EDV Disqualification: Mistakes That Cost You the Green Card, and Agent Scams to Avoid in Nepal

As of 27 October 2026 (10 Kartik 2083). Checked against the US State Department’s DV-2026 instructions and its March 2026 final rule in the Federal Register, the US Embassy Kathmandu visa page, and reporting by Republica, The Rising Nepal, The Kathmandu Post and Nepyork. The DV-2027 instructions had not been published when we checked.

EDV disqualification rarely comes from bad luck. It usually comes from a mistake made on the entry form, or from trusting the wrong person to make the entry. Every year, Nepalis who are selected in the US Diversity Visa lottery lose the visa at the interview because their entry broke a rule they did not know existed.

This guide lists the mistakes that disqualify an entry, the things people worry about that are actually fine, and a red-flag checklist for agents. The form is not open now. Our EDV 2028 opening date guide tracks the dates, and our DV-2027 explainer explains the court case.

Quick answers

Where the rules come from

The rules below come from two official documents. The first is the State Department’s Diversity Visa Instructions for DV-2026, published in the Federal Register on 1 October 2024. These are the last full instructions published. The DV-2027 instructions may change some details, so read them when they appear.

The second is the State Department’s final rule of 11 March 2026, which added the passport requirement and describes how DV fraud works. A separate rule effective 16 September 2025 created the US$1 entry fee.

A note on dates. A US appeals court on 29 October 2026 paused the order that would have opened DV-2027 by 1 November. The form is not open. Check dvprogram.state.gov yourself.

Mistakes that cause EDV disqualification

1. Submitting more than one entry

The DV-2026 instructions say the law allows only one entry per person in each entry period. The State Department uses “sophisticated technology to detect multiple entries”, and submitting more than one entry “will disqualify all entries for that person”.

This catches many people in Nepal. A relative submits one entry, a cyber cafe submits another, and an agent submits a third without telling you. All three are then void. Ask anyone who has your details whether they have already entered you.

2. Leaving your spouse off the form

If you are legally married, you must list your spouse. The instructions say this applies even if you are separated, unless the separation is a legal one following a court order. It also applies if you plan to divorce before applying, or if your spouse does not want to immigrate.

Failing to list your eligible spouse, or listing someone who is not your spouse, will make you ineligible. The same rule cuts the other way. If you are engaged but not yet married at the time of entry, do not list your fiancé or fiancée. That also makes you ineligible.

The only exception is a spouse who is already a US citizen or lawful permanent resident. You do not list them.

3. Leaving out a child

You must list every living, unmarried child under 21. That includes natural children, legally adopted children and stepchildren, even if the child does not live with you and will never move to the US. Married children and children already 21 or older are not eligible and are not listed.

The instructions say failure to list all eligible children, or listing someone who is not your child, may make you ineligible, and your spouse and children ineligible with you. A child who is already a US citizen or green card holder can be included or left out without penalty.

4. Using the wrong photo

Each person on the entry needs a recent photo, taken within the last six months, meeting US visa photo standards. Three photo mistakes are named in the instructions:

• Submitting the same photo used in a prior year’s entry will make you ineligible.
• A photo that has been manipulated in any way may make you ineligible.
• A photo that does not meet the specifications may make you ineligible.

The March 2026 rule lists the basics: JPEG format, in colour, in focus, a neutral light background, the head facing the camera, and no eyeglasses or sunglasses. A religious head covering is allowed if it does not hide any part of the face. Beauty filters and background removal apps count as manipulation in our reading, so avoid them.

5. Passport details that do not match

Under the rule effective 10 April 2026, the entry must include your valid, unexpired passport’s number, the name in it, the issuing country and the expiry date, plus a scan of the biographic and signature page. The scan must be a JPEG of no more than 5 MB. PDF files are not accepted.

The DV-2026 instructions also asked entrants to type their name exactly as it appears on the passport. Our reading is that any difference between the form and the passport, such as a swapped first and last name, a different spelling of “Kumar” or “Bahadur”, or a wrong birth date, is a risk. The instructions say entries that are not correct or complete may be disqualified. Copy the details from the passport, not from memory.

6. Not meeting the education or work requirement

This mistake does not stop you entering. It stops you at the interview, after you have paid the visa fee, which is not refunded.

Each principal entrant needs either:

• a high school education, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of formal elementary and secondary education, or
• two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that needs at least two years of training or experience.

For work experience, the State Department uses the US Department of Labor’s O\NET OnLine database. The occupation must fall in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher. Many common jobs do not qualify, so check your exact occupation on O\NET before you rely on it.

In our reading, for Nepal this means passing Grade 12 (the old +2 or PCL level). SEE or SLC alone is ten years of schooling and does not meet the 12-year definition. Correspondence courses and equivalency certificates are not accepted.

7. Buying or using fake certificates

This is the most serious mistake on the list, because it moves from disqualification to arrest. On 9 September 2024, The Rising Nepal and Republica reported that police arrested four people near the US Embassy in Kathmandu, in coordination with the embassy, for presenting forged SEE and +2 certificates for the EDV.

In February 2026, Nepyork reported that police in Kathmandu arrested seven more people over fake high school certificates used for the DV programme, after the National Examination Board flagged one certificate as fabricated. The same month, The Kathmandu Post reported that Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned applicants that false documents can lead to visa refusal and legal action, and that the final responsibility for documents lies with the applicant.

8. Letting someone else control your entry

The instructions allow someone else to submit your entry, but you remain responsible for every answer. Only one entry may exist in your name. If an agent fills it in, sit with them, check every field, and leave with the confirmation number and printed confirmation page.

9. Losing your confirmation number

Without your confirmation number you cannot check Entrant Status Check, and the State Department will not replace it. Save a printout, a screenshot and a photo of it in two places. Keep access to the email address you used.

EDV disqualification vs fine: the full table

Agent scams to avoid in Nepal

The State Department’s March 2026 rule says it has seen millions of fraudulent entries, some submitted by third parties, including criminal groups, without the person’s knowledge. It says it found 2.5 million fraudulent entries in DV-2025. The usual pattern is simple: the agent enters you, keeps the confirmation number, and releases it only for a large payment.

The rule gives examples from other countries. In Ukraine, a fraud ring entered people without their knowledge and then asked selectees for up to US$15,000 for the confirmation number. These are not Nepal cases, but the method is the same everywhere.

The DV-2026 instructions also warn:

• The US government has never sent emails to notify individuals that they have been selected.
• The Department will not mail notification letters, and embassies do not publish lists of winners.
• Only websites ending in .gov are official US government sites.
• Selected applicants pay visa fees in person at the embassy at the time of interview, never by Western Union or money transfer to anyone.

Red-flag checklist for agent offers

Walk away if an agent or website does any of these:

1. Says it can “guarantee” selection or raise your chances. Selection is a random computer draw.
2. Asks for a “registration fee” in thousands of rupees. The official fee is US$1, paid to the US government.
3. Offers an “early”, “secret” or “VIP” EDV form before dvprogram.state.gov has opened.
4. Wants to keep your confirmation number “for safekeeping”.
5. Fills in your form without you present, or will not let you see the screen.
6. Sends a message saying you have won and must pay to claim it.
7. Offers to arrange a +2 certificate, experience letter or “marriage” to qualify.
8. Uses a website or email address that does not end in .gov.
9. Asks for money by IME, eSewa, Khalti or bank transfer for “visa processing” after the result.
10. Offers to submit “one entry here, one entry there” to double your chances.

If you have already been cheated, the US Embassy Kathmandu visa page asks people to report fake documents, fraudulent visa applications or visa scams through its Visa Navigator. In Nepal, online fraud can be reported to the police; our guide on filing a Cyber Bureau complaint explains how.

A safe way to enter, step by step

1. Wait for the State Department announcement. Do not trust a date on Facebook or TikTok.
2. Renew your passport now if it is close to expiry. Have family passports ready too.
3. Get a fresh photo for every family member on the entry, taken within six months.
4. Scan your passport’s biographic and signature page as a clear JPEG under 5 MB.
5. Arrange a card that can pay US$1. Our dollar card guide explains the options.
6. Open dvprogram.state.gov in your own browser and type the address yourself.
7. Enter once. List your spouse and every eligible child.
8. Save the confirmation number in two places before closing the page.

Frequently asked questions

Does EDV disqualification happen at entry or at the interview?

Both. Duplicate entries are removed by the State Department’s systems. Other problems, such as a missing child or the education requirement, are often found by the consular officer at the interview, after the visa fee is paid.

My husband and I both want to enter. Is that two entries?

No. Each spouse may submit one entry if each meets the requirements. Each must list the other. If either is selected, the other can apply as a family member.

An agent already entered me last week. Can I enter again myself?

Only if you are sure no entry exists yet. If the agent did submit one, a second entry disqualifies both. Ask the agent for the confirmation number before you decide.

I got an email saying I won the green card. Is it real?

No. The DV-2026 instructions say the US government has never emailed people to say they were selected. Check only through Entrant Status Check on dvprogram.state.gov, using your own confirmation number.

Is SEE enough for the education requirement?

In our reading, no. The rule asks for a completed 12-year course of formal schooling, which in Nepal means Grade 12. Without it, you need two years of qualifying work in the past five years under O\*NET.

Conclusion

Most EDV disqualification cases in Nepal come from avoidable errors: a second entry, a missing spouse or child, an old or edited photo, a name that does not match the passport, or a certificate that does not meet the rule. Enter once, on dvprogram.state.gov, with your own confirmation number in your hands. Anyone who asks for more than the US$1 government fee to “help” your chances is selling something the US government does not offer.

Sources

• US Department of State, Diversity Visa Instructions for DV-2026, Federal Register Vol. 89 No. 190 (1 October 2024): https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-10-01/html/2024-22482.htm
• US Department of State, Visas: Enhancing Vetting and Combatting Fraud in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, final rule (11 March 2026, effective 10 April 2026): https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-03-11/html/2026-04737.htm
• BAL, State Department announces upcoming changes to 2027 Diversity Visa Program entry (November 2025): https://www.bal.com/immigration-news/united-states-state-department-announces-upcoming-changes-to-2027-diversity-visa-program-entry-entry-period-to-be-announced-as-soon-as-practicable/
• US Embassy in Nepal, Visas page (checked 27 October 2026): https://np.usembassy.gov/visas/
• US Department of Labor, O*NET OnLine: https://www.onetonline.org/
• Fragomen, Court Orders State Department to Open FY 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery Registration (October 2026): https://www.fragomen.com/insights/united-states-court-orders-state-department-to-open-fy-2027-diversity-visa-lottery-registration.html
• The Rising Nepal, Four held for presenting forged academic certificates for EDV (9 September 2024): https://risingnepaldaily.com/news/48709
• Republica, Four arrested for submitting fake academic certificates for US Diversity Visa (9 September 2024): https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/four-arrested-for-submitting-fake-academic-certificates-for-us-diversity-visa/
• Nepyork, Nepalis Continue to Forge Educational Documents for Green Cards Through Diversity Visa Program; Seven Arrested (1 February 2026): https://nepyork.com/2026/02/01/nepalis-continue-to-forge-educational-documents-for-green-cards-through-diversity-visa-program-seven-arrested/
• The Kathmandu Post, Government warns against submitting fake information for visas (2 February 2026): https://kathmandupost.com/national/2026/02/02/government-warns-against-submitting-fake-information-for-visas

This article is general information, not legal or immigration advice; always follow the current instructions on dvprogram.state.gov.

Written by

Rabin Paudel

Rabin Paudel is the Founder of Digital Solution, a Content Creator, and an AI Trainer. He shares practical and easy-to-understand content on Artificial Intelligence, Digital Literacy, Online Services, FinTech, and Technology. His mission is to make technology simple, accessible, and useful for everyone.

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