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Starting in 2026, Indian nationals will no longer be eligible to apply for the US Diversity Immigration Visa, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery. This decision comes after India surpassed the limit of 50,000 immigrants to the United States over a five-year period, as set by the US Department of Homeland Security. As a result, India will be excluded from the programme until at least 2028 or until the number of immigrants significantly drops.
The Diversity Visa (DV) Programme is designed for people from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the US. Each year, up to 55,000 visas are granted through a lottery system to eligible applicants from qualifying countries. However, if over 50,000 immigrants from a country have moved to the US in the past five years, that country becomes ineligible for the following year’s programme.
Alongside India, other countries excluded from the 2026 programme include South Korea, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Colombia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, China, Pakistan, and Venezuela. The US State Department ensures fair distribution by limiting each country to no more than 7 percent of the total DV numbers annually. Visas are allocated across six geographical regions including Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and a combined region of South and Central America with the Caribbean.
To qualify for the Diversity Visa, applicants must be from an eligible country and have either a high school diploma (or equivalent) or two years of recent work experience in a job that requires at least two years of training. Selected applicants must complete a consular interview for final approval.
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