No Need for I-864 Affidavit of Support for Lottery Winners

The good news is, unlike family visa applicants, Diversity Visa Lottery (“DV Lottery”) winners do not need to file an I-864 Affidavit of Support in order to apply for permanent residence.

They will nevertheless need to demonstrate to U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or the Department of State (DOS) that they will not become a public charge (rely on public assistance benefits) during their time in the United States. It's possible for you to do this by either:

• demonstrating that you have sufficient income and other assets to support yourself once you are granted permanent residence, or
• having a friend or relative who has legal status in the U.S. complete Form I-134, Affidavit of Support and agree to sponsor you during your time in the United States. For more information on this, see Filling Out Form I-134, Affidavit of Support to Help a U.S. Visa Applicant.

"Assets" means property like investments, savings, and real estate (so long as it can be easily converted to cash). So, if you don't have a current income, showing a source of wealth or cash can help your application for a green card.

If family members are immigrating through the DV winner, they must also be listed on the Form I-134 as accompanying you, and the income and assets listed on Form I-134 must be enough to cover them, too.