The list below outlines the countries and regions eligible for the DV-2026 program, categorized by geographic area. Dependent areas overseas are included within the region of the governing country. According to Section 203(c) of the INA, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified countries whose natives are ineligible for the DV-2026 program.
These ineligible countries are typically major sources of Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based immigration or are considered “high-admission” countries. The list of ineligible countries follows the respective regional categories.
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AFRICA
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cabo Verde
- CentralAfrican
Republic - Chad
- Comoros
- Congo
- Congo, Democratic
Republic of the - Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory
Coast) - Djibouti
- Egypt*
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and
Principe - Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Note: In Africa natives of Nigeria arenoteligible for this year’s Diversity Visa program.
ASIA
- Afghanistan
- Bahrain
- Bhutan
- Brunei
- Burma
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel*
- Japan***
- Jordan*
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mongolia
- Nepal
- North Korea
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Syria*
- Taiwan**
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- United Arab Emirates
- Yemen
*Persons born in the areas administered prior to June 1967 by Israel Jordan Syria and Egypt are chargeable respectively to Israel Jordan Syria and Egypt. Persons born in the Gaza Strip are chargeable to Egypt; persons born in the West Bank are chargeable to Jordan; persons born in the Golan Heights are chargeable to Syria. **Macau S.A.R. (Europe region chargeable to Portugal) and Taiwan (Asia region)do qualifyand are listed. For the purposes of the diversity program only persons born in Macau S.A.R. derive eligibility from Portugal. ***Persons born in theHabomaiIslands, Shikotan,Kunashiri, andEtorofuare chargeable to Japan.
Persons born in Southern Sakhalin are chargeable to Russia.
- Natives of the following Asia Region countries are not eligible for this year’s
Diversity Visa program:
- Bangladesh
- China (including Hong Kong)
- India
- Pakistan
- South Korea
- Philippines
- Vietnam
EUROPE
- Albania
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosniaand
Herzegovina - Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
(including
components and
dependent areas
overseas) - Estonia
- Finland
- France (including
components and
dependent areas
overseas) - Georgia
- Germany
- Great Britain
(United Kingdom)
(including
components and
dependent areas
overseas) - Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau Special
Administrative
Region** - North Macedonia
- Malta
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
(including
components and
dependent areas
overseas) - Northern
Ireland*** - Norway (including
components and
dependent areas
overseas) - Poland
- Portugal (including
components and
dependent areas
overseas) - Romania
- Russia****
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Vatican City
**Macau S.A.R.does qualifyand is listed aboveand forthe purposes of the diversity
programonly;persons born in Macau S.A.R. derive eligibility from Portugal.
***For purposes of the diversity program only Northern Ireland is treated separately. Northern
Ireland does qualify and is listed among the qualifying areas.
**** Persons born in the Habomai Islands, Shikotan, Kunashiri, and Etorofu are chargeable to Japan.
Persons born in Southern Sakhalin are chargeable to Russia.
NORTHAMERICA:
- The Bahamas
In North America, natives of Canada and Mexico arenoteligible for this year’s DV program.
OCEANIA - Australia (including components and
dependent areas overseas) - Fiji
- Kiribati
- Marshall Islands
- Micronesia
- Federated States of Nauru
- New Zealand (including components
and dependent areas overseas) - Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Samoa
- Solomon Islands
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
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