The DV lottery fee is $1 to enter, charged once per principal applicant when you submit your entry on the official E-DV site. If you’re selected, the real costs start: $330 per person for the immigrant visa application, plus a separate USCIS Immigrant Fee for producing your green card, plus medical exams, documents, and translations that the U.S. government doesn’t set or cap. A single applicant going through consular processing abroad should plan for at least $500 to $800 in total. A family of four can easily reach $2,000 or more.
The $1 Entry Fee
Starting with the DV-2027 program cycle, the Department of State charges a $1 registration fee when you submit your electronic entry through dvprogram.state.gov.1Federal Register. Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, Department of State and Overseas Embassies and Consulates Only the principal applicant pays. Derivative family members listed on the entry are not charged separately.2U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services
Registration was free for years, and older guides still say so. That changed with a final rule effective September 16, 2025, which amended the consular fee schedule at 22 CFR 22.1.3eCFR. 22 CFR 42.33 – Diversity Immigrants Entries are submitted only through the official government site during the annual registration window, which usually opens in early October and closes in early November.4U.S. Department of State. Diversity Visa Program – Submit an Entry
The $330 Application Fee if You’re Selected
If you win a selection slot, the diversity visa application fee is $330 per person. Every applicant in your case pays it individually, including your spouse and each child.2U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services A family of four owes $1,320 in application fees alone. The fee is set under the consular fee schedule at 22 CFR 22.1 and authorized by the Diversity Immigrant Lottery Fee provision at 8 U.S.C. 1153.1Federal Register. Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, Department of State and Overseas Embassies and Consulates
It is non-refundable whether the visa is approved or denied. It covers the administrative review of your application and the required background checks. There is no grace period and no payment plan. If you don’t pay at the designated time, your application ends.
If You Adjust Status Inside the U.S.
DV selectees already lawfully present in the United States can apply for permanent residence through adjustment of status instead of consular processing abroad. The $330 DV application fee still applies, but you pay it differently. You send a cashier’s check or postal money order with your DV case number to the Department of State’s processing center in St. Louis, Missouri, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope, for yourself and every immediate family member adjusting with you.5U.S. Department of State. Adjustment of Status – Fee Payment
On top of the $330, you also file Form I-485 with USCIS, which carries its own filing fee that is substantially higher than the DV application fee itself. USCIS periodically updates its fee schedule, so check the current amount on the USCIS fee calculator before filing.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees The adjustment route can easily cost more than twice what consular processing abroad costs, so if you have the choice, compare the total expense of each carefully.
The USCIS Immigrant Fee
After your visa is issued, and before your physical green card is produced, you pay a separate USCIS Immigrant Fee. Every visa recipient in your case, including children, pays individually. Narrow exemptions apply to certain adopted children, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants, returning lawful permanent residents, and K nonimmigrants, and there is no age-based discount outside those categories.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Immigrant Fee
Payment is online through your USCIS account at my.uscis.gov, using your Alien Number and Department of State Case ID.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Immigrant Fee USCIS encourages paying after you receive your immigrant visa but before you travel to the United States. Not paying doesn’t strip your lawful permanent resident status, but your only proof of that status will be the temporary I-551 stamp in your passport, which expires one year after admission.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Immigrant Fee A family member, friend, employer, or attorney can pay on your behalf as long as they have your A-Number and DOS Case ID. The exact amount is on USCIS Form G-1055, which has been adjusted several times in recent years.
Medical Exams, Documents, and Other Out-of-Pocket Costs
Government fees are only part of what you’ll spend. Every DV applicant must complete a medical examination by a physician authorized by the U.S. embassy or consulate. The exam typically includes a physical assessment, blood tests, and vaccinations required under U.S. immigration law. USCIS does not regulate what doctors charge. Costs of $100 to $300 per person are common, and higher where multiple vaccinations are needed.
Supporting documents carry their own costs: police certificates from every country where you’ve lived for 12 months or more after age 16, certified copies of birth and marriage certificates, and certified translations of anything not in English. Each applicant also needs two passport-style photographs meeting State Department specifications for the interview.9U.S. Department of State. Diversity Visa Program – Interview None of these are fixed by the U.S. government, so budget generously and start gathering documents early.
How and Where You Pay
The $330 application fee is paid to the consular cashier at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the day of your scheduled interview. Fees are typically accepted in U.S. dollars or the local currency equivalent. Payment options vary by post; some accept credit cards, others require cash. Your embassy’s website will list accepted methods before your appointment, and you receive a receipt on the spot that you’ll need to proceed through the interview.
The USCIS Immigrant Fee works differently. It’s paid online through your USCIS account, not at the consulate, and no cash or money order is accepted for it. The two fees go to two separate agencies for two separate purposes, and confusing them is a common source of delay.
Total Cost Estimate
A rough breakdown for a single applicant going through consular processing abroad:
- DV registration: $1
- DV application fee: $330
- USCIS Immigrant Fee: check the current amount on Form G-1055
- Medical exam and vaccinations: roughly $100 to $300, varies by country
- Police certificates, translations, and photos: varies, budget at least $50 to $150
Plan on at least $500 to $800 total for one person. Families multiply the per-person items (application fee, Immigrant Fee, and medical exams) by the number of applicants, so a family of four can easily face $2,000 or more. None of the figures above include travel to the embassy for the interview, which for applicants in remote areas can be substantial. None of the government fees are waivable for financial hardship in the DV context, so have the full amount ready before your interview.
Watch for Scams Asking You to Pay
The DV lottery attracts enormous global interest, and scammers exploit that demand. Fraudulent emails, letters, and websites impersonate the U.S. government to trick applicants into sending money. Two rules cut through most of it: official U.S. government websites end in “.gov,” and official emails come from “.gov” addresses.10U.S. Virtual Embassy Iran. Don’t Be Fooled by Scams When Applying for a U.S. Diversity Visa
The U.S. government will never ask you to send payment in advance by check, money order, or wire transfer to learn whether you’ve been selected.10U.S. Virtual Embassy Iran. Don’t Be Fooled by Scams When Applying for a U.S. Diversity Visa Selection results are posted only at dvprogram.state.gov using the confirmation number you received when you registered. If someone contacts you claiming you won and asks for money before you’ve checked the official site, it’s a scam regardless of how convincing the letterhead looks.