Eligibility for the Diversity Visa lottery rests on two requirements. The entrant must be a native of a country with historically low rates of immigration to the United States, and must have at least a high school education or two years of qualifying work experience. Citizenship and current country of residence are not the test.
Quick answer
| Requirement | Rule (DV-2026 instructions) |
|---|---|
| Birthplace | Born in an eligible country, or claim the country of birth of a spouse or a parent under the stated conditions |
| Education | 12 years of formal elementary and secondary education, or its equivalent |
| Work experience (alternative) | Two years within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience |
These rules come from the Department of State instructions for DV-2026. The list of eligible countries is recalculated every year, so the current year's instructions must be checked before entering.
Requirement one: country of birth
A "native" is ordinarily a person born in a country, regardless of where the person lives or which passport is held. The Department of State excludes natives of countries from which more than 50,000 people immigrated through family and employment categories in the previous five years. For DV-2026 the excluded countries and areas were Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland and Hong Kong born), Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam. Natives of Macau SAR and Taiwan were eligible. The Department noted that Cuba was the only change from the previous year.
This is the DV-2026 list. The list for DV-2027 has to be read from the official instructions for that year. Other websites that print a list without naming the program year are unreliable.
Two other ways to qualify through birthplace
- Spouse's country of birth. A person born in an ineligible country may claim the spouse's eligible country, but only 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' country of birth. A person born in an ineligible country in which neither parent was born or legally resident at the time of the birth may claim the country of birth of either parent, if that country is eligible. Temporary visitors, students, and temporary workers are generally not considered residents.
The entry form asks for an explanation when an alternate country is claimed. A claim that cannot be supported may make the entrant ineligible.
Requirement two: education or work experience
A high school education is defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of formal elementary and secondary education, in the United States or in another country, comparable to U.S. high school. Correspondence programs and equivalency certificates such as the GED do not satisfy the requirement.
The work option uses the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET OnLine database. The occupation must fall in a Specific Vocational Preparation range of 7.0 or higher, and the experience must be within the past five years. O*NET lists the Job Zone and SVP range on each occupation's page.
Proof is needed later, not at entry
Entrants do not upload diplomas or employment records with the entry. Documentary proof is presented to the consular officer at the visa interview. An entrant who does not meet the requirement is ineligible, and the spouse and children lose derivative status as well.
Age
There is no minimum age, but the education or work requirement effectively excludes most people under 18.
Family members
Spouses and unmarried children under 21 may receive visas as derivatives of a selected entrant. Parents and siblings cannot. The entry must list the spouse and all eligible children, with exceptions for family members who are already U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The details are in the DV entry form guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does a person born in Canada but living in an eligible country qualify?
The test is place of birth. Residence does not change the country of eligibility, except through the spouse and parent rules described above.
Can both spouses enter?
Yes. Each spouse may submit one entry if each meets the requirements. If either is selected, the other may apply as a derivative.
Is a vocational certificate enough?
The instructions define the education requirement as a formal 12-year course. The work experience route is judged separately, by the occupation's Specific Vocational Preparation range in O*NET.
Where can the current list of countries be checked?
In the instructions for the relevant program year, published by the Department of State.
Related reading
- How the Diversity Visa lottery works
- DV entry form guide
- DV lottery timeline
- Checking DV lottery results
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. Entries are submitted only on the official entry site, and the current official instructions control, because rules change each year.
Last verified: October 2026. Sources: Department of State instructions for DV-2026.