Eligible
Ineligible
Country | Green Card Lottery Eligibility↑ | Region | Subregion | |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Indonesia | Eligible | Asia | Southeast Asia |
![]() | Russia | Eligible | Europe | Eastern Europe |
![]() | Ethiopia | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Japan | Eligible | Asia | Eastern Asia |
![]() | Egypt | Eligible | Africa | Northern Africa, The Middle East |
![]() | DR Congo | Eligible | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Iran | Eligible | Asia | Southern Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Turkey | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Germany | Eligible | Europe | Western Europe |
![]() | Thailand | Eligible | Asia | Southeast Asia |
![]() | Tanzania | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | France | Eligible | Europe | Western Europe |
![]() | South Africa | Eligible | Africa | Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Italy | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Kenya | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Myanmar | Eligible | Southeast Asia | |
![]() | Sudan | Eligible | Africa | Northern Africa |
![]() | Uganda | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Spain | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Algeria | Eligible | Africa | Northern Africa |
![]() | Iraq | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Argentina | Eligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | Afghanistan | Eligible | Asia | South Central Asia, Southern Asia |
![]() | Yemen | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Angola | Eligible | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Ukraine | Eligible | Europe | Eastern Europe |
![]() | Morocco | Eligible | Africa | Northern Africa |
![]() | Poland | Eligible | Europe | Eastern Europe |
![]() | Uzbekistan | Eligible | Asia | Central Asia, South Central Asia |
![]() | Malaysia | Eligible | Asia | Southeast Asia |
![]() | Mozambique | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Ghana | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Peru | Eligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | Saudi Arabia | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Madagascar | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Ivory Coast | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Cameroon | Eligible | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Nepal | Eligible | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia |
![]() | Niger | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Australia | Eligible | Oceania | Australia and New Zealand |
![]() | North Korea | Eligible | Asia | Eastern Asia |
![]() | Syria | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Mali | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Burkina Faso | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Sri Lanka | Eligible | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia |
![]() | Taiwan | Eligible | Asia | Eastern Asia |
![]() | Malawi | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Zambia | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Chad | Eligible | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Kazakhstan | Eligible | Asia | Central Asia |
![]() | Chile | Eligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | Somalia | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Senegal | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Romania | Eligible | Europe | Eastern Europe |
![]() | Guatemala | Eligible | North America | Central America, Latin America |
![]() | Netherlands | Eligible | Europe | Western Europe |
![]() | Ecuador | Eligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | Cambodia | Eligible | Asia | Southeast Asia |
![]() | Zimbabwe | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Guinea | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Benin | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Rwanda | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Burundi | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Bolivia | Eligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | Tunisia | Eligible | Africa | Northern Africa |
![]() | South Sudan | Eligible | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Belgium | Eligible | Europe | Western Europe |
![]() | Jordan | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | United Arab Emirates | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Cuba | Eligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Tajikistan | Eligible | Asia | Central Asia, South Central Asia |
![]() | Papua New Guinea | Eligible | Oceania | Melanesia |
![]() | Sweden | Eligible | Europe | Northern Europe |
![]() | Czech Republic | Eligible | Europe | Eastern Europe |
![]() | Portugal | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Azerbaijan | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia |
![]() | Greece | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Togo | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Hungary | Eligible | Europe | Eastern Europe |
![]() | Israel | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Austria | Eligible | Europe | Western Europe |
![]() | Belarus | Eligible | Europe | Eastern Europe |
![]() | Switzerland | Eligible | Europe | Western Europe |
![]() | Sierra Leone | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Laos | Eligible | Asia | Southeast Asia |
![]() | Turkmenistan | Eligible | Asia | Central Asia, South Central Asia |
![]() | Libya | Eligible | Africa | Northern Africa |
![]() | Kyrgyzstan | Eligible | Asia | Central Asia, South Central Asia |
![]() | Paraguay | Eligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | Nicaragua | Eligible | North America | Central America, Latin America |
![]() | Bulgaria | Eligible | Europe | Eastern Europe |
![]() | Serbia | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Republic of the Congo | Eligible | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
![]() | Denmark | Eligible | Europe | Northern Europe |
![]() | Singapore | Eligible | Asia | Southeast Asia |
![]() | Lebanon | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Liberia | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Finland | Eligible | Europe | Northern Europe |
![]() | Norway | Eligible | Europe | Northern Europe |
![]() | Central African Republic | Eligible | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Oman | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Slovakia | Eligible | Europe | Eastern Europe |
![]() | Mauritania | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Ireland | Eligible | Northern Europe | |
![]() | New Zealand | Eligible | Oceania | Australia and New Zealand |
![]() | Costa Rica | Eligible | Central America, Latin America | |
![]() | Kuwait | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Panama | Eligible | North America | Central America, Latin America |
![]() | Croatia | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Georgia | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia |
![]() | Eritrea | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Mongolia | Eligible | Asia | Eastern Asia |
![]() | Uruguay | Eligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Qatar | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Namibia | Eligible | Africa | Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Moldova | Eligible | Europe | Eastern Europe |
![]() | Armenia | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia |
![]() | Lithuania | Eligible | Europe | Northern Europe |
![]() | Gambia | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Albania | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Gabon | Eligible | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Botswana | Eligible | Africa | Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Lesotho | Eligible | Africa | Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Guinea-Bissau | Eligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Slovenia | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Equatorial Guinea | Eligible | Africa | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Latvia | Eligible | Europe | Northern Europe |
![]() | North Macedonia | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Bahrain | Eligible | Asia | Western Asia, The Middle East |
![]() | Trinidad and Tobago | Eligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Timor-Leste | Eligible | Asia | Southeast Asia |
![]() | Cyprus | Eligible | Europe | Eastern Europe, The Middle East |
![]() | Estonia | Eligible | Europe | Northern Europe |
![]() | Mauritius | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Eswatini | Eligible | Africa | Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Djibouti | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Fiji | Eligible | Oceania | Melanesia |
![]() | Comoros | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Solomon Islands | Eligible | Oceania | Melanesia |
![]() | Guyana | Eligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | Bhutan | Eligible | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia |
![]() | Macau | Eligible | Asia | Eastern Asia |
![]() | Luxembourg | Eligible | Europe | Western Europe |
![]() | Suriname | Eligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | Montenegro | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Malta | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Maldives | Eligible | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia |
![]() | Cape Verde | Eligible | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
![]() | Brunei | Eligible | Asia | Southeast Asia |
![]() | Belize | Eligible | North America | Central America, Latin America |
![]() | Bahamas | Eligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Iceland | Eligible | Europe | Northern Europe |
![]() | Vanuatu | Eligible | Oceania | Melanesia |
![]() | Barbados | Eligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Sao Tome and Principe | Eligible | Middle Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | |
![]() | Samoa | Eligible | Oceania | Polynesia |
![]() | Saint Lucia | Eligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Kiribati | Eligible | Oceania | Micronesia |
![]() | Seychelles | Eligible | Africa | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Grenada | Eligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Micronesia | Eligible | Oceania | Micronesia |
![]() | Tonga | Eligible | Oceania | Polynesia |
![]() | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Eligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Antigua and Barbuda | Eligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Andorra | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Dominica | Eligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Eligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Liechtenstein | Eligible | Europe | Western Europe |
![]() | Monaco | Eligible | Europe | Western Europe |
![]() | Marshall Islands | Eligible | Oceania | Micronesia |
![]() | San Marino | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | Palau | Eligible | Oceania | Micronesia |
![]() | Nauru | Eligible | Oceania | Micronesia |
![]() | Tuvalu | Eligible | Oceania | Polynesia |
![]() | Vatican City | Eligible | Europe | Southern Europe |
![]() | India | Ineligible | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia |
![]() | China | Ineligible | Asia | Eastern Asia |
![]() | Pakistan | Ineligible | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia |
![]() | Nigeria | Ineligible | Africa | Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa |
![]() | Brazil | Ineligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | Bangladesh | Ineligible | Asia | Southern Asia, South Central Asia |
![]() | Mexico | Ineligible | North America | Central America, Latin America |
![]() | Philippines | Ineligible | Asia | Southeast Asia |
![]() | Vietnam | Ineligible | Asia | Southeast Asia |
![]() | United Kingdom | Ineligible | Europe | Northern Europe |
![]() | Colombia | Ineligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | South Korea | Ineligible | Asia | Eastern Asia |
![]() | Canada | Ineligible | North America | Northern America |
![]() | Venezuela | Ineligible | South America | South America, Latin America |
![]() | Haiti | Ineligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Dominican Republic | Ineligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Honduras | Ineligible | North America | Central America, Latin America |
![]() | Hong Kong | Ineligible | Asia | Eastern Asia |
![]() | El Salvador | Ineligible | North America | Central America, Latin America |
![]() | Jamaica | Ineligible | North America | Caribbean |
![]() | Cayman Islands | Ineligible | Caribbean | |
![]() | Bermuda | Ineligible | Northern America | |
![]() | Turks and Caicos Islands | Ineligible | Caribbean | |
![]() | Gibraltar | Ineligible | Southern Europe | |
![]() | British Virgin Islands | Ineligible | Caribbean | |
![]() | Anguilla | Ineligible | Caribbean | |
![]() | Montserrat | Ineligible | Caribbean | |
![]() | Falkland Islands | Ineligible | South America, Latin America | |
![]() | United States | Northern America | ||
![]() | Palestine | Western Asia, The Middle East | ||
![]() | Puerto Rico | Caribbean | ||
![]() | Reunion | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | ||
![]() | Western Sahara | Northern Africa | ||
![]() | Guadeloupe | Caribbean, Latin America | ||
![]() | Martinique | Caribbean, Latin America | ||
![]() | Mayotte | Eastern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa | ||
![]() | French Guiana | South America, Latin America | ||
![]() | New Caledonia | Melanesia | ||
![]() | French Polynesia | Polynesia | ||
![]() | Curacao | Caribbean | ||
![]() | Guam | Micronesia | ||
![]() | Aruba | Caribbean | ||
![]() | Jersey | Northern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa | ||
![]() | United States Virgin Islands | Caribbean | ||
![]() | Isle of Man | Northern Europe | ||
![]() | Guernsey | Northern Europe | ||
![]() | Faroe Islands | Northern Europe | ||
![]() | Greenland | Northern America | ||
![]() | American Samoa | Polynesia | ||
![]() | Sint Maarten | Caribbean | ||
![]() | Northern Mariana Islands | Micronesia | ||
![]() | Saint Martin | Caribbean, Latin America | ||
![]() | Cook Islands | Polynesia | ||
![]() | Saint Barthelemy | Caribbean, Latin America | ||
![]() | Wallis and Futuna | Polynesia | ||
![]() | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Northern America | ||
![]() | Tokelau | Polynesia | ||
![]() | Niue | Polynesia |
The green card lottery, also known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (or DV program), is a U.S. government lottery program for receiving a United States Permanent Resident Card, commonly called a green card. The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program was established in 1990 to help enable people from a wider variety of countries to immigrate to the U.S. The ration of diversity visas was originally set at 55,000 per fiscal year but decreased to 50,000 per year starting in 2000. The program is known as the “diversity lottery” because visa recipients are randomly selected from the pool of qualified entries.
In contrast to several other U.S. immigration pathways, preference in the lottery is not given to applicants who have employers or family in the U.S. to sponsor them. Importantly, winning the lottery does not guarantee the applicant a green card. Rather, it simply provides the individual an opportunity to apply for the Diversity Visa—however, with an annual average of more than 13.3 million applicants for just 50,000 visas, winning the lottery is still a significant step in many immigrants’ green-card journey.
Nationals of countries from which fewer than 50,000 natives have immigrated to the U.S. in the last five years (classified as “low-admittance” countries) are eligible to enter the diversity lottery. Generally, natives of China, India, and Mexico are not eligible for the lottery, as the citizens of those countries have many avenues through which to immigrate—in fact, they are three of the four countries with the highest immigration to the U.S..
To be eligible for a diversity visa, the applicant or the applicant’s spouse must be a native of one of the qualifying countries of origin. The individual must also be admissible to the U.S. under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Additionally, the individual must have a high school education (or equivalent) or at least two years of recent qualifying work experience. Eligible individuals have a short time frame during which to apply electronically each year.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) groups countries into six regions: Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, and South America/Central America/Caribbean. USCIS then calculates each region’s annual diversity visa allotment using recent immigration statistics and an allocation formula. The list is updated every year in September for the year 15 months in the future. For example, the 2023 list was released in September of 2021. Because it is reevaluated each year, the list is subject to change, so a country that has available visas one year may not have the same number, or any at all, the next year. The following countries can participate in the 2023 DV Lottery:
Note: * indicates a country whose territories and dependent areas overseas are also eligible. Although Macau (China SAR) *** is geographically located in Asia, it derives its eligibility from Portugal and so is considered a European country with regard to immigration eligibility. Also, in light of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and Belarus in February 2022, the possibility exists that immigrations from Belarus ** and Russia ** could be suspended.