250-dollar fee stopped: US government may not charge an entry fee for the Green Card Lottery

Berlin/Washington, July 2, 2025 - The planned introduction of a mandatory entry fee of 250 US dollars for the US Green Card Lottery is off the table for the time being. The so-called Senate Parliamentarian, a neutral legal body in the US Senate, declared the measure inadmissible as part of the "One Big Beautiful Bill".

The plan was for applicants to have to pay an application fee in future in order to take part in the Diversity Visa Lottery - a program that has been in place since 1994 and enables around 55,000 people from countries with low US immigration rates to obtain permanent residency every year. In addition, a processing fee of around 400 US dollars was planned for winners.

However, the Senate Parliamentarian decided that these fees did not serve a budgetary purpose, but were instead politically motivated. The introduction of the fee would therefore be a violation of the so-called Byrd Rule - a Senate rule designed to keep political content out of budget-related legislation. Accordingly, the fee section was removed from the law.

"A mandatory participation fee would have thwarted the original idea of the lottery," says Holger Zimmermann from The American Dream, a consulting firm specializing in green card applications. "The Diversity Visa Lottery is intended to give people the chance to immigrate to the USA regardless of their financial situation. A high fee would have de facto excluded applicants from poorer countries in particular."

Even though different versions of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" have already been passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate, its future remains uncertain. One thing is certain, however: the Green Card lottery will remain free at federal level.

The decision is seen by many observers as a victory for equal opportunities, diversity and democratic values. Applicants from all over the world can therefore continue to apply for the coveted permanent visa without paying a government fee.

The Berlin-based company The American Dream has been helping tens of thousands of people apply for the Green Card lottery every year since 1996. For a small service fee, the team offers, among other things, a correction check, reminder service, timely submission and, if you win, comprehensive support in the immigration process.

Further information and participation at: www.the-american-dream.com

The American Dream US GreenCard Service GmbH
Danckelmannstr. 9 9
14059 Berlin
Germany

https://www.americandream.de

Herr Holger Zimmermann
+4930 – 511 0 511

hz@americandream.de

About The American Dream - US GreenCard Service GmbH

The American Dream, based in Berlin, has specialized in the professional support of participants in the US GreenCard lottery since 1996. As a state-approved consulting firm, The American Dream has already assisted over 21,000 winners on their way to the USA. Every year, the team supports tens of thousands of applicants from all over the world and offers comprehensive services ranging from error-free applications and reminder services to personal advice in the event of a win. The company stands for equal opportunities, transparency and legally compliant support in one of the most important immigration programs in the United States. Through The American Dream group of companies, companies and the self-employed also receive support with all other issues relating to visas for the USA.

Further information can be found at: www.americandream.de

This release was published on openPR.