What is Diversity visa and why is it back in focus after the Brown University shooting
Following violent incidents involving Claudio Neves Valente, who entered the US via the Diversity Visa program, President Trump has suspended the lottery.
The US Diversity Visa (DV) program, often referred to as the “green card lottery”, has returned to attention after the shooting incidents linked to Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente, who entered the United States through the program.
President Donald Trump has decided to suspend the lottery. It brings in the question of how the visa works, who qualifies for it, and the level of vetting involved.
What is a Diversity Visa?
The Diversity Visa program is administered by the US Department of State and was created by Congress to broaden immigration from countries that historically send fewer migrants to the United States.
Under the program, up to 55,000 immigrant visas are made available every year to applicants from eligible countries through a random selection process, commonly called a lottery. The actual number issued is typically closer to 50,000, after accounting for other visa allocations.
Also Read: Claudio Neves Valente: Reddit post helped track down Brown University shooting suspect; here's how
According to the State Department, the program is designed to diversify the immigrant population in the United States by offering lawful permanent residence to individuals from underrepresented regions.
How the application process works
Contrary to popular belief, winning the lottery does not automatically grant a green card.
Applicants must first submit a free online entry during a limited annual window. Those selected are then required to complete a multi-step process that includes:
- document verification
- background checks
- medical examinations
- in-person interview at a US consulate
For the DV-2026 program, all selected applicants must be found eligible and issued a visa, or adjust their status, by September 30, 2026. This is the end of the US fiscal year. Failure to complete the process in time results in forfeiture of the visa slot.
The Claudio Neves Valente connection
The program came under renewed scrutiny after US officials confirmed that Claudio Neves Valente, a Portuguese citizen, had obtained lawful permanent residence through a diversity immigrant visa.
According to an affidavit cited by the Associated Press (AP), Neves Valente entered the US initially on a student visa in 2000 and later received a diversity immigrant visa in 2017, obtaining permanent residency months later.
Read More: 'What’s the motive': Brown shooting suspect Claudio Neves Valente's Portugal link sparks concerns
Neves Valente, 48, is suspected in fatal shootings at Brown University and the killing of an MIT professor. Authorities said he was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Following the incident, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that, at President Trump’s direction, US Citizenship and Immigration Services would pause the program. “This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country,” Noem said in a post on X.
