2026 U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery Opens Today

Oct 2, 2024 | Immigration Updates, Permanent Immigration Visas

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DIVP) is a government lottery program that offers a straightforward path to obtaining U.S. Permanent Residence (green card). This program allocates 50,000 visas annually to applicants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States and specific education qualifications.

The registration period for the FY2026 U.S. diversity visa (DV-2026) program opens on October 2, 2024, and closes on November 5, 2024.

Who Can Apply for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program?

To be eligible for the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, you, your spouse, or your parent must have been born in a country that sent less than 50,000 immigrants to the United States in the previous five years. DOS publishes a full list of the eligible countries on its website.

For the 2026 program, the following countries are not eligible to apply for DIVP due to high rates of immigration to the United States:

  • Bangladesh
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • The People’s Republic of China (including mainland and Hong Kong born)
  • Colombia
  • Cuba
  • Dominican Republic
  • El Salvador
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • India
  • Jamaica
  • Mexico
  • Nigeria
  • Pakistan
  • Philippines
  • Republic of Korea (South Korea)
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Natives of Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible.

In addition to the nationality requirements,  applicants must possess at least a high school diploma or its equivalent; or two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience. The Department of State uses the Department of Labor’s O*Net Online system to determine work qualifying work experience.

Non-U.S. residents seeking to obtain a green card from an eligible country may apply regardless of whether they live in the United States or abroad. This includes foreign workers who are waiting to obtain a green card through the labor certification program.

If you’d like to learn more about the U.S. Diversity Lottery, contact your WR Immigration attorney for guidance.

Related Posts:

Immigration Update

In this edition, read about a second random selection of H-1B registrations, relief for certain OPT applicants, and the DHS’ announcement on the registration process for Haitian TPS. USCIS Conducts Second Random Selection from Previously Submitted FY 2022 H-1B Cap Registrations More H-1Bs!  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on July 29, 2021, that it needed to select additional H-1B registrations to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2022 quota. On July 28, 2021, the agency selected additional previously submitted electronic registrations using a random selection process. The petition filing period based on registrations selected on July 28 will begin on August 2 and close on November 3, 2021. Individuals with selected registrations will have their myUSCIS accounts updated to include a selection notice, which includes details of when and where to file. Registration selection only indicates that petitioners are eligible to file H-1B cap-subject petitions; it does not indicate that the petition will be approved. USCIS conducted an initial random selection in March 2021 of electronic registrations submitted for the FY 2022 H-1B cap and of beneficiaries eligible for the advanced degree exemption. The initial filing period for those selected for FY 2022 was April 1, 2021, through June […]

Rapid-Fire Wednesdays Q&A | 2024 End of Year Immigration Law Updates | 1/15/2025 Recap

The transcript version of our weekly Q&A livestream for corporate immigration professionals. Join our Immigration News Digest Newsletter for more immigration updates. By Kimberley (Best) Robidoux & Miki Kawashima Matrician 🔥 Question: What changes did the U.S. Department of State make to the J-1 Exchange Visitor Skills List? Response: The Department of State made a significant update to the J-1 Exchange Visitor Skills List, which had not been revised since 2009. Effective December 9, 2024, 37 countries were removed from the skills list, including Brazil, China, India, and South Korea. This change is retroactive, meaning individuals from these countries who were previously subject to the two-year home residency requirement are no longer restricted, even if they were in the J-1 program when the requirement applied. As a result, these individuals can now pursue U.S. visas like H-1B, L-1, or green cards without delay. This update benefits employers by making it easier to retain talent without requiring waivers or a mandatory return to the home country. However, the two-year residency requirement remains unchanged for foreign national physicians undergoing medical residency or graduate medical education. 🔥 Question: What is the new policy regarding medical examination results for Form I-485 Adjustment of Status […]