Two requirements decide whether you can enter the DV Lottery: country of birth and education or work experience. Get either wrong, and your selection will be voided at interview.
The country-of-birth rule
Your country of birth — not citizenship, residence, or passport — determines eligibility. A French citizen born in India is ineligible if India is excluded. A U.S. permanent resident born in Algeria is eligible if Algeria is on the eligible list.
2026/DV-2027 ineligible countries
Countries excluded because they sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the prior five years. The list updates annually based on State Department analysis.
- Asia: Bangladesh, China (mainland-born), India, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam
- Africa: Nigeria
- Latin America: Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Venezuela
- Europe: United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland)
- North America: Canada
Special territories
Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible (treated separately from mainland China). Northern Ireland-born are eligible (separate from rest of UK).
Cross-chargeability
If your country of birth is ineligible, you may still qualify through:
- Your spouse's country of birth — if eligible. You enter together; both names listed.
- Your parents' country — if you were born in a country where neither parent was born or legally resided at your birth (rare situation).
Education or work experience
You must meet ONE of these:
Education path
A high school education means successful completion of a 12-year course of formal elementary and secondary education in the U.S. system, or its equivalent in another country. Vocational training, GED, and homeschooling can qualify if equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma — but consular officers retain discretion.
Work experience path
Two years of work experience within the past five years, in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform. Eligibility is determined using the Department of Labor's O*Net Online database. The position must be classified as Job Zone 4 or 5, and SVP rating of 7.0 or higher.
Verification at interview
The consular officer reviews documentation proving education (transcripts, diplomas) or work experience (employment letters, tax records, social security records). Insufficient proof = visa refusal, regardless of selection. This is the single biggest reason selected applicants fail to receive visas.