Immigrant Visas: Diversity Visa Program (2024)

If you receive an e-mail claiming that you have been selected in the Diversity Visa program, and requesting any action or payment from you, you should be aware that you are a victim of a scam.

The Embassy warns Polish citizens that such notifications are not legitimate. Please do not take any action or send any money.
For fraud warning details please check the State Department’s info at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/fraud.html.

Please note that Kentucky Consular Center (KCC)is no longer mailing a letter confirming that applicants were selected. Entrant Status Checkis the sole means of informing you of your selection for the DV visa lottery program. The Entrant Status Check will also provide instruction on how to proceed with your application, and will notify you of your appointment for immigrant visa interview, so it is essential you retain your confirmation number.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you have lost your confirmation information, you will not be able to check your DV entry status.The State Departmentwill not be able to resend the confirmation page information to you.

All entrants may check the status of their DV entry on-line through the Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website at dvprogram.state.gov.Entrants will need to use the information they received from their confirmation page saved at the time of entry.Entrant Status Check is the ONLY means of informing you if your entry for DV was selected or not.

The Entrant Status Check also provides instructions on how to proceed with your application, and notifies you of your appointment for immigrant visa interview, so it is essential that you retain your confirmation number. Please note that the Kentucky Consular Center does not mail letters or send e-mails confirming that applicants were selected and the American Embassy does not havea list of winners.

If you have been selected for further processing in the Diversity Visa program, after you read instructions, you will need to demonstrate you are eligible for a diversity immigrant visa by successfully completing the next steps. You should carefully and promptly follow the instructions. The principal applicant and all family members applying for a diversity visa in the DV program must complete the online Immigrant Visa Application Form DS-260. You will need to enter your DV case number and principal applicant’s date of birthinto theCEAC website to access the form DS-260 and update the information about yourself and your family that you included in your DV entry.

If your family circ*mstances have changed after you entered the lottery, for example, if you have gotten married or had a child, you will need to add your new family members to your case. After submitting the Form DS-260 online, please print the confirmation page. You must bring the confirmation page to your visa interview with you.

Important note: If you had a spouse or children prior to submitting your original entry, but you did not include them on your original entry form, then your case will be disqualified at the time of your visa interview. Neither you nor any of your family members will receive visas.

The Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) will review your information, and will let you know if there are any problems with the data you have provided. KCC may request that you go back to CEAC to update information on your DS-260.

Please be aware that KCC can only tell you if your form is complete. KCC cannot tell you whether or not you or your family members are qualified for diversity visas. Only the consular officer who willinterview you can make that decision.

Please note that selected applicants will have to pay all diversity visa fees in person at the U.S. Embassy at the time of the visa interview.

At the time of your visa interview you will be required to provide the documents listed below (originals andcopies with translations into English).

Passport

The passport should be valid for at least sixty days beyond the period of validity of the visa. Please remove any plastic sleeves/coverings from the passport.

Important: Each applicant should bring his/her previous passport(s) with U.S. visas, otherwise your visa may be refused until the consular officer can review them.

Applicants from Russia and Ukraine should also bring with them their internal passports (внутренний паспорт).

UID Number

All applicants should print out and bring to the Embassy the confirmation page of your GSS registration and passport pick-up location choice. The confirmation page must contain the barcode and your UID number. The EMB facility at 115 Wiertnicza Street in Warsaw is a designated passport pick-up location for applicants residing outside of Poland.

Photographs

Each applicant must submit two photos which meet all the requirements listed here. Photos must be cut out and signed at the back with your last and first name in capital letters in Latin alphabet.

Immigrant Visa Application Forms

Complete online (if you have not done it earlier) the biographic data form DS-260for each person applying for a visa, regardless of age. The formis accessible through CEAC website at https://ceac.state.gov/IV.

To access and complete the DS-260 you will need your case number (DV rank number), Your unique confirmation number and principal applicant’s date of birth (in the format YYYYMMDD).

Birth Certificate

For applicants born in Poland only complete version of a birth certificate (Odpis zupełny aktu urodzenia) is accepted. Polish “short form” of birth certificate will not be accepted.

Marriage Certificate (if applicable)

Married persons are required to present their marriage certificate (plus one copy for each applying spouse). Please note that only complete versions of Polish marriage certificates (Odpis zupełny aktu małżeństwa) will be accepted. The Polish “short form” marriage certificate will not be accepted.

Evidence of the Termination of Prior Marriages (if applicable)

Any applicant who has been previously married must obtain evidence of the termination of each prior marriage such as final divorce decree, death certificate or annulment of marriage.

Police Certificate

Police certificates are required for every applicant aged 16 or over from the country of their permanent residence and from any other country that they resided in for more than one (1) year after turning 16 (that pertains also to military service in other countries). If the applicant has been convicted of any crime in any country, a copy of the court record of each conviction is required (with translation into English). Currently, the validity of police certificates has been extended to 2 (two) years. For further information on how to obtain police certificate click here.

Military Records

Applicants from some countries (including Belarus, Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet Union’s countries) with current or prior military service must provide military records, if applicable. Military records must contain a complete record of the applicant’s service and conduct while in the service. The record must show any convictions of crime before military tribunals. Please bring the original and make sure to provide a copy and translation of every page with any annotation or stamp.

Medical Examinations

All applicants should submit the results of medical examination in the original unopened envelope. In some cases the medical exam results will be sent electronically directly from the panel physician to the Embassy. For further information regarding required medical examination click here.

Financial Documents

Diversity Visa applicants must demonstrate that they have the financial means to support themselves and not become a public charge of the U.S. government.

Evidence of Required Education or Work Experience

This requirement applies only to the principal applicant whose entry was selected in the DV program. For additional details, please see the DV instructions.

Translations

Documents in Polish, except for court records, do not have to be translated. All documents that are not written in English or Polish must be translated into English by a certified translator.

After your online forms have been received and approved by the Kentucky Consular Center, based on visa availability, you may receive an e-mail from KCC to let you know that an interview has been scheduled at the U.S. Embassy. The e-mail will instruct you to log into the Entrant Status Check on the Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) website, using your DV entry confirmation number, to view the date, time and location of your interview.