$1 electronic registration fee (new)
A State Department rule effective 16 September 2025 created a $1 fee to register for the DV program. The regulation says the fee is collected electronically at the time of registration. It is paid by the principal entrant only, online through the U.S. Treasury’s Pay.gov inside the entry form, before the entry is completed, with no waivers.
No registration period has opened since the rule took effect, so the fee has not yet been charged in a registration. Some older official pages still say registration is free; the current regulation and the fee schedule list the $1 fee.
Official sources: $1 registration fee rule, 90 FR 44524 (16 September 2025) ↗ · 22 CFR 42.33 (current regulation) ↗ · Fees for visa services ↗ · Passport rule, 91 FR 11891 (11 March 2026) ↗
$330 Diversity Visa application fee (after selection)
Each selectee and each family member applying pays $330. It is paid in person at the U.S. embassy or consulate before the interview and is not refunded if no visa is issued. DV selectees do not pay the separate $205 immigrant visa fee.
Official sources: Fees for visa services ↗ · Prepare for the interview ↗
$235 USCIS Immigrant Fee (after the visa)
After the immigrant visa is issued and before travelling, each immigrant pays the USCIS Immigrant Fee online. It covers producing the green card.
Official sources: USCIS Immigrant Fee ↗ · After the interview ↗
Other costs to plan for
- Passport (now needed to enter) and photos.
- Medical examination and vaccinations with an approved physician; prices vary by country.
- Police certificates, civil documents and certified translations.
- Travel to the embassy or consulate for the interview.
- Applicants adjusting status in the United States pay USCIS filing fees instead of the consular fees.
Official sources: Prepare for the interview ↗ · Green card through the DV program (USCIS) ↗
Our $5 is not a government fee
LotteryUSA’s optional $5 preparation report is a private service, separate from every official fee. It does not register you in the program and cannot improve the chance of selection.
Frequently asked questions
Is the DV lottery still free?
Not under the current regulation: a $1 registration fee, paid through Pay.gov on the official entry form, was created in September 2025. No registration period has opened since.
Who pays the $1 registration fee?
Only the principal entrant, at the time of registration. Spouses and children listed on the entry do not pay it.
How much does a diversity visa cost in total?
The official fees are $330 per person before the interview and $235 per person to USCIS after the visa, plus your own costs for the passport, medical exam, documents and travel.
Can I pay DV fees to an agent or by bank transfer?
No. The government never asks for payment in advance by check, money order or wire. Consular fees are paid at the embassy and the USCIS fee online at uscis.gov.