Diversity Immigrant Visa Program Eligibility
Requirement #1: Natives of countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States may be eligible to enter. If you are not a native of a country with historically low rates of immigration to the United States, there are two other ways you might be able to qualify.
o Is your spouse a native of a country with historically low rates of immigration to the United States? If yes, you can claim your spouse’s country of birth – provided that you and your spouse are named on the selected entry, are found eligible and issued diversity visas, and enter the United States at the same time.
o Are you a native of a country that does not have historically low rates of immigration to the United States, and neither of your parents were born in or legally resident in your native country at the time of your birth? If both of those statements are true, you may claim the country of birth of one of your parents if it is a country whose natives are eligible for the DV-2026 program. For more details on the DV 2026 eligibility, see the Frequently Asked Questions.
Requirement #2: Each DV entrant must meet the education/work experience requirement of the DV program by having either:
o at least a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of formal elementary and secondary education;
OR
o 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. The Department of State will use the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net Online Database to determine qualifying work experience. For more information about qualifying work experiences, see the Frequently Asked Questions.
Note: You should not submit an entry to the DV program unless you meet both of these requirements.
Go NEXT >> DV-2026 Entry period