The United States has announced changes to the immigration lottery program, known as the “American Lottery,” stating that registration will no longer be free starting in October 2025. Each applicant will be required to pay a nominal fee of one dollar when submitting their application online.
The goal of this decision is to reduce fraud and hold applicants accountable, especially following a significant influx of duplicate or non-serious applications in previous years. The U.S. Department of State indicates that this nominal fee could generate approximately 25 million dollars annually to help cover processing costs.
The consular fees for winners will remain unchanged, set at 330 dollars per application during the consular interview, in addition to costs related to medical examinations, document translation, and travel and settlement expenses in the United States.
It is noteworthy that the lottery program, launched in 1990, grants around 55,000 permanent residence cards each year and targets countries that historically have low immigration rates to the U.S. Morocco is among the countries with the highest participation in the program, with thousands of applicants each year seeking the opportunity to live and work legally and achieve the American dream.
