How to Check the DV Lottery Results: A Step-by-Step Guide
Use the official U.S. Department of State Entrant Status Check to view a Diversity Visa entry result and avoid scams.
Use the U.S. Department of State’s Electronic Diversity Visa (DV) website to check an entry. Entrant Status Check is the official way to learn an entry’s result; do not trust an email, letter, agent, or social-media message that says you have won.
Check your result on the official website
- Open dvprogram.state.gov.
- Select Check Status for the applicable program year.
- Enter the information requested by the official form, including the confirmation number from the original entry.
- Read the result and every instruction shown on the official page.
If you lost your confirmation number, use the official site’s retrieval option. Never pay a third party simply to check an entry result.
Dates are program-year specific
DV dates change by program year. At the time of review, the official site stated that DV-2026 entries were accepted from October 2 to November 7, 2024, and that DV-2026 entrants should retain their confirmation numbers until at least September 30, 2026. The Department of State’s DV instructions are the source for current program instructions and notices.
Do not use the 2024 screenshots in the original version of this article as a current deadline or interface guide. They have not been carried into this replacement site because they could misrepresent the current program year or interface.
If your entry is selected
Selection does not itself guarantee a visa. Follow the instructions in Entrant Status Check and the current Department of State guidance for your program year. Eligibility, documents, interview procedures, and deadlines can differ by case and program year.
Avoid fraud
The Department of State warns that it does not send a winning-notification email or letter. Check your own result through Entrant Status Check and review the Department’s fraud warning before responding to anyone who requests money or personal documents.
Official sources
Last reviewed: October 27, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know whether a result is real?
Check it yourself through Entrant Status Check. It is the official result mechanism.
Can I check my status by email?
No. The Department of State’s fraud guidance says it does not send winning-notification emails or letters. Use the official status-check website.
What happens if I am selected?
Follow the instructions shown in your official result and the current Department of State guidance. Selection is not a visa guarantee.