Two Pathways for DV Lottery Winners

Diversity Visa (DV) lottery winners can obtain their immigrant visa through one of two pathways: consular processing at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, or adjustment of status inside the United States (if they are already present in the U.S. in a valid nonimmigrant status).

The type of immigration medical exam required depends on which pathway you use. Consular processing requires a panel physician exam overseas. Adjustment of status requires a civil surgeon exam inside the United States.

Consular Processing: Panel Physician Exam

Most DV lottery winners go through consular processing at a U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country. As part of this process, they must complete a medical examination with a U.S. Department of State-designated panel physician. The panel physician completes Form DS-2053 and submits the results to the embassy or consulate.

The panel physician exam must be completed before the immigrant visa interview. The embassy or consulate will provide instructions on which panel physician to use and how to schedule the appointment. Panel physician exams are not performed by USCIS-designated civil surgeons.

• Panel physician designated by U.S. Department of State
• Exam completed overseas before immigrant visa interview
• Results submitted on Form DS-2053
• Scheduled through the U.S. embassy or consulate

Adjustment of Status: Civil Surgeon Exam

DV lottery winners who are already in the United States in a valid nonimmigrant status may be eligible to adjust status by filing Form I-485. In this case, they must complete an immigration medical examination with a USCIS-designated civil surgeon and submit Form I-693.

Note that DV lottery winners have a strict deadline — the immigrant visa must be used (or I-485 must be filed) before the end of the fiscal year in which the DV lottery was conducted. This creates time pressure for scheduling the civil surgeon exam. ImmigrationMedicalExams.com offers expedited processing to accommodate tight deadlines.

DV Lottery Deadline and Exam Timing

DV lottery winners face a hard deadline of September 30 of the fiscal year in which they won. If you are adjusting status inside the United States, you must file I-485 before this deadline. Schedule your civil surgeon exam well in advance to ensure you receive your sealed I-693 before the filing deadline. Do not wait until the last minute — lab results and form completion take time.