Visas: Enhancing Vetting and Combatting Fraud in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program
Document type: Proposed Rule Publication date: 2025-08-05 Document number: 2025-14784
Abstract
The Department of State (“Department”) proposes to amend regulations governing the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (“DV Program”) to improve the integrity and combat fraud in the program. The Department proposes to require petitioners to the DV Program to provide valid, unexpired passport information and a scan of the biographic and signature page uploaded to their electronic entry form, or otherwise indicate that they are exempt from this requirement. Additionally, the Department also proposes to standardize and amend language in 22 CFR part 42, including by adding the word “shall” to simplify guidance for consular officers; ensuring the use of the term “sex” in lieu of “gender” as mandated by Executive Order 14168; and replacing the term “age” in 22 CFR 42.33(h)(1)(i) with the phrase “date of birth” to accurately reflect the information collected and maintained by the Department during the immigrant visa process.
Official sources
- Federal Register HTML page — searchable text version
- Federal Register PDF — official publication of record
Why this matters for immigrants
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- ICE (enforcement, removal, detention)
- EOIR (immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals)
- CBP (border admissibility and inspection)
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Related procedural information
- USCIS form library — federal immigration forms (I-130, I-485, N-400, etc.)
- Immigration court by state (EOIR) — courts that apply these rules
- BIA-recognized legal help by state — free representation
- Find an immigration attorney — for case-specific impact analysis
Last verified: 2026-05-27. General procedural information — not legal advice. Federal Register rules change frequently; always verify the current version at the source URL.
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