Kenyans hoping to live and work in the United States may soon have an opportunity to apply for permanent residency through the Green Card Lottery, officially known as the Diversity Visa (DV) Programme.
The programme’s 2027 registration process was delayed, but a US federal judge has ordered the Department of State to open registration by November 1, 2026, following a legal challenge. The revised court-approved schedule provides for a 30-day registration period, although applicants should confirm the official dates before submitting their entries.
The Green Card Lottery offers eligible applicants a chance to obtain US permanent resident status.
However, being selected does not automatically guarantee a visa, as applicants must still meet the eligibility requirements and complete the required immigration procedures.
How to apply
Kenyans interested in applying for the US Green Card Lottery must submit their entries electronically through the official Electronic Diversity Visa website during the designated registration period.
The US Department of State advises applicants to read the official Diversity Visa instructions before completing the form.
The guidelines outline the application requirements, registration dates and information applicants need to provide.
The department does not accept late entries or paper applications. Each person is allowed only one entry per registration period, and submitting multiple entries can result in disqualification.
“There is a limited time period when you can register for the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program during each fiscal year. Each year, the Department of State publishes detailed instructions for entering the DV Program. Instructions include the dates of the registration period during which you will be able to enter,” the state department stated.
“All entries must be submitted electronically on the Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) website during the specified registration period. No late entries or paper entries are accepted. The law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period.”
Registration is free, and the department encourages applicants to complete the form themselves rather than pay visa agents or consultants.
Those who seek assistance from another person should be present when the form is completed to ensure their details are accurate and to retain their confirmation information.
After submitting a complete entry, applicants receive a confirmation screen containing their name and a unique confirmation number.
They should print or securely save the confirmation page, as the number is required to check the entry status and access further instructions if selected.
Applicants should keep the confirmation number safe and remember that selection in the lottery does not automatically guarantee a US immigrant visa.
For Kenyans considering the opportunity, the key step is to follow updates on the official US Department of State website and submit an entry only when the registration period is officially open.
