US State Department Electronic Diversity Visa Lottery (DV-2026)

The US State Department Electronic Diversity Visa Lottery (DV-2026) is now open, offering the opportunity for people from eligible countries to live and work in the United States. This lottery program awards up to 55,000 Diversity Visas (DVs) annually to individuals from countries with historically low immigration rates to the U.S.

Application Deadline

• Deadline: November 5, 2024, 12:00 PM EST (GMT -5)

Countries Ineligible for DV-2026

Due to high immigration rates to the U.S. in the past five years, natives from the following countries are not eligible to apply for DV-2026:

• Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including mainland and Hong Kong born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

However, natives of Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible to apply.

Program Overview

The Diversity Visa Lottery Program is mandated by the U.S. Congress under Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This program aims to diversify the immigrant population in the U.S. by selecting applicants randomly from eligible countries.

For Fiscal Year 2026, 55,000 Diversity Visas will be available. There is no cost to register for the DV program. However, selected applicants (known as “selectees”) must meet specific eligibility requirements, including education or work experience, to qualify for a diversity visa.

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Eligibility Criteria

Requirement #1:

• Applicants must be born in countries whose natives qualify.
• If you were not born in an eligible country, you may still qualify through:
  1. Spouse’s Country: If your spouse was born in an eligible country, you can claim your spouse’s country of birth, provided both of you are listed on the application and enter the U.S. together.
  2. Parents’ Country: If neither of your parents was born or legally resident in the ineligible country at the time of your birth, you may claim one of their countries of birth if it is eligible for the DV-2026 program.

Requirement #2:

• Each applicant must meet one of the following:
  1. Have at least a high school education or its equivalent (12 years of formal elementary and secondary education).
  2. Have two years of work experience in the last five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience (based on the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net Online database).

Number of Awards

• 55,000 Diversity Visas (DVs) available.

Application Process

• Online Submission: All entries must be submitted online between October 4, 2023 and November 7, 2023 at 12:00 PM EST (GMT -5).
• No Postal Submissions: Entries will not be accepted through the U.S. Postal Service.
• One Entry Per Person: Each individual can only submit one entry during the registration period. The State Department uses a sophisticated system to detect and reject multiple entries.

How to Apply

1. Visit the Official Website: The official entry form is available on the U.S. State Department’s website during the registration period.
2. Photo Requirements: Make sure your photos comply with the photo requirements using the State Department’s Photo Tool.
3. Submit Your Entry: Complete the entry form and submit it online before the deadline. Do not wait until the last week to apply, as the site may experience heavy traffic and delays.
4. Check Status: After the registration period, you can check the status of your entry online to see if you have been selected.

Important Notes

• There is no cost to enter the Diversity Visa Lottery.
• Selected applicants must undergo a visa interview and provide proof that they meet the educational or work experience requirements.

For more information and to begin your application, visit the Official Program Webpage.

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