The green card lottery, also known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, is a program run by the U.S. Department of State that allows people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States to apply for a green card. Each year, up to 50,000 green cards are available through the lottery. If you entered the green card lottery, you likely want to check the status of your application.
How to Check Your Green Card Lottery Application Status
There are a few ways you can check the status of your diversity visa lottery application:
- Check online using your confirmation number at the U.S. Department of State’s Entrant Status Check website.
- Wait for a notification letter from the Kentucky Consular Center via postal mail.
- Contact the Kentucky Consular Center by phone or email.
The easiest and fastest way to check your status is online using your confirmation number. Here’s how:
- Go to the Entrant Status Check website: https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/
- Click the link that says “Entrant Status Check.”
- Enter your unique confirmation number and personal details on the next page.
- Click the “Check Status” button.
You should then see a message displaying your current application status. Common statuses include:
- “In Progress” – Your entry is valid and remains under consideration.
- “Selected” – You have been randomly selected to move forward in the visa process.
- “Not Selected” – Your entry was not selected during the random drawing.
- “Invalid Entry” – Your entry is invalid for some reason.
- “Issued” – Your visa has been issued.
If your status shows as “Selected,” you must submit supporting documents and complete visa processing steps according to the instructions you receive. Processing steps include submitting financial and background information, completing a medical exam, and attending an interview.
When to Check Your Status
The green card lottery takes place once per year. Here is an approximate timeline for checking your status:
- May – Lottery entry period closes. You should have received a confirmation number after submitting your entry.
- July – The Kentucky Consular Center randomly selects applicants. Status changes from “In Progress” to “Selected” or “Not Selected.”
- August to June – Check your status periodically if you were selected. Continue required steps to get your visa.
- September – The next diversity visa lottery registration period opens.
You will not receive any status updates by postal mail until you are informed you were selected. The online status check is the fastest way to get updates on your application.
What If My Status Shows “Invalid Entry”?
If your status shows as “Invalid Entry,” there was an issue with your original lottery application and it will not move forward. Some common reasons for an invalid entry include:
- You did not submit a digital photo meeting requirements.
- Your entry contains false or fraudulent information.
- You did not meet eligibility requirements such as country of birth or education level.
- You submitted more than one entry during the registration period.
Unfortunately, if your entry is marked invalid, there is no way to correct the issue for the current lottery year. You must submit a new application during the next registration period.
What Happens After Being Selected?
If your status shows “Selected,” you must complete required steps to qualify for a green card interview. This includes:
- Submitting Form DS-260 to provide biographical information.
- Submitting financial documents, police certificates, and court records.
- Completing a medical examination with an approved doctor.
- Providing documents verifying your education or work experience.
- Paying required visa fees.
- Attending your consular interview when scheduled.
You have a limited window of time to complete these steps after being selected in the lottery. Failing to respond in a timely manner can result in your selection being cancelled. Processing and interview times vary per consular office.
Can I Check My Status Without the Confirmation Number?
The confirmation number is required to check your lottery entry status online. This is a unique number assigned to each applicant when the initial entry is submitted. Unfortunately, there is no way to retrieve your confirmation number or check your status without it.
If you lost your confirmation number, you will need to wait for a mailed notification letter. These letters are sent out to selectees starting in July after the random selection is completed. If you provided an email address with your application, you may also receive electronic notifications.
How Long Is My Confirmation Number Valid?
Your unique confirmation number is valid for one lottery year only. It can only be used to check your status for the specific year you applied. You cannot use the same confirmation number again in future years if you submit a new lottery application.
Once the current lottery year is over, any applicants not selected or issued a visa become invalid. If you want to enter again, you must submit a new application and will get a new confirmation number the following year.
Can I Track My Status Without the Confirmation Page?
When you submit a diversity visa lottery entry online, you should receive a confirmation page with your unique confirmation number. This page acts as proof that your entry was successfully submitted. If you did not print or save this confirmation page, you will not be able to retrieve it later.
The confirmation page is the only way to get your confirmation number needed for the online status check. If you do not have your confirmation number, you cannot track your application status on the Entrant Status Check website.
Your only option is to wait for notification by postal mail, which is sent out to selectees starting in July. Be sure to keep your confirmation page each year you enter the lottery.
What If My Status Says “In Progress”?
If your status shows as “In Progress,” it means your entry is valid but has not yet been selected. All applications will show “In Progress” starting from the time you submit your entry until the random selection process is completed in July.
“In Progress” is the most common status message from May to July before the lottery drawing. If your status remains as “In Progress” after July, it indicates your entry was not selected that year.
Can the Confirmation Number Change?
The confirmation number assigned to your lottery application will never change. It is a unique, unchanging identifier linked specifically to your entry for that year’s lottery.
If you notice the confirmation number on your status check page is different than the number on your original confirmation page, it likely means:
- You or someone else made a mistake entering the number.
- You are checking an old confirmation number from a previous year’s lottery entry.
- You accidentally looked at someone else’s confirmation number.
If you are certain you are entering the correct confirmation number from your confirmation page and it is not being recognized, you may need to contact the Kentucky Consular Center for assistance.
How Do I Contact the Kentucky Consular Center?
If you cannot resolve issues with your green card lottery entry status online, you can contact the Kentucky Consular Center directly for assistance:
- Phone: (606) 526-7500
- Email: [email protected]
When contacting the Kentucky Consular Center, provide your full name, date of birth, and confirmation number. Explain any issues you are encountering. Customer service can look up your application with this information and assist with status problems.
What Should I Do If My Status Shows “Not Selected”?
If your green card lottery status shows as “Not Selected,” unfortunately your entry was not picked during the random selection process. While disappointing, do not get discouraged!
Being not selected is common, as millions of people enter the lottery every year with only 50,000 visas available. You can enter again in the next lottery year by submitting a new application during the next registration period.
Here are some tips if you were not selected:
- Verify all information submitted was correct, especially photos.
- Continue to check your status through September in case of errors.
- Research eligibility for other USA immigration programs.
- Enter the next green card lottery when open.
While you cannot change your status for the current year, you always have next year’s lottery to look forward to. Focus your preparation on submitting a valid entry the next time.
Can I Check My Status Without My Confirmation Number?
Unfortunately, you cannot check the status of your green card lottery entry online without your unique confirmation number. This number is required to access the Entrant Status Check tool.
If you did not save or print the confirmation page that contains your confirmation number, you will not be able to retrieve it. Your only option for checking status is to wait for a mailed notification letter.
Notification letters are sent to selectees starting in July to inform them they were chosen and provide next steps. These letters are sent even if you did not provide a mailing address in your initial application.
For fastest results, be sure to save your confirmation page with number in the future. This allows online status checking as soon as the lottery results are available.
What Happens If I Lose My Confirmation Number?
Your confirmation number is extremely important for tracking your green card lottery entry online. If you lose your confirmation number, unfortunately there is no way to retrieve it.
Reasons applicants commonly lose their confirmation number include:
- Not saving or printing the confirmation page after submitting entry.
- Losing, deleting, or damaging the confirmation page printout.
- Forgetting the confirmation number over time.
- Someone else throwing away or misplacing your confirmation page.
If you do not have your confirmation number, you will be unable to check your status on the Entrant Status Check website. Your only option is waiting for a mailed notification letter informing you if you were selected or not.
To avoid this in the future, be sure to print or save your confirmation page immediately after submitting your lottery entry. Store it in a safe place where you will not lose it.
What Should I Do If My Confirmation Number Is Incorrect?
When entering your diversity visa lottery confirmation number online, it is very important to input the number exactly as it appears on your official confirmation page.
If you receive an error indicating your confirmation number is incorrect, double check that you entered the full number properly. Common issues include:
- Entering the wrong number of digits – Confirmation numbers are 14 digits long.
- Mixing up numbers – Especially similar looking numbers like 3/8 or transposing digits.
- Typos from typing the number incorrectly.
- Clipboard errors from copying and pasting the number.
If you are certain the full 14-digit confirmation number was entered correctly, there are a few other possibilities:
- You or someone else already checked your status and locked the number.
- You are entering a very old confirmation number from a previous year’s lottery.
- There was an error in the confirmation number provided originally.
The best course of action is contacting the Kentucky Consular Center to verify your correct confirmation number if it is not working online. Provide personal details so they can locate your application.
How Do I Enter the Lottery Again After Not Being Selected?
If your green card lottery entry is not selected, unfortunately you cannot re-enter the current lottery year. But do not get discouraged! You can submit a new application to enter again in the next lottery year.
Follow these steps to enter the green card lottery again:
- Wait for the next Diversity Visa Lottery registration period to open.
- Prepare a new entry and application photos during this period.
- Submit your new lottery entry when registration opens.
- Save your new lottery confirmation number.
- Use your new number to check your status next year.
Each year, millions of lottery entries are submitted from around the world. Keep trying each year and make sure your application and photos meet all requirements.
With persistence, you can continue attempting the green card lottery each year. Some applicants take multiple tries over many years before being selected!
Can I Check My Status if I Lost My Confirmation Letter?
When you submit a diversity visa lottery entry online, in addition to receiving a confirmation page, you should also receive a confirmation letter emailed to you.
This letter reiterates your confirmation number and provides a record of your entry details. However, you do not need the confirmation letter to check your status online.
The confirmation page is the key document, as it contains your required confirmation number. As long as you have your confirmation number, you can check your status without the confirmation letter.
If you accidentally deleted your confirmation letter or never received one originally, this will not impact tracking your application. Focus on saving the confirmation page instead.
What Should I Do If My Status Says Issued or Refused?
Seeing a green card lottery status of “Issued” or “Refused” means you have reached the final stage of the visa process. There are only two meanings:
- Issued – Your permanent resident visa was approved and printed. It is being prepared to send to the consular office where your interview took place for pickup.
- Refused – Unfortunately your visa application was rejected and you will not receive a green card. This normally happens after a consular interview.
“Issued” status means you will soon hold a green card granting you lawful permanent US residence once you enter the United States. Congratulations!
“Refused” sadly means you did not meet requirements and your green card application was denied. You should receive an explanation of why you were refused.
Conclusion
Checking your green card lottery entry status online is simple using your confirmation number on the Entrant Status Check website. Be sure to print and save this number to be able to conveniently check for updates on your application.
If you have any trouble accessing your status, don’t hesitate to contact the Kentucky Consular Center for assistance. Keep persisting if you are not selected at first, and enter the lottery again the following year.
