DV-2026 Green Card Lottery: Full List of African Countries and Their Selectee Numbers
- The US has released the latest figures from its Diversity Visa programme, with several African countries featuring prominently on the list
- The numbers reveal how applicants from across the continent fared in the highly sought-after Green Card Lottery
- Successful candidates now face important requirements and a strict deadline to complete the process
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Dozens of African countries have featured prominently in the newly released official list of eligible countries for the United States Diversity Visa (DV-2026) programme, popularly known as the Green Card Lottery.
According to official figures, the Kentucky Consular Centre in Williamsburg, Kentucky, registered approximately 129,516 prospective applicants selected in the DV-2026 programme.
Source: Getty Images
The figure includes principal applicants as well as their eligible spouses and children.
The selection was made from a total of 20,822,624 qualified entries submitted during the 37-day registration period, which ran from October 2 to November 7, 2024.
For the 2026 fiscal year, which runs from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, approximately 51,850 permanent resident visas are available worldwide after statutory deductions under provisions including the NACARA and National Defence Authorisation Act.
African countries featured in the DV-2026 programme
Several African countries recorded thousands of prospective applicants, with Egypt leading the continent's figures at 5,527.
Algeria followed closely with 5,457, while Sudan recorded 5,226. Kenya, Morocco and Cameroon also recorded significant numbers of selectees.
The full breakdown of registered prospective applicants across participating African countries is as follows:
- Algeria — 5,457
- Angola — 763
- Benin — 1,064
- Botswana — 7
- Burkina Faso — 252
- Burundi — 1,616
- Cabo Verde — 35
- Cameroon — 3,533
- Central African Republic — 19
- Chad — 482
- Comoros — 12
- Democratic Republic of the Congo — 2,210
- Republic of the Congo — 448
- Côte d'Ivoire — 926
- Djibouti — 204
- Egypt — 5,527
- Equatorial Guinea — 12
- Eritrea — 206
- Eswatini — 3
- Ethiopia — 3,287
- Gabon — 62
- The Gambia — 198
- Ghana — 1,642
- Guinea — 1,051
- Guinea-Bissau — 10
- Kenya — 3,949
- Lesotho — 6
- Liberia — 1,593
- Libya — 276
- Madagascar — 48
- Malawi — 159
- Mali — 268
- Mauritania — 261
- Mauritius — 2
- Morocco — 3,670
- Mozambique — 4
- Namibia — 3
- Niger — 109
- Rwanda — 1,252
- Senegal — 478
- Sierra Leone — 639
- Somalia — 1,554
- South Africa — 187
- South Sudan — 72
- Sudan — 5,226
- Tanzania — 404
- Togo — 2,473
- Tunisia — 202
- Uganda — 1,513
- Western Sahara — 2
- Zambia — 236
- Zimbabwe — 327
Requirements for DV-2026 selectees
Being selected for the Diversity Visa programme does not automatically guarantee a visa.
Principal selectees must demonstrate that they meet the programme's minimum education or work experience requirements.
Applicants must have completed at least a high school education or its recognised equivalent, or have two years of qualifying work experience within the previous five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience.
Under US immigration rules, Diversity Visas are distributed among six geographic regions. No single country may receive more than seven per cent of the available visas in any one fiscal year.
What successful applicants need to do
Applicants who are legally residing in the United States may apply to adjust their immigration status through United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Those living outside the United States must complete the visa application process through the relevant US embassy or consulate, following the instructions provided in their official notification.
Importantly, all DV-2026 cases must be completed by September 30, 2026.
Any selected applicant who has not obtained a visa or successfully adjusted their status by the deadline will lose their eligibility under the DV-2026 programme.
The same deadline applies to eligible spouses and children seeking derivative status.
DV-2027 registration dates
The US Department of State has indicated that the official registration dates for the DV-2027 programme will be announced on its official website in the coming months.
Prospective applicants are therefore encouraged to rely on official US government channels for future registration information and avoid individuals or websites claiming to guarantee selection or visa approval.
Relatives Green Card holders can sponsor
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported earlier that a new US immigration update had outlined who Green Card holders could sponsor to join them in America.
The rules limited permanent residents to specific family-based sponsorship categories.
The details were considered important for Green Card holders hoping to reunite with relatives in the US.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
