DV-2027 entrants generally need to meet country-of-birth eligibility plus an education or qualifying-work requirement. A rule effective April 10, 2026 requires valid, unexpired passport details and scans subject to exemptions. A separate $1 government registration fee was adopted in 2025.
DV Lottery 2027 eligibility at a glance
The Diversity Visa Program has two major qualification areas: chargeability to an eligible country (usually your country of birth) and education or qualifying work experience for the principal applicant. DV-2027 also follows updated passport and registration-fee regulations. The final eligible-country list and operational submission requirements must be checked in the government's year-specific instructions.
| Requirement | What to know |
|---|---|
| Country eligibility | Normally based on country of birth, with limited spouse/parent exceptions |
| Education or experience | Qualifying high-school education OR qualifying work experience |
| Passport rule | Valid unexpired passport information and specified page scans, subject to exceptions |
| Entry fee | $1 government electronic registration fee |
| Application honesty | One entry per person and truthful family/personal information |
Country of birth vs nationality: which one matters?
A common mistake is assuming that the country printed as nationality in your passport must always be your DV Lottery country of eligibility. That is not the general rule. DV chargeability normally follows the country where you were born, even if you later obtained another nationality or passport.
Some entrants may use the country of birth of a qualifying spouse or parent under specific legal rules. Those are limited exceptions, not a free choice of any country. Do not select “Ethiopia,” “Bangladesh,” or another country simply because your passport shows that nationality.
DV Lottery education and work requirements
The principal entrant normally needs one of the following: a high-school education or equivalent defined under U.S. rules, or two years of qualifying work experience within the past five years in a qualifying occupation. Not every secondary credential or job satisfies the rule.
If relying on work experience, review the official occupational criteria. If relying on education, make sure the completed course is comparable to the required formal education. See the State Department qualification guide.
New DV-2027 passport requirement explained
A Department of State final rule published March 11, 2026 and effective April 10, 2026 requires DV entrants to submit information from a valid, unexpired passport and upload scans of the passport biographic and signature page, unless a listed exemption applies.
Prepare both the machine-readable portion and the printed identity fields. The machine-readable zone (MRZ) provides useful identity values, but the city of birth is typically on the printed page rather than encoded in the two-line passport MRZ.
Check passport validity
Confirm that the passport is unexpired and belongs to the person being entered.
Read names and identity fields
Check family and given names, document number, date of birth, sex, and nationality against the original document.
Prepare clear required scans
Ensure the biographic data, photograph, document edges, and signature information are readable. Follow the form's approved formats and exemption instructions.
Verify birthplace and eligibility separately
Do not let a tool silently copy nationality into country of birth or country of eligibility without checking the actual facts and DV rules.
Is DV Lottery 2027 free? The new $1 entry fee
Previous DV entry periods were free. A final rule effective September 16, 2025 adopted a $1 electronic lottery registration fee to be collected through an authorized U.S. government payment system. This is separate from the $330 Diversity Visa application fee that may apply later if an entrant is selected and proceeds through the visa process.
| Fee | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| DV electronic registration | $1 | During the authorized registration process |
| DV application fee | $330 | Later in the immigrant visa process if applicable |
| WafidFill browser tool | Separate optional service | Not a government DV fee |
A general State Department “Submit an Entry” page may still contain outdated text saying registration is free; for current fee rules, refer to the published regulation and final DV-2027 payment instructions. Never transfer the government fee to a private individual's account.
Prepare passport details accurately with WafidFill
If you are preparing multiple entries or want to reduce retyping, the WafidFill Chrome extension reads passport images and supports passport-data autofill on compatible websites. Its DV-specific support is designed for name, sex, date of birth, visually printed place of birth and email fields, subject to live-form compatibility.
Check every extracted field manually. WafidFill does not decide your eligibility, guarantee accuracy, submit DV entries independently, or represent the U.S. government. You remain responsible for the photo, passport scan, valid-country choice, $1 government payment, and official submission.
Eligibility, passport and fee FAQs
Do I need a passport for DV Lottery 2027?
The 2026 final rule generally requires valid unexpired passport information and scans, subject to limited exemptions specified in the rule and official instructions.
Does nationality determine country of eligibility?
Not automatically. Country of birth is the normal basis, with narrow alternative chargeability rules through certain spouses or parents.
Is DV Lottery 2027 registration still free?
A 2025 final rule introduced a $1 government electronic registration fee, separate from later visa-processing fees. Check the latest State Department instructions.
Is the $1 government fee paid to WafidFill?
No. WafidFill is a separate optional autofill tool. The DV government fee belongs only in the government-authorized registration payment flow.
Regulations and government guidance
Prepare passport details faster with WafidFill
Read passport MRZ and printed information, reduce repetitive typing and use autofill on compatible websites. An updated DV-specific extension includes extra form-field mapping; test against the official live form once available and review every entry yourself.
Add WafidFill to ChromeIndependent browser extension. Not endorsed by the U.S. government. Not an official DV application website.
Explore more DV Lottery 2027 guides
Disclaimer: This article provides general information, not legal or immigration advice. WafidFill is independent of the U.S. Department of State. Registration, selection and visa issuance are separate processes. Always verify the current instructions at dvprogram.state.gov.