The United States government will tighten financial requirements for green card lottery winners to obtain immigrant visas if the program is reinstated, U.S. attorney Elizabeth Krukova said. In
Hot Topics
In early October, a US federal court ordered the government to hold a lottery for 55,000 green cards . Under the ruling, the US State Department must announce details of the program by October 29.
The program's application period is scheduled to begin. However, lottery winners must still meet a number of requirements before obtaining an immigrant visa.
"Getting a green card is very difficult these days, even if you win the lottery. At the very least, a person must demonstrate the ability to provide for themselves, and the requirements for that are becoming increasingly stringent," Krukova said, as reported by RIA Novosti.
According to US Department of State guidelines, consular officers assess whether a foreign national is able to meet his or her living needs independently after moving to the US.
The assessment takes into account a number of factors, including the applicant's income, assets, age, health condition, marital status, education, and professional skills.
Under US law, a visa can be denied if authorities determine the applicant is likely to become dependent on government assistance. However, there is no minimum savings requirement for lottery winners.
Instead, each application is assessed based on the applicant's various conditions and circumstances. Krukova also did not rule out the possibility of additional obstacles in the document processing process even if the program is ordered to continue.
The US government decided to freeze the green card lottery program after the shooting at Brown University, Rhode Island, in December 2025. The perpetrator was a Portuguese citizen who entered the US through the program.
The government cited the need to ensure national security and conduct a thorough review of selection procedures as reasons for freezing the program.
Winning the lottery does not automatically guarantee residency in the US. Selected participants have the opportunity to apply for an immigrant visa within the annual quota of approximately 55,000 visas.
Tags:
america