US Introduces Mandatory $1 Fee for Green Card Lottery Applicants

FOLLOW US ON

US Introduces Mandatory $1 Fee for Green Card Lottery Applicants

Kenyans seeking to enter the United States through the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, also known as the Green Card program, will have to pay a $1 (about Ksh129) registration fee starting October 16, 2025, according to the US Department of State (DOS).

This is a big change from the previous system where participation was free of charge. The $1 entry fee will apply to all registrants of the 2027 DV program which opens in early October 2025.

In a statement, the Department of State said the change is to spread the administrative costs more evenly among the estimated 25 million annual applicants rather than burdening only the 55,000 who proceed to the visa interview stage and pay the existing $330 (Ksh42,619) application fee.

According to DOS projections, the new policy will generate around $25 million annually to fund system upgrades, data security and processing capacity for the popular immigration program.

The department also clarified that the registration fee is non-refundable and non-transferable regardless of whether you are selected for further processing.

“This small fee will ensure fairness and sustain the long term stability of the DV lottery program,” the statement noted.

Application Guidelines and Requirements

You must submit your entries online through the official US State Department website. Required documents are passport-size photo, birth certificate or national ID and personal details exactly as they appear on your passport—surname, first name and middle name.

You must have at least high school education equivalent to 12 years of schooling or two years of qualifying work experience within the last five years. There is no official age limit but the education or work requirements effectively exclude most applicants under 18 years.

Multiple or incomplete applications will lead to automatic disqualification, the State Department warned.

Despite the introduction of the fee, officials expect only a slight decline in the number of applicants, noting that a smaller applicant pool will improve chances of selection and reduce administrative burden on the system.

The Diversity Visa Lottery still offers 55,000 permanent residency slots every year to individuals from countries with historically low immigration rates to the United States — Kenya included.

Also Read: TSC Unveils International Plan of Sending Kenyan Teachers Abroad

US Introduces Mandatory $1 Fee for Green Card Lottery Applicants