US proposes $1 fee for Green Card lottery applications

The U.S. Department of State has proposed introducing a $1 registration fee for the annual lottery program that grants permanent residency (“Green Card”) in the United States.

Corresponding changes are proposed to the list of consular fees of the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Department of State, as reported on the Federal Register website.

According to the State Department, the measure “will more fairly place the burden of the lottery registration” among all participants, rather than only the winners.

The Green Card program has been in place in the U.S. since 1990. Until now, participation in the lottery has always been free of charge.