Application for the 2026 U.S. Diversity Visa Program opens today October 2, 2024, and will remain open until November 5, 2024. This program offers a fantastic opportunity for individuals from countries with low U.S. immigration rates to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa.
Eligibility Requirements:
To qualify, you must meet two primary requirements:
- Be a citizen of a country with low immigration rates to the United States
- Have graduated from high school or its equivalent, or possess qualifying work experience
Important Tips:
- Complete the entry form yourself to avoid scams
- Retain your confirmation page and unique confirmation number
- Check your selection status on (dvprogram.state.gov/ESC) in May 2025
- Be cautious of emails claiming to notify you of selection – the Department of State will not contact you
- Tip #1 – Read the instructions at travel.state.gov/dv to find out if you qualify. Do NOT enter if you do not meet the qualifications.
- Tip #2 – Go to dvprogram.state.gov to submit your entry. This is the ONLY way to enter. Do not be fooled by scams or fraudulent sites.
- Tip #3 – There is NO fee to enter. Beware of those who claim they can improve your chances if you pay them, or who offer to complete your application for free.
- Tip #4 – Complete the Diversity Visa Program entry yourself. Unscrupulous visa facilitators have retained an applicant’s confirmation number, and then demanded more money or illegal activities in exchange for the confirmation number.
- Tip #5 – Use a photo taken in the last six months. Using an old photo will disqualify your entry.
- Tip #6 – Only submit ONE entry per person. Individuals with more than one primary entry per Diversity Visa season will be disqualified.
- Tip #7 – Remember to list your spouse and ALL unmarried children under the age of 21 in your application, even if they will not be traveling or immigrating with you. Incorrect or missing information in your entry can mean disqualification – even after you are selected.
- Tip #8 – Keep your unique confirmation number. The confirmation number will be the only way to check whether an entry has been selected in May 2025.
- Tip #9 – Selections will be made in May 2025. The website dvprogram.state.gov/ESC is the ONLY way to see if you were selected. Any email claiming to notify entrants that they have been selected for the Diversity Visa program is a scam. The Department of State will NOT contact you if you have been selected.
- Tip #10 – Remember, being selected does NOT guarantee you a visa interview or visa. In order to issue as many visas as possible, there will be more selectees than there are visas available.
Ineligible Countries:
For DV-2026, natives of the following countries and areas are not eligible to apply, because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years:
• 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.
With the exception of Cuba, which is not eligible for DV-2026, there were no changes in eligibility from the previous fiscal year.
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