US Green Card Lottery 2026: Full List of Countries Selected for America’s Diversity Visa Programme
- The Kentucky Consular Center registered about 129,516 prospective applicants for the DV-2026 Diversity Visa programme
- Over 20.8 million entries were submitted during the 37-day application window that ran from October to November 2024
- Up to 51,850 permanent resident visas are available for DV-2026 after deductions under NACARA and the NDAA for FY2024
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The United States government has released the full list of countries whose nationals were selected to participate in the Diversity Visa (DV-2026) programme, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery, with around 129,516 prospective applicants registered across six geographic regions.
The Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky, conducted the random selection from [20,822,624 qualified entries] submitted during the 37-day application window, which ran from October 2, 2024, to November 7, 2024.
Source: Getty Images
The programme makes up to 55,000 permanent resident visas available annually, though the DV-2026 limit has been reduced to roughly 51,850 following deductions under the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) and the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024.
Selectees have until September 30, 2026, to complete their applications. Those who do not secure a visa or adjustment of status by that date will lose all benefit from their DV-2026 selection.
African countries selected for DV-2026
Africa recorded a strong showing across the programme.
The countries and their registered prospective applicants include: Algeria (5,457), Egypt (5,527), Sudan (5,226), Morocco (3,670), Cameroon (3,533), Ethiopia (3,287), Kenya (3,949), Togo (2,473), Democratic Republic of the Congo (2,210), Somalia (1,554), Uganda (1,513), Liberia (1,593), Burundi (1,616), Ghana (1,642), Rwanda (1,252), Sierra Leone (639), Senegal (478), Chad (482), Republic of the Congo (448), Tanzania (404), Burkina Faso (252), Zimbabwe (327), Zambia (236), Mali (268), Mauritania (261), Libya (276), Guinea (1,051), Côte d'Ivoire (926), Tunisia (202), Eritrea (206), Djibouti (204), Gambia (198), Malawi (159), South Africa (187), Benin (1,064), Gabon (62), Central African Republic (19), Angola (763), Niger (109), Guinea-Bissau (10), Comoros (12), Equatorial Guinea (12), South Sudan (72), Cabo Verde (35), Madagascar (48), Botswana (7), Lesotho (6), Namibia (3), Mozambique (4), Eswatini (3), and Mauritius (2).
Asian, European, and other regions
In Asia, Afghanistan led with 4,200 registrants, followed by Iran (4,137), Nepal (3,933), Yemen (2,449), Burma (1,540), Cambodia (811), Sri Lanka (1,028), Jordan (1,092), Syria (624), Iraq (616), and Saudi Arabia (577), among others.
European countries with the highest representation include Russia (5,510), Ukraine (5,283), Uzbekistan (3,754), Tajikistan (3,708), Turkey (3,191), Kyrgyzstan (3,324), Kazakhstan (2,723), Turkmenistan (2,542), Armenia (2,639), Azerbaijan (1,817), and Georgia (1,406). The United Kingdom registered 1,303 prospective applicants.
In Oceania, Fiji led with 2,094, followed by Australia (599) and New Zealand (229). South American nations represented include Peru (1,596), Ecuador (1,270), Guatemala (367), Bolivia (269), Argentina (124), and Trinidad and Tobago (139), among others. The Bahamas was the only North American country listed, with 23 registrants.
Applicants must prove they hold at least a secondary school qualification, or two years of relevant work experience within the past five years.
Those already in the United States with legal status may apply to adjust their status through US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported the full list of 16 West African countries selected to participate in the 2026 US Green Card Lottery.
African countries selected for US DV-2026
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported the full list of African countries selected to take part in the 2026 US Green Card Lottery.
The programme makes up to approximately 51,850 permanent resident visas available for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026), after deductions under the NACARA and National Defence Authorisation Act provisions.
To qualify, principal applicants must show proof of at least a high school education or its equivalent, or two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training.
Source: Legit.ng
