The Embassy of the United States in Kathmandu has announced that the registration period for the 2026 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery will officially open tonight. Aspiring applicants can submit their entries online from 9:45 pm Nepal Standard Time (NST) on October 2, with the application window closing at 10:45 pm on November 5, 2024.

The embassy has advised applicants to submit their entries early, as delays are common towards the end of the registration period due to increased website traffic. Importantly, there is no fee to participate in the DV lottery, and the embassy has recommended against using consultants for assistance, emphasising that the process is straightforward and should be completed personally.

Applications must be submitted electronically via the official Diversity Visa entry form, available at dvprogram.state.gov. While entrants are required to provide an email address as part of their application, the embassy has made it clear that no email notifications will be sent to those who are selected. Applicants must retain their confirmation number, as this will be the only way to check the results when they are available after 3 May 2025.

Notably, the embassy also stated that a valid passport is no longer a requirement at the time of registration. Entrants are reminded not to share their confirmation number with anyone.

Further information and guidelines on the DV programme can be accessed via the official website dvprogram.state.gov or the US Embassy’s portal at np.usembassy.gov/visas/.