The U.S. State Department issued a warning on Friday that some applicants to the 2026 Diversity Visa program from Cuba and the United Kingdom may have received incorrect notifications regarding their selection status.
Why It Matters
The Diversity Visa program offers one of the few opportunities for individuals from underrepresented countries to obtain permanent residency in the United States.
Errors in selection notifications can create confusion; applicants from affected countries are advised to double-check their status.
What To Know
In a notice issued on Friday, the State Department stated that a small number of entrants from Cuba may have been incorrectly notified that they were selected for a Diversity Visa.
However, Cuban natives are not eligible to apply for the 2026 round of the visa lottery, because more than 50,000 Cubans immigrated to the United States in the last five years, the department said. Individuals who selected Cuba as their country of chargeability will now be deemed ineligible, and affected individuals have been notified accordingly.
A small number of entrants from the United Kingdom and its dependent areas may also have received incorrect selection results. These applicants are advised to check their status using the Entrant Status Check and their unique DV-2026 confirmation number.
The deadline to apply for a Diversity Visa is September 30, 2026.
The State Department reminds applicants that visa numbers are limited and may be exhausted before the specified date.
Those who are selected will be required to provide all necessary documentation, including a medical examination, at their visa interview.
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, often referred to as the Green Card Lottery, is a U.S. government program that makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available each year to individuals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S.
Winners are selected randomly, and, if approved, they and their immediate family can obtain a green card.
Only applicants from certain countries are eligible, and entrants must have either a high school education or its equivalent, or at least two years of work experience in the past five years in a qualifying occupation.
What People Are Saying
The State Department said in a notice on Friday: “Cuban natives are not eligible to participate in the 2026 program year, because more than 50,000 Cuban natives immigrated to the United States in the previous five-year period.”
What Happens Next
U.K. entrants should confirm their selection status online, and all remaining eligible entrants must complete their applications by September 30, 2026.
