by DV Lottery Breaking News: The U.S. Department of State has announced a new regulation for the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery 2025. Starting with the upcoming October registration cycle, a $1 registration fee is now required for every DV Lottery entry. This rule became effective on September 16, 2025 and will apply immediately.
This is the new information which has been released on September 2025 for the diversity visa lottery application. A new regulation for the diversity visa has been introduced, the application fee. Started this year (2025), in order to apply for the diversity visa lottery, it is official now, you will be required to pay $1 to apply.
As released from the government Gazette or government registry in the United States, released on September 16, 2025.
It reads:
“The Department of State proposes an adjustment to the schedule of fees for consular services of the department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs (“Schedule of Fees or Schedule”) to establish a $1 fee for the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. This change will more fairly place the burden of the lottery registration on individuals seeking the benefit of gaining access to the DV application process instead of charging only the small percentage of successful registrants for the costs associated with administering the lottery program for all registrants.”
To effect this change to the DV program, the department is also amending its regulations to note that an electronic registration fee will be collected at the time of registration. But remember, if you are the winner, you will also pay $330, just as usual, and this is the final ruling or the final rule effectively on September 16.
There are so much explaining about this new rule but the key points are as follows:
There’ll be registration fee. The concept of a free application is being removed. But if you are the winner, the visa fee will continue to be $330.
The purpose of this new fee is to shift the cost of running of the lottery away from only a few people who are the winners. So now it will be for all people. Hopeful, this is going to discourage people to do some fraud in the application.
How are they going to implement the fee?
As stated above, the fee will be collected by authorized U.S. government payment portal. Maybe they’re going to create a special portal which will be able to use to pay through.
Then when is it going to start? Effectively on September 16, as stated in the publication.
What does that mean?
It means from this October, starting this coming DV lottery, the fee is going to be applied. If there’s some exception, if it’s not going to be applied. But at the moment, it will be applied in this October.
What is the payment method?
The payment method will be through the application system. You’ll be paying through credit or debit card, visa card, master card. But they might also going to add other payment methods depending on the system update.
If they’re going to update, remember, when you apply for the visa, some of the countries, they allow some mobile payment systems. So hopefully they might allow the mobile payment system using, when you are going to apply. Once the payment is processed, then the form will direct you back to the confirmation page.
You will not have the successful application if you did not pay the fee. So you will fill everything, but before you submit, it will take you to place to pay. Then it will give you the success and will give you the confirmation page where you are supposed to print that confirmation page. You are supposed to keep the proof of the payment system. The electronic receipt of $1, you have to keep just in case.
The DV-2027 is expected to start on October 1st, which is on Wednesday until Tuesday, November 4th. Those are the times you are supposed to apply for the Diversity visa lottery.
But there is one aspect in this rule which might give like to be difficult to implement this time, though there is no indication they will stop processing that. The reason being, there is one part of this statement or this explanation, which they say, when will the Department of State implement this rule?
They say the Department of State intends to implement this rule 30 days after the date of this publication. The date of publication is September 16th. 30 days from the date of publication to start implementing, it will be into the middle of October 16th. So if we are talking about October 16th, already the application of the DV lottery is scheduled or hopefully is going to start on October 1st. So for that case, it will be difficult to implement, if you are going to start on October 1st.
How are they going to implement the new each country payment system like that for the visa to put that into the system application?
There may be some challenges for some people in different countries, if you don’t have the visa card or master card. Although, some of the countries are allowing their citizens to use the mobile payment system to convert to be master card or visa card.
Another thing which hasn’t been addressed is, let’s say, is one family. Can I use the same card to apply or to pay for two or three people? Basically, it doesn’t matter. Because in the end, they want one person, one application to avoid disqualifications.
Looking at the logistics about it, there is a possibility of starting effectively on October 1st, when the developer opens. But there is larger also certain percent of possibility that it might not start this particular year, because the implementation is supposed to be 30 days after.
But also, there is a logistics about modifying the website to include the payment systems to reflect. Maybe the form has to change again, because how do I know I’m the one who paid that amount of money? It will give when you pay, they give you confirmation, like the receipt confirmation. So it depends.
With your receipt confirmation, that means you have to add it into the application form. So we expect the application form for the DV-2027 to have some changes where you’ll be able to add the receipt confirmation of the payment of $1, if it’s going to be implemented. If it’s not, it is until the other lottery.
So that is the information I want to share with you. That should not be the reason for you not to apply. You never know what your luck is. Make sure you apply as a main applicant if you are married, and your spouse should also apply as a main applicant, adding you. If you have children, make sure you put your children there too, for the purpose of increasing your chances. I wish you all the best.
