United States · green card
DV-2027 passport requirement: do you need a passport to enter the Green Card lottery?
Yes, expect to use a valid, unexpired passport and upload a qualifying passport scan for DV-2027 unless a limited exception applies. The registration start date has not been announced. Here is what to prepare now.
The useful takeaway
For DV-2027, do not wait for the entry window to discover a passport problem. The final rule requires the principal entrant to provide information from a valid, unexpired passport and upload a scan of its biographic and signature page unless a limited exception applies. The Department of State has not announced the registration dates yet, so the useful move now is to get the passport and scan ready, not to pay an agent or submit anything early.
Who should read this green card update
Anyone planning to enter the DV-2027 Diversity Visa Program, often called the Green Card lottery, especially people without a current passport, people relying on old DV advice, and people considering an agent or a claimed passport exception.
What the official update says
- The final rule effective April 10, 2026 requires passport information from the entrant's valid, unexpired passport unless a limited exception applies.
- The entry must include a scan of the passport biographic and signature page. The rule specifies JPEG format, not PDF, with a 5 MB maximum file size.
- The Department of State has not announced the DV-2027 registration start date or the date selection results will become available.
- One person may submit only one entry in a program year. Multiple entries can void every entry for that person.
Details from Federal Register final rule on Diversity Visa passport requirements
The passport information required by the regulation includes the unique passport number, the entrant's name, the country or authority that issued it, and the expiration date.
The regulation requires a scan of the biographic and signature page from the valid, unexpired passport used for the entry. It specifies JPEG and a maximum size of 5 MB.
The State Department's public DV instructions page currently labels its detailed processing requirements as DV-2026 requirements. Treat them as background, not as a substitute for the future DV-2027 instructions.
The State Department says the DV-2027 visa application period for people selected in the program remains October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. That is separate from the still-unannounced entry period.
DV-2027 entry readiness at a glance
Federal rule effective April 10, 2026; State Department registration notice checked July 18, 2026
The confirmed change is a passport-and-scan requirement at the entry stage. The registration opening date is still pending, so this is the prep window.
Passport at entry
Valid and unexpired
Required for the principal entrant unless a limited official exception applies.
Passport scan
JPEG, 5 MB max
The rule calls for the biographic and signature page, not a PDF.
DV-2027 registration start
Not announced
Wait for the Department of State to publish the actual entry dates and official instructions.
| Question | What the current official material says |
|---|---|
| Do I need a passport? | Yes, a valid unexpired passport is required at entry unless a limited exception applies. |
| Can I upload a PDF? | No. The rule specifies JPEG format and a 5 MB maximum. |
| Is DV-2027 open? | No opening date has been announced by the Department of State. |
| Does a passport make me eligible? | No. The principal applicant must still meet the DV education or qualifying-work-experience rule and other instructions. |
Main things to notice
- Do not confuse the program's later visa-application period with the registration dates. The entry period is still pending.
- Do not rely on a claimed exception without the evidence and instructions that support it.
- Keep your passport scan and confirmation number private. Only the official entry site should receive them.
Official material used
- Federal Register, 91 FR 11891: Diversity Visa final rule
- Department of State: Changes to Entry Period for 2027 Diversity Visa Program
Before you compare your wait
- The future DV-2027 instructions control the actual entry process and can add operational detail.
- This is not a selection, eligibility, or exception decision.
Find the part that matches you
You do not have a passport yet
Your next step is your own passport authority, not a DV agent. The official entry date has not been announced, but the final rule makes a valid, unexpired passport part of entry preparation.
Your passport is close to expiring
The rule says it must be valid and unexpired at entry. Review your renewal timing now, then check the DV-2027 instructions when published for any additional operational detail.
Someone says you can use a national ID or their passport
That does not match the current rule. The entry is tied to the principal entrant's own valid, unexpired passport unless a limited official exception applies.
You think you may qualify for an exception
Do not self-certify from a social-media post. The final rule describes narrow categories and says applicants must provide evidence for an exception claim. Read the DV-2027 instructions when released and get qualified advice for a sensitive case.
Common worries, answered plainly
Do I need a passport to enter DV-2027?
Expect to need your own valid, unexpired passport at entry. The final rule requires passport information and a passport scan unless a limited exception applies. The official DV-2027 instructions will control the opening process.
Does my passport need six months of validity?
The final rule says valid and unexpired at entry. It does not state a general six-month rule for the DV entry, so do not add one from ordinary travel advice. Recheck the official DV-2027 instructions when they are published.
Can I upload a PDF or a photo of my passport?
The rule specifies a scan of the biographic and signature page in JPEG format, no larger than 5 MB. The future entry instructions may give practical upload guidance, so confirm the final details before you submit.
Is the DV-2027 lottery open now?
No. The Department of State says it will announce the start date and selection-result date as soon as practicable. Do not give passport details or money to a site claiming it can submit an early official entry.
What this means for US Green Card applicants
A passport is now an entry-stage preparation item, not something to leave until after selection. If you need a passport, start that process through your own issuing authority before the official DV window opens.
A valid passport alone does not make someone eligible. The principal applicant must also meet the education or qualifying-work-experience requirement and the country-of-eligibility rules in the official instructions.
The rule says valid and unexpired. It does not create a general six-month passport-validity rule for the DV entry itself, so do not invent one from normal travel advice. Follow the DV-2027 instructions when published.
A limited exception is not a general workaround. The final rule identifies narrow passport-exemption categories and says financial hardship alone does not establish an exception.
Useful next steps
- If you do not have a passport, apply through your own passport authority now. Do not wait for a private website to tell you registration is open.
- Check that your passport will be valid and unexpired on the actual day you submit an entry, then make a clear private scan of the biographic and signature page in JPEG format under 5 MB.
- Verify your country of eligibility and the principal applicant's high school education or qualifying work experience before entering. A passport does not cure an eligibility problem.
- Gather accurate spouse and unmarried-child-under-21 details and photos. Required family members must be listed even if they will not immigrate with you.
- When the State Department publishes the DV-2027 instructions, compare your preparation against that official notice, submit only through the official website, and save the confirmation number yourself.
How to read this without overreacting
This is about entering the lottery, not about receiving a visa. Selection is random, and a selectee still has to qualify and complete later visa processing within the program year.
An agent can help type an entry, but an agent cannot replace the entrant's passport, create an exception, or safely keep the entrant's confirmation number.
The most common bad advice here comes from mixing old DV instructions, normal travel passport rules, and visa-stage requirements. DV-2027 has its own entry rule and its own pending instructions.
What this update cannot tell you
- This update is a preparation guide, not legal advice, an exception decision, or a prediction that an entry will be selected or approved.
- The Department of State can publish DV-2027 instructions with additional operational detail. Always use the official notice that opens the entry period.
- This page cannot decide whether a specific person qualifies for a limited passport exception or for the Diversity Visa Program.
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Official citation
Published July 18, 2026. Original source: Federal Register final rule on Diversity Visa passport requirements.
- Also checked: Department of State: DV-2027 entry-period update.
- Also checked: Department of State: Diversity Visa instructions.
- Also checked: Department of State: Confirm DV qualifications.