a certain amount of schooling or vocational training. In addition, the Green Card applicant must be born in one of the participating countries.

The DV Program features stringent rules, such as the format requirements for Green Card photos. Technical and organizational pitfalls can also pose a problem during the application process.

For this reason, government-certified agencies such as The American Dream take on an important function: they check data and documents, secure the application process, and thus protect Green Card applicants from disqualification by the US authorities.

Back