Visa Lottery 2026: How to apply and which countries were left out of the draw

Registration for the Diversity Visa Program, better known as the “visa lottery,” for fiscal year 2026 will begin this Wednesday, October 2, 2024. This program grants up to 55,000 visas per year to people randomly selected through a computer-generated lottery, allowing them to obtain permanent residency in the United States.

However, this year’s edition brings an important change: Cuban citizens will no longer be able to participate due to the high number of Cuban immigrants who have recently arrived in the United States. Below are the details of the process.

How to register?

Applications will be open from October 2 to November 5, 2024. To participate, it is necessary to have completed high school education or its equivalent, or have at least two years of work experience in a qualified occupation.

The process is completely free and is done through the program’s official website: dvprogram.state.gov. Applicants must fill out the DS-5501 form online and follow the instructions provided.

If selected, participants will receive confirmation of the next steps, which include submitting Form DS-260 and completing a consular interview to assess their eligibility to immigrate to the United States.

Which countries are left out?

Apart from Cuba, which was excluded this year, other Latin American countries will not be able to participate due to their high immigration rates over the past five years. These include:

• Venezuela
• Mexico
• Colombia
• Brazil
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Haiti
• Honduras

The State Department said the exclusion is due to the fact that more than 50,000 immigrants from these countries have obtained visas in recent years, which disqualifies them from the diversity lottery.

When are the results published?

The results of the visa lottery draw will be published in May 2025. Participants will be able to check if they were selected only through the official website of the Department of State: dvprogram.state.gov/ESC.

It is important to remember that the U.S. government does not send notifications by email or physical letters. The only valid way to know the result is by logging into the aforementioned website with the confirmation number provided at the time of registration.

If selected, the applicant will receive detailed instructions on next steps, including paying the appropriate fees and preparing for a consular interview.

What to do if you win the lottery?

For those lucky enough to win the lottery, being selected is only the first step toward obtaining permanent residency in the United States. The process involves completing an immigrant visa application through the online DS-260 form, presenting a valid passport, and accurately answering all required questions. At this point, the Department of State recommends that each person should fill out this form personally and not turn to an agency or third party.

Applicants will then be scheduled for an interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of origin or residence, where a consular officer will review the application and determine whether it is approved.

If a person was not selected, can they reapply?

Those who were not selected on this occasion have the option of applying again.

It is important to note that this program offers a limited number of visas each year to people who meet certain requirements: Being a citizen of a country with a low rate of immigration to the United States, having 12 years of elementary and high school education or its equivalent, and at least two years of work experience, within the last five years, in an eligible occupation.

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