Every year, millions of people from all over the world apply for the US Diversity Visa (DV) Program, also known as the Green Card Lottery. The program offers a chance to immigrate to the United States and enjoy the benefits of permanent residency. However, not everyone is eligible to participate in the lottery. The US government excludes certain countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the US in the past five years. For the 2025 DV Program, 18 countries have been disqualified from entering the lottery.
Here is the list of the unlucky nations:
- Bangladesh
- Brazil
- Canada
- China (including Hong Kong SAR)
- Colombia
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- India
- Jamaica
- Mexico
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- South Korea
- United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland)
- Vietnam
If you are a citizen of one of these countries, you may still be able to apply for the DV Program if you meet certain criteria, such as having a spouse or parent who was born in an eligible country. You can find more information on the official website of the DV Program or consult a qualified immigration lawyer.
The DV Program is a congressionally-mandated initiative that aims to diversify the US immigrant population by selecting applicants from countries with low immigration rates to the US.
The program awards up to 50,000 immigrant visas each year through a random draw. The registration period for the 2025 DV Program was between October 4, 2023 and November 7, 2023. And the results will be available online starting from May 4, 2024.
