Diversity Visa Program Overview for Fiscal Year 2026

The Diversity Visa Program (DV) is a significant U.S. immigration initiative designed to provide opportunities for individuals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. Administered by the Department of State, this program aims to diversify the immigrant population in the U.S. by granting up to 55,000 visas annually to eligible applicants through a randomized selection process.

Purpose of the Diversity Visa Program

The primary purpose of the Diversity Visa Program is to promote diversity in America's immigrant population. Established under Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the program seeks to provide a pathway for individuals whose home countries have not had a significant presence in U.S. immigration over the past five years. By doing so, the program aims to enrich the social and cultural fabric of the country.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the 2026 Diversity Visa Lottery, applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements:

Country of origin: Applicants must have been born in countries with historically low immigration rates to the U.S. Notably, individuals from countries that sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the last five years are ineligible.
Alternative Eligibility: If an applicant is not a native of a qualifying country, they may still be eligible if:
- The applicant's spouse is from an eligible country.
- They were born in a non-qualifying country but neither parent was born or legally residing in that country at the time of their birth, allowing them to claim the country of birth of one of their parents.
- Education/Work Experience Requirement: All DV entrants must meet one of the following educational or work experience criteria:
  - Completion of at least a high school education or equivalent.
  - Two years of work experience in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience within the last five years.

Application Procedure

The application process for the Diversity Visa Program is entirely electronic. Applicants must:

Visit the program website: Entries for 2026 must be submitted electronically at the designated website (dvprogram.state.gov) during the specified entry period.
Complete the entry form: Applicants need to fill out the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form (E-DV Entry Form or DS-5501), providing accurate information, including their name, gender, birth date, birthplace, eligibility country, and recent photographs meeting specific technical specifications.
Confirmation of submission: After submitting the entry, applicants will receive a confirmation screen with a unique confirmation number. It is crucial to save this number, as it will be needed to check the status of their entry later.
Single Entry Rule: Only one entry per person is permitted. Multiple entries will disqualify all submissions from that individual.
Checking Status: The results of the lottery will be available via the Entrant Status Check on the same website starting May 3, 2025. This will inform applicants if they have been selected and provide further instructions for the visa application process.

Submission Deadlines

For 2026, the entry period for electronic applications is as follows:

Start Date: October 2, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, GMT-4).
End Date: November 5, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Standard Time (EST, GMT-5).

List of Ineligible Countries

Bangladesh
Brazil
Canada
Colombia
Cuba
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Haiti
Honduras
India
Jamaica
Mexico
Nigeria
Pakistan
People's Republic of China (and Hong Kong)
Philippines
Republic of Korea (South Korea)
Venezuela
Vietnam