US Implements Stricter Passport Verification for Green Card Lottery Applicants
The United States has officially finalized new regulations for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, widely known as the Green Card lottery, introducing significantly stricter identity verification requirements for all applicants. The U.S. Department of State published the final rule in the Federal Register under the title “Visas: Enhancing Vetting and Combatting Fraud in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.” This comprehensive regulation is scheduled to take effect on April 10, 2026, marking a substantial shift in how the program operates.
Enhanced Identity Verification to Reduce Fraudulent Entries
Under the updated regulation, individuals entering the visa lottery must now provide detailed information from a valid, unexpired passport as an integral part of their electronic entry form. Applicants will also be required to upload a digital scan of the passport’s biographic and signature page(s) when submitting their entry, unless they qualify for specific, limited exemptions. U.S. officials emphasize that this change is specifically designed to strengthen identity verification protocols and substantially reduce fraudulent entries within the program.
Addressing Longstanding Program Challenges
The Diversity Visa Program offers unique immigration opportunities to individuals from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States. Each fiscal year, up to 55,000 immigrant visas are made available through a computerized random selection process. However, authorities have long acknowledged that the program faces persistent challenges, including:
- Fraudulent entries and duplicate applications
- Submissions made by third parties without the knowledge or consent of the individuals involved
- Organized schemes in several countries involving large volumes of applications on behalf of unsuspecting people
According to the State Department, mandating passport documentation will help ensure that lottery entries are definitively tied to real, identifiable individuals. This measure is expected to make it significantly more difficult for agents or intermediaries to submit multiple applications using other people’s personal information.
Detailed Passport Upload Requirements Explained
Under the final rule, applicants entering the Diversity Visa lottery must include specific passport details and upload a digital scan when completing the online entry form. The mandatory information required includes:
- Passport number
- Country or authority that issued the passport
- Passport expiration date
- A scanned copy of the passport’s biographic and signature page(s)
Entries that fail to include the required passport documentation may face disqualification. The regulation does provide limited exceptions for specific circumstances. Individuals who are stateless, unable to obtain a passport due to government restrictions, or who receive specific waivers from U.S. authorities may be exempt from the passport requirement.
Additional Technical Updates to Program Guidance
The new rule also introduces several technical updates to the program’s official guidance and instructions. Among these changes, the State Department will replace the term “gender” with “sex” and substitute “age” with “date of birth” to better align with the information collected in visa application systems. Officials state these modifications are intended to improve consistency and accuracy in visa data collection and processing.
Implementation Timeline for Future Applicants
According to the State Department, the new requirements will be implemented starting with the DV-2027 lottery. The department has delayed the launch of the DV-2027 registration period and has not yet announced the specific dates when entries will open. The Diversity Visa lottery program attracts millions of applicants from around the globe annually, making it one of the most sought-after immigration pathways to the United States. With this latest rule now finalized, prospective applicants must ensure they have a valid passport ready when filling out their application, as passport verification is poised to become a central component of the Green Card lottery application process.
