US Releases Full List of Countries Selected for DV-2026 Green Card Lottery
- The United States has released a major update on its 2026 Diversity Visa programme, with thousands of hopeful applicants featuring in the latest figures
- Several African countries have recorded notable numbers in the selection, with Ghana also appearing on the list
- The full breakdown of the countries and the figures involved has now emerged
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The United States government has released the complete list of countries whose nationals have been selected for the DV-2026 Diversity Visa programme, popularly known as the Green Card Lottery.
Approximately 129,516 prospective candidates were registered across six geographic regions following a random selection conducted by the Kentucky Consular Centre in Williamsburg, Kentucky.
Source: Getty Images
The selection was made from 20,822,624 qualified entries submitted during the 37-day registration period, which ran from October 2, 2024, to November 7, 2024.
While the Diversity Visa programme normally makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available annually, the allocation for fiscal year 2026 has been reduced to approximately 51,850.
The reduction follows deductions required under the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) and the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024.
Successful candidates have until September 30, 2026, to complete the remaining stages of the visa process.
Those who do not obtain a visa or adjust their immigration status before the deadline will lose all benefits associated with their DV-2026 selection.
African countries and their figures
The African countries included in the DV-2026 programme and their respective numbers of prospective candidates are:
Northern and Eastern Africa
- Egypt – 5,527
- Algeria – 5,457
- Sudan – 5,226
- Kenya – 3,949
- Morocco – 3,670
- Ethiopia – 3,287
- Burundi – 1,616
- Somalia – 1,554
- Uganda – 1,513
- Rwanda – 1,252
- Libya – 276
- Eritrea – 206
- Djibouti – 204
- Tunisia – 202
- South Sudan – 72
- Mauritius – 2
Central and Western Africa
- Cameroon – 3,533
- Togo – 2,473
- Democratic Republic of the Congo – 2,210
- Ghana – 1,642
- Liberia – 1,593
- Benin – 1,064
- Guinea – 1,051
- Côte d'Ivoire – 926
- Angola – 763
- Sierra Leone – 639
- Chad – 482
- Senegal – 478
- Republic of the Congo – 448
- Mali – 268
- Mauritania – 261
- Burkina Faso – 252
- Niger – 109
- Gabon – 62
- Cabo Verde – 35
- Central African Republic – 19
- Equatorial Guinea – 12
- Comoros – 12
- Guinea-Bissau – 10
Southern Africa
- Tanzania – 404
- Zimbabwe – 327
- Zambia – 236
- South Africa – 187
- Malawi – 159
- Madagascar – 48
- Botswana – 7
- Lesotho – 6
- Mozambique – 4
- Namibia – 3
- Eswatini – 3
Asian countries and their figures
The participating Asian countries listed in the programme include:
- Afghanistan – 4,200
- Iran – 4,137
- Nepal – 3,933
- Yemen – 2,449
- Burma – 1,540
- Jordan – 1,092
- Sri Lanka – 1,028
- Cambodia – 811
- Syria – 624
- Iraq – 616
- Saudi Arabia – 577
European countries and their figures
Europe also recorded significant numbers of prospective candidates, including:
- Russia – 5,510
- Ukraine – 5,283
- Uzbekistan – 3,754
- Tajikistan – 3,708
- Kyrgyzstan – 3,324
- Turkey – 3,191
- Kazakhstan – 2,723
- Armenia – 2,639
- Turkmenistan – 2,542
- Azerbaijan – 1,817
- Georgia – 1,406
- United Kingdom – 1,303
Oceania countries and their figures
The participating countries from Oceania were:
- Fiji – 2,094
- Australia – 599
- New Zealand – 229
South American countries and their figures
The South American countries included:
- Peru – 1,596
- Ecuador – 1,270
- Guatemala – 367
- Bolivia – 269
- Trinidad and Tobago – 139
- Argentina – 124
North American country
The Bahamas was the only North American country listed, with:
- Bahamas – 23
DV-2026 eligibility requirements
Principal applicants must meet specific educational or work-experience requirements to remain eligible for the Diversity Visa programme.
Applicants must have at least a secondary school education or its equivalent, or two years of qualifying work experience within the previous five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience.
Candidates who are already legally residing in the United States can pursue permanent residence through an adjustment of status application with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
All DV-2026 applicants are required to complete the process before September 30, 2026, as visas cannot be issued or benefits extended beyond the end of the fiscal year.
Countries barred from applying for 2026 DV programme
In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that a major update had emerged for people hoping to secure a US Green Card through the Diversity Visa Lottery.
While thousands of hopeful applicants awaited their next steps, some nationals had been left out of the latest programme.
The countries affected and other important details had subsequently been disclosed.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
