On March 11, 2026, the U.S. Department of State published a final rule in the Federal Register (91 FR 11891, Docket No. 2026-04737) titled “Visas: Strengthening Screening and Combating Fraud in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.” The rule takes effect on April 10, 2026, and applies starting with the DV-2027 program.
Main change: A passport is now required when submitting an application
According to the amendments to 22 CFR § 42.33, each participant in the DV-2027 lottery is required to provide the following when submitting an electronic application (Form DS-5501):
∙ the unique serial (registration) number of a valid, unexpired passport;
∙ the applicant's name, the country or authority that issued the passport, and its expiration date;
∙ A scan of the biographical page and the signature page of your passport in JPEG format, no larger than 5 MB. 
Previously, a passport was required only during the visa application process—after a person had been selected as a winner. Now, applicants who do not have a valid passport must obtain one before registration for the DV-2027 opens, rather than after the results are announced. 
Exceptions to the passport requirement
A limited group of applicants is exempt from this requirement. The exemptions apply to:
∙ stateless persons;
∙ citizens of communist countries who are effectively unable to obtain a passport from their government;
∙ those who have received an individual waiver jointly issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the U.S. Secretary of State.
Anyone seeking an exemption must submit supporting documentation at the time of application. 
New registration fee of $1
For the first time in the program’s history, a $1 registration fee has been introduced. It is paid through Pay.gov at the time of application.  There are no waivers or exemptions from this fee. 
It’s important to understand the difference: the $1 fee is the entry fee for the lottery. There is a separate $330 visa application fee, which is paid only by winners who have reached the visa processing stage.
Technical Requirements for Passport Scans
Each applicant must upload a clear digital scan of the personal information page of their current passport. File requirements:
∙ format: JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg);
∙ file size: no more than 240 KB (and no more than 5 MB, according to the rule);
∙ resolution: at least 600 × 600 pixels;
∙ Color: full-color image, not black-and-white;
∙ The name on the application must exactly match the name on your passport.
You only need to upload the biographical page—pages with visas or other stamps are not required (unless specifically requested later). 
Requirements for a Valid Passport
You cannot submit an application with an expired passport—unless the applicant falls under one of the rare exceptions (lack of citizenship, refugee status, or the absence of a functioning government). If your passport is in the process of being renewed, you must wait until you receive the new one—you cannot apply using a temporary or canceled passport number. 
Who is subject to the passport requirement, and who is not
The requirement to submit a scanned copy of a passport applies only to the principal petitioner. Spouses and children listed on the application as dependents (derivatives) must still provide photographs and identification information in accordance with 22 CFR § 42.33(b)(1)(v), but a passport scan is not required for them. 
Why Now? — The Reasons Behind the Changes
The key reason is the catastrophic scale of fraud. According to the Department, more than 2.5 million duplicate (fraudulent) applications were disqualified from the DV-2025 program. By comparison, in the DV-2022 program—when the passport requirement was still in effect—only 760,079 duplicate applications were disqualified. 
Consequently, the absence of a passport requirement has led to a threefold increase in the number of fraudulent applications. The passport requirement significantly hinders criminal organizations’ ability to submit applications en masse on behalf of unsuspecting individuals without their knowledge or consent. 
Background: Why Is This Rule Being Introduced for the Second Time?
The passport requirement was first introduced for the DV-2021 through DV-2023 program years, but was subsequently overturned by a court, which ruled that it had been adopted without following the required notice-and-comment rulemaking procedures. This time, the State Department followed the full procedure: 399 public comments were received, and only after reviewing them was the rule adopted as final. 
Additional Regulatory Changes
In addition to the passport requirement, the rule makes the following terminological changes to 22 CFR Part 42:
∙ The word “gender” is replaced with “sex”—in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 14168;
∙ The term “age” is replaced with “date of birth” to more accurately reflect the information actually collected and stored by the Department during the immigration visa application process;
∙ The word “shall” is added to the regulation to simplify the instructions for consular staff. 
Change in Registration Deadlines
The State Department has postponed the start of registration for the DV-2027 program. Specific dates for the start of the registration period have not yet been announced. The dates are expected to be widely publicized in the coming months. 
The department expects that postponing the start of registration will mitigate the impact of the new rule on those who have not yet obtained a passport by the time the rule takes effect. 
Criticism: Who Will Suffer the Most?
Immigration advocacy groups warn that the additional costs of obtaining a passport — on average about $75 — and the administrative burden will disproportionately affect low-income applicants from Africa and Asia—precisely those for whom the Diversity Visa program was originally created. 
Many commentators expressed concern about the short implementation period for the DV-2027 program, noting that obtaining a passport in some countries can take several months. Some suggested postponing the implementation of the rule until the DV-2028 cycle to give applicants sufficient time to prepare. 
The Department’s position: This rule is a long-overdue measure to combat fraud. Postponing it until next year would mean leaving the program vulnerable to attackers for another year. Individuals who are unable to participate in a given year will retain the right to participate in future cycles. 
Basic program requirements that have not changed
The DV Program continues to provide for the annual allocation of up to 55,000 immigrant visas. For the DV-2026 lottery, more than 20.8 million eligible applications were received, of which 129,516 applicants were selected as potential winners. It is important to remember: being selected does not guarantee a visa—far more winners are selected than there are visas available. 
To participate in the lottery, you still do not need a job offer, a family sponsor, or an investment. The basic requirements for education and work experience remain the same: at least a high school diploma or two years of work experience in a profession requiring at least two years of training (Job Zone 4 or 5 according to the O*NET classification). 
What You Need to Do Right Now
If you plan to participate in the DV-2027:
1. Check that you have a valid passport. It must be valid for the entire intended period of registration and at least until the beginning of 2027.
2. Start the application process early. In some countries, it can take several months to receive a passport.
3. Prepare a scan of the biographical page in JPEG format—clear, full-color, and free of glare and shadows.
4. Check the official announcements on the dvprogram.state.gov website for the registration opening dates.
5. Do not use intermediaries—submitting an application through third parties is one of the main sources of fraud in the program.
Sources: U.S. Federal Register (91 FR 11891, March 11, 2026), the official website travel.state.gov, and analyses by the law firms Ahluwalia Law, Fragomen, and VisasUpdate.com.
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