A new change in another of the regulations of the United States, of course, under Donald Trump. This time it concerns the requirements necessary to access the Diversity Visa Program, known as the Visa Lottery. It has been reported by the Federal Register that the Department of State has proposed changes that include providing valid and updated passport information, a scanned copy of the biographical page, and the signature included in the electronic registration form. According to authorities, these measures arise from “a significant number of fraudulent applications, including those submitted by third parties”.
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program allows individuals from countries with low immigration rates to the United States to obtain permanent residency. The application is made two years in advance, so those applying in 2024 for the 2026 Visa Lottery can already check the results of the draw that took place in early 2025. Being selected does not imply automatically obtaining residency, but rather the selected individual will have to meet the requirements set by the United States government and pass an interview.
The eligible countries vary each year based on the number of natives who have emigrated to the United States in the last 5 years. For 2026, the list of ineligible countries includes Bangladesh, China, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, among many others. For its part, the State Department clarified that the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of Macau and Taiwan are eligible.
Diversity Visa Program, Visa Lottery
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, known as the “Visa Lottery,” allows individuals from eligible countries with low immigration rates to the United States to obtain permanent residency. This program is held annually, with a call for 55,000 spots. How is the application process carried out? It’s easy. You must keep in mind that the application starts two years in advance, usually between October and November. The last call began in 2024, when the call for DV-2026 was issued. At the beginning of this year, 2025, the lottery took place, so applicants can now check if they have been selected or not.
Requirements to obtain a permanent visa
It is important to note that being selected does not mean that you will automatically receive the visa. On the contrary. Once you have been selected, you will need to pass an interview and meet the requirements set by the United States government. It is precisely in these requirements that attention must be paid, as they have varied.
According to the Federal Register, the Department of State “has detected a significant number of fraudulent applications, including those submitted by third parties”. For this reason, it has introduced new measures aimed at strengthening security measures and reducing these cases. The new rules require applicants to submit valid and updated passport information, a scanned copy of the biographical page, and a signature on the electronic entry form.
Eligible and non-eligible countries
The Visa Lottery has an annual list of eligible and ineligible countries, published by the Department of State. The basic requirement for ineligibility is being a country with more than 50,000 natives who emigrated to the United States in the last 5 years. The list of ineligible countries for the 2026 Visa Lottery includes:
- Bangladesh.
- Brazil.
- Canada.
- China (including those born in mainland China and Hong Kong).
- Colombia.
- Cuba.
- Dominican Republic.
- El Salvador.
- Haiti.
- Honduras.
- India.
- Jamaica.
- Mexico.
- Nigeria.
- Pakistan.
- Philippines.
- South Korea.
- Venezuela.
- Vietnam.
All countries not listed here can submit their applications without problems. For its part, the State Department clarified that natives of the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of Macau and Taiwan were eligible.
What other changes are there in the visa regulations to enter the USA?