The table below provides a historical overview of Diversity Visa Lottery (“Green Card Lottery”) program entry period dates and results notification dates.
Each DV program is listed both by its official program name that contains the U.S. Government’s fiscal year (e.g., "DV-2025") and the calendar year in which the DV program occurred.
Entry period dates refer to the specific days in a calendar year during which the U.S. State Department accepted visa lottery entries for that year's program. An approximate duration of each entry period is also given in months.
The notification-of-results dates shown on this table describe the approximate date or timeframe during which applicants could expect to receive or lookup the results of their visa lottery entries.
Submission method describes the acceptable format that DV Lottery applications could be submitted for a particular DV Program (either paper applications that were mailed by regular post or electronic applications prepared via the internet).
Notification method explains how DV Lottery results were communicated to applicants during a specific DV year (either a notice letter sent by mail or an online lookup process).
Sources for all data are also referenced.
| DV Program | Calendar Year | Entry Period* |
Duration (months) |
Submission Method | Results Available* | Notification Method | Reference |
| DV-2025 | 2023 | October 4 - November 7 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 4, 2024 | Online lookup. | |
| DV-2024 | 2022 | October 5 - November 8 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 6, 2023. | Online lookup. | |
| DV-2023 | 2021 | October 6 - November 9 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 7, 2022. | Online lookup. | |
|
DV-2022 |
2020 | October 7 - November 10 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 8, 2021. | Online lookup. | Source |
| DV-2021 | 2019 | October 2 - November 5 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). |
Starting May 5, 2020. |
Online lookup. | Source |
| DV-2020 | 2018 | October 3 - November 6 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 7, 2019. | Online lookup. | Source |
| DV-2019 | 2017 | October 3 - November 7 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 1, 2018. | Online lookup. | Source |
| DV-2018 | 2016 | October 4 - November 7 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 2, 2017. | Online lookup. | Source |
| DV-2017 | 2015 | October 1 - November 3 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 3, 2016. | Online lookup. | Source |
| DV-2016 | 2014 | October 1 - November 3 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 5, 2015. | Online lookup. | Source |
| DV-2015 | 2013 | October 1 - November 2 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 1, 2014. | Online lookup. | Source |
| DV-2014 | 2012 | October 2 - November 3 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 1, 2013. | Online lookup. | Source |
| DV-2013 | 2011 | October 4 - November 5 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 1, 2012. | Online lookup. | Source |
| DV-2012 | 2010 | October 5 - November 3 | 1 | Electronic only (internet). | Starting May 1, 2011. | Online lookup. | Source |
| DV-2011 | 2009 | October 2 - November 30 | 2 | Electronic only (internet). |
Within 5 - 7 months of the November 30, 2009 closing. |
Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-2010 | 2008 | October 2 - December 1 | 2 | Electronic only (internet). | Within 5 - 7 months of the December 1, 2008 closing. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-2009 | 2007 | October 3 - December 2 | 2 | Electronic only (internet). | Within 5 - 7 months of the December 2, 2007 closing. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-2008 | 2006 | October 4 - December 3 | 2 | Electronic only (internet). | Within 5 - 7 months of the December 3, 2006 closing. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-2007 | 2005 | October 5 - December 4 | 2 | Electronic only (internet). | Within 5 - 7 months of the December 4, 2005 closing. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-2006 | 2004-2005 | November 5, 2004 - January 7, 2005 | 2 | Electronic only (internet). | Within 5 - 7 months of the January 7, 2005 closing. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-2005 | 2003 | November 1 - December 30 | 2 | Electronic only (internet). | Within 5 - 7 months of the December 30, 2003 closing. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-2004 | 2002 | October 7 - November 6 | 1 | Paper entry (by mail). | April - June 2003. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-2003 | 2001 | October 1 - October 31 | 1 | Paper entry (by mail). | April - June 2002 | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-2002 | 2000 | October 2 - November 1 | 1 | Paper entry (by mail). | May - July 2001. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-2001 | 1999 | October 4 - November 3 | 1 | Paper entry (by mail). | April - July 2000. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-2000 | 1998 | October 1 - October 31 | 1 | Paper entry (by mail). | April - July 1999. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-1999 | 1997 | October 24 - November 24 | 1 | Paper entry (by mail). | April - July 1998. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-1998 | 1997 | February 3 - March 5 | 1 | Paper entry (by mail). | Summer 1997. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| DV-1997 | 1996 | February 12 - March 12 | 1 | Paper entry (by mail). | By July 1, 1996. | Letter by mail. | Source |
| 1995 | no lottery was held this calendar year | ||||||
| DV-1996 | 1994 | June 1 - June 30 | 1 | Paper entry (by mail). | Within 3 months of the June 30, 1994 closing. | Letter by mail. | Source |
*Dates given here for entry period and results available are based on initial published notices. In some cases, the actual dates changed due to delays or technical problems.
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