Results are published in one place only
The Department of State notifies entrants only through Entrant Status Check (ESC) on dvprogram.state.gov. It does not mail notification letters or email selectees, and U.S. embassies and consulates do not publish lists of selectees. Entrants who were not selected are also told only through ESC.
Official sources: Entrant Status Check ↗ · If you are selected ↗
What you need to check
The form also asks you to complete a security check (CAPTCHA). Check only on dvprogram.state.gov: any other site or app asking for your confirmation number is not official.
- Your confirmation number: 16 characters, shown on the page you received after submitting your entry.
- Your last (family) name exactly as entered, including punctuation.
- The year of birth of the principal entrant.
Official sources: Entrant Status Check ↗
When results become available
For DV-2026, Entrant Status Check opened on 3 May 2025 and stayed available through at least 30 September 2026. The Department can also use ESC to notify additional selectees after the first release, so keep your confirmation number until the end of the program year.
As of 21 October 2026 no DV-2027 registration has taken place, so there are no DV-2027 results. On 5 November 2025 the Department said it would announce the registration period and the results date “as soon as practicable”. No DV-2028 dates have been announced either.
Official sources: DV-2026 instructions and FAQs (latest published) ↗ · DV-2027 entry period notice (5 November 2025) ↗
If you lost your confirmation number
Entrant Status Check has a retrieval tool. It asks for the program year, your name exactly as entered, your date of birth and the email address used in the entry, and sends the confirmation number to that email address. Embassies, consulates and the Kentucky Consular Center cannot look it up for you.
Official sources: DV-2026 instructions and FAQs (latest published) ↗ · Entrant Status Check ↗
If you are selected
ESC shows a confirmation page with your next steps and fee information; it is the only source of instructions for your case. Being selected is not a visa: the Department registers more selectees than there are visas (about 129,516 people, including spouses and children, were registered for DV-2026, for roughly 52,000 visas), and every applicant must still qualify at the interview.
Official sources: If you are selected ↗ · DV-2026 selected entrants ↗
Frequently asked questions
Will I get an email if I win the DV lottery?
No. The Department of State never emails or mails selection notices. Any email or letter saying you won is fake. Results are available only through Entrant Status Check on dvprogram.state.gov.
What do I need to check my DV result?
Your 16-character confirmation number, your last name exactly as entered, and the principal entrant’s year of birth.
When will DV-2027 results be released?
No date has been announced. As of 21 October 2026 the DV-2027 registration period has not taken place; the Department said in November 2025 that it would announce the dates as soon as practicable.
Can someone else check my result for me?
Anyone with your confirmation number, name and year of birth can check, which is why you should never give your confirmation number to agents. Embassies and the Kentucky Consular Center cannot check it for you.