Applying for the US Diversity Visa lottery now costs $1

The US State Department will now charge a $1 fee to register for the Diversity Visa lottery. This means people who want to enter the lottery will pay a small fee upfront, rather than only successful applicants covering the program's costs.

The Diversity Visa lottery gives people from countries with low immigration rates a chance to get a US green card. For decades, it has been free to enter, with costs covered by the fees paid by the small percentage of people who actually win and apply for the visa. This small fee shifts some of the administrative burden to everyone who registers, not just the winners.