DV Lottery Results Check: How to Use the Entrant Status Check and Recover Your Confirmation Number

You submitted your DV lottery entry, stored your confirmation number somewhere safe, and now May has arrived. This is the month when results become available on the Entrant Status Check (ESC) portal. But the process of checking your status is less straightforward than it should be, and if you have lost your confirmation number, the situation becomes significantly more stressful.

Here is exactly how to check your DV lottery results, what the status page actually means, and what options exist if your confirmation number is gone.

How to Check Your DV Lottery Results

The only official way to check your selection status is through the Entrant Status Check at dvprogram.state.gov. The US government does not send emails, letters, phone calls, or text messages to notify winners. If you receive any communication claiming you won the DV lottery, it is a scam.

To check your results:

1. Go to dvprogram.state.gov
2. Click "Entrant Status Check"
3. Enter your confirmation number (a 16-character alphanumeric code you received when you submitted your entry)
4. Enter your last name and year of birth exactly as they appear on your entry
5. Click "Check Status"

Results for each fiscal year are typically available starting in early May and remain accessible through at least September 30 of the following year. For example, DV-2027 results (for the fiscal year 2027 lottery) would be available from approximately May 2026 through September 2027.

What the Status Page Tells You

If you were selected, the page will display your case number, instructions for submitting Form DS-260, and links to next steps. Your case number determines when you can schedule your consular interview -- lower numbers get earlier interview slots.

If you were not selected, the page will state that you have not been selected. This is final for that fiscal year. There is no appeal, no waitlist notification, and no second-round drawing.

There is also a third possibility: the page may say your entry was disqualified. This typically means a duplicate entry was detected (you or someone else submitted more than one entry using your information) or your photo failed the automated screening. Disqualification is also final.

The Confirmation Number Problem

Your confirmation number is a 16-character code displayed on screen after you submit your entry. It is not emailed to you. It is not mailed to you. It appears once on screen, and the system instructs you to print or save it.

Many applicants take a screenshot, write it on paper, or save it in a document. Some forget entirely. And because the ESC portal requires this number to check results, losing it effectively locks you out of knowing whether you were selected.

The Colombia to US Diversity Visa Lottery Guide includes a confirmation number storage template and a post-selection action plan so you are ready to move immediately when results go live.

Can You Recover a Lost Confirmation Number?

Historically, the answer was "no" -- if you lost the number, you had no way to check results. However, the Department of State has implemented limited recovery options in recent cycles:

If you provided an email address on your entry: The ESC portal may offer a "Forgot Confirmation Number" option that sends a recovery link to the email address associated with your entry. This only works if you entered a valid, accessible email address during registration.

If you did not provide an email or no longer have access to it: There is no official alternative recovery method. The Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), which administers the lottery, does not provide confirmation numbers by phone or email request. Contacting KCC will not help.

What about third-party "recovery" services? These are scams. No external service has access to the Department of State's database. Anyone offering to recover your confirmation number for a fee is either lying or attempting to collect your personal data for fraud.

Practical Prevention Steps

The simplest protection against losing your confirmation number:

• Screenshot the confirmation page immediately after submission and save it to your phone's photo gallery, cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud), and email it to yourself
• Write the number on paper and store it with your passport
• Give a copy to a trusted family member in case you lose access to your devices
• Do not rely on a single storage method -- phones break, email accounts get locked, paper gets lost

The confirmation number is the only proof that you entered the lottery. Without it, even if you were selected, you cannot proceed.

Timing and What Happens After Selection

If you check the ESC and find you were selected, act immediately. The next step is to complete and submit Form DS-260 (Online Immigrant Visa Application) for yourself and all family members. The sooner you submit the DS-260 after selection is announced, the sooner you enter the queue for an interview appointment.

DV visas are limited to 55,000 per fiscal year, but more than 55,000 people are selected because not all selectees complete the process. If your case number is high and you delay the DS-260, you risk your number never becoming current before the September 30 fiscal year deadline. At that point, your selection expires permanently.

The Colombia to US Diversity Visa Lottery Guide includes a post-selection action plan with deadlines, a DS-260 walkthrough, and a timeline showing how case numbers move through the Visa Bulletin each month. If you are a Colombian national who qualified through cross-chargeability, the guide also covers the specific documentation you need to prove your chargeability claim at the interview.

Do Not Trust Unofficial Notification Methods

Every year, thousands of people receive fake "congratulations" emails or letters claiming they won the DV lottery. These messages often include official-looking logos, reference real program details, and ask the recipient to pay a "processing fee" to claim their visa.

The US government will never contact you to inform you of selection. The only way to know is to check the ESC portal yourself, using your confirmation number. If someone tells you that you won without you checking the portal first, they are attempting to defraud you.

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