U.S. Proposes Passport Scan Requirement for Diversity Visa Lottery Applicants

The U.S. Department of State has proposed a new rule that would change how people enter the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery. If adopted, applicants for the 2026 program would be required to submit a scan of their valid passport when registering for the lottery.

What Would Change?

Currently, DV lottery applicants do not need to provide a passport to enter. Under the proposal, every applicant would have to:

• Provide a valid, unexpired passport number
• Upload a clear scan of the passport’s photo and signature page (JPEG format, under 5 MB)

A few exceptions would remain, such as for stateless individuals, those unable to obtain a passport from certain governments, or applicants with official U.S. waivers.

According to the Federal Register notice (Aug. 8, 2025), the proposed change aims to:

• Reduce identity fraud
• Prevent unauthorized third-party submissions
• Strengthen security checks

The State Department noted that in the past, fraudulent “visa agents” have submitted entries without applicants’ consent and demanded payment if the individual was selected. Requiring a passport scan is meant to stop this type of abuse.

What Applicants Should Know

• You’ll need a valid passport before applying—applications with expired or missing passports will be disqualified.
• The requirement would apply starting with the 2026 DV Lottery, which is expected to open in October 2025.
• Entry into the lottery remains free and limited to nationals of countries with historically low immigration rates to the U.S.

The rule is still a proposal, and the public has 45 days to comment before it may be finalized. If approved, it will be in place for the next DV lottery cycle this fall.

At Zhang-Louie PLLC, we closely follow policy updates that affect green card applicants and international professionals. For those considering the Diversity Visa Lottery, this proposed change underscores the importance of preparing your documents early and understanding the eligibility rules.