The Immigration Act of 1990 established the Diversity Visa (DV) program, by which 55,000 immigrant visas would be available in an annual lottery, starting in fiscal year 1995. The lottery aims to diversify the immigrant population in the United States, by selecting applicants mostly from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States in the previous five years.

To apply for a diversity visa, follow the steps on the Diversity Visa Process.  Once you have completed those steps, review the instructions given to you by the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), along with the information presented on this website, for further guidance and instructions.

Be wary of private persons or companies who offer to assist you, for a fee, in applying for a diversity visa, often promising to increase your chances, or even to guarantee, that your application will be selected.  These parties cannot do anything to increase your chances of being selected in the diversity visa lottery, and they often engage in activities that violate the rules of the Diversity Visa Program, thereby making their customers ineligible for a visa.