While a DV applicant may not be required to submit evidence of financial support with their I-485, the applicant is expected to be able to demonstrate they will not become a public charge should the need to demonstrate that arise.
1. INA 212(a)(4) requires ALL DV based AOS applicants (regardless of if they are working full time or not due to circumstance beyond their control) to be able to demonstrate they are not likely to become a public charge in order for their application to be approved. The adjudicator is empowered to find an applicant inadmissible and, therefore, ineligible for a visa if in their opinion, at the time of adjudication, the applicant is likely at any time to become a public charge.
2.
USCIS Policy Manual (Footnote 61) - the adjudicator manual which guides IOs says: "A winner of the Diversity Visa Program lottery has no petition or petitioner. Consequently, a Diversity Visa Program adjustment applicant does not need to file an Affidavit of Support. However, the applicant is still subject to the public charge ground of inadmissibility."
3. See
link to a DV 2021 selectee post who received a RFE due to the IO having concerns about the possibility of their becoming a public charge
Also, take a look at the “Other Unique Cases” tab/section of the
DV Tracker - Unique Situations spreadsheet (link in my signature) to read up on some other interview experience reports and I-134/financial document requests.
