What If I Do Not Have a Passport?

Exemptions to the DV Lottery passport requirement.

Update: As of October 2025, the U.S. Government is once again requiring applicants to have a passport to apply to the DV Lottery.

You can still participate if you do not have a passport if you can claim one of three situations.

You can participate without a passport if:

• you stateless;
• you are a national of a Communist controlled country and are unable to obtain a passport; or
• you are the beneficiary of a waiver approved by the United States Government.

You must indicate the reason when you register.

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