Eligibility for the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery depends on the country where a person was born, not on citizenship or residence. For that reason, a British citizen is assessed by place of birth. The United Kingdom was on the ineligible list for DV-2019 and was not on the list for DV-2026, so the answer changes by program year. The status for a later entry period must be read from that year's instructions, which this guide could not confirm.
Quick answer
| Program year | United Kingdom | Source |
|---|---|---|
| DV-2019 | Natives of the United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories were not eligible | DV-2019 instructions |
| DV-2026 | The United Kingdom is not on the list of ineligible countries | DV-2026 instructions |
The lists come from the DV-2019 instructions and the Department of State instructions for DV-2026. The list is recalculated every year, so the instructions for the entry period being used must be read before entering.
Birthplace, not citizenship
The DV-2026 instructions define "native" as someone born in a particular country, regardless of the person's current country of residence or nationality. A British citizen born in an eligible country is assessed under that birth country. A person born in the United Kingdom is assessed under the United Kingdom's status for that year, and the spouse and parent rules described below may also apply.
The instructions also say that "native" can mean someone entitled to be charged to a country other than the one of birth under section 202(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The term used for this is chargeability: each person counts toward the limit of one country. The country of eligibility is normally the country of birth. The instructions state that there are only three ways to choose a country of chargeability: the country of birth, the spouse's country of birth, or the country of birth of either parent in the limited case described below.
What changed between DV-2019 and DV-2026
The DV-2019 instructions list the ineligible countries as Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, mainland-born China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, South Korea, the United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan were eligible.
The DV-2026 list reads differently. The United Kingdom does not appear on it. The list also includes Cuba, Honduras, and Venezuela, which are not on the DV-2019 list, while Peru is no longer named. The DV-2026 instructions say that, with the exception of Cuba, there were no changes in eligibility from the previous fiscal year. Natives of Macau SAR and Taiwan remain eligible, and Hong Kong-born people are counted with the People's Republic of China on the DV-2026 list. The point for a British reader is that a list from an older year cannot be used for a newer one.
Why countries are excluded
The Department of State excludes natives of countries from which more than 50,000 people immigrated to the United States in the previous five years through the family-sponsored and employment-based categories. The Department of Homeland Security counts these numbers annually, which is why the list of eligible and ineligible countries can change from one year to the next. The DV-2019 instructions describe the same calculation, and attribute the count to USCIS rather than the Department of Homeland Security as a whole.
Two other ways to claim an eligible country
- Spouse's birth country. A person born in an ineligible country may claim the spouse's eligible country, if both are named on the selected entry, both are found eligible and issued visas, and both enter the United States at the same time.
- Parents' birth country. A person born in a country where neither parent was born or legally resident at the time of the birth may claim the birth country of either parent, if that country is eligible.
The instructions explain residence for the parent rule. People are not generally considered residents of a country in which they were not born or legally naturalized. Persons simply visiting, studying, or temporarily working in a country are not generally considered residents. A person who claims either alternate route must explain it on the entry form. Claiming a country that cannot be supported may make an entrant ineligible, so the facts should match the documents that will be presented later.
Other requirements
Birthplace is one of two core requirements. The other is education or work experience: a 12-year formal education, or two years of qualifying work experience in the past five years. The DV-2026 instructions say the Department of State uses the Department of Labor's O*NET Online database to decide which work experience qualifies. See DV lottery eligibility.
Other rules that apply to every entrant
- The law allows one entry per person in each entry period. The instructions say more than one entry for a person disqualifies all of that person's entries.
- A married couple may each submit one entry, if each meets the requirements. If either is selected, the other may apply as a derivative.
- The DV-2026 instructions say there is no cost to submit the online entry form. They also say that selectees scheduled for an interview must pay a visa application fee later.
- The DV-2026 instructions state that up to 55,000 diversity visas were available for fiscal year 2026, and that no single country may receive more than seven percent in any one year.
What this page does not cover
Family-based and employment-based green cards follow different rules, and this page does not evaluate them. A person who wants to know which route applies should read the official USCIS and Department of State pages or consult a licensed immigration attorney.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone born in the United Kingdom enter the DV lottery?
It depends on the program year. DV-2026 did not list the United Kingdom as ineligible, while DV-2019 did, with an exception for Northern Ireland.
Does dual citizenship change anything?
The instructions describe eligibility by place of birth and the spouse and parent rules. They do not provide eligibility based on a second citizenship.
Where is the current list?
In the annual instructions for the current entry period, published by the Department of State.
Can a list on another website be used?
Only if it names the program year and matches the official notice. Older lists are common and often wrong for the current year.
Does living in the United Kingdom matter?
The DV-2026 definition of "native" applies regardless of the current country of residence or nationality. Place of birth is the test.
Related reading
- How the Diversity Visa lottery works
- DV lottery timeline
- Checking DV lottery results
- DV lottery eligibility
About this guide
This website is for information only. It is not affiliated with the U.S. government, does not give legal advice or consultations, and does not offer application services. The current official instructions control, because rules change each year.
Last verified: October 2026. Sources: DV-2019 instructions; Department of State instructions for DV-2026.