The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, commonly known as the American Visa Lottery, allows individuals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States to apply for a visa. The list of eligible countries can change annually based on immigration data. Below is a general list of countries typically eligible for the DV Lottery. However, it’s essential to check the most recent official guidelines for the specific year you are applying, as eligibility can change.
Eligible Countries for DV Lottery (General List)
Africa
Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Congo
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini (Swaziland)
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia, The
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire)
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Asia
Afghanistan
Bahrain
Bhutan
Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
East Timor
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
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
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
Europe
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark (including Greenland and Faroe Islands)
Estonia
Finland
France (including its overseas departments and regions)
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands (including Aruba and Netherlands Antilles)
North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Portugal (including Azores and Madeira Islands)
Romania
Russia
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tajikistan
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Vatican City
North America
Bahamas
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
South America, Central America, and the Caribbean
Argentina
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Chile
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Ecuador
Grenada
Guyana
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay
Venezuela
Ineligible Countries (General List)
Countries typically ineligible for the DV Lottery due to high rates of immigration to the United States include:
Bangladesh
Brazil
Canada
China (mainland-born, excluding Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan)
Colombia
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Haiti
India
Jamaica
Mexico
Nigeria
Pakistan
Philippines
South Korea
United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories
Vietnam
This list is subject to change annually, so it is crucial to check the official U.S. Department of State website or the DV Lottery instructions for the most current information.
