The United States has commenced the registration process for the Diversity Visa Program for the fiscal year 2025 with applications accepted till November 7, 2023. with Nigeria remaining ineligible to apply.
This also applies to 17 other countries which have been excluded for the past couple of years.
USAfricaonline.com observed that the purpose of the Diversity Visa (DV) program is to provide a unique opportunity for people from nations with historically low immigration rates to the United States.
Applications for the FY2025 program are not accepted from citizens of any nation that has sent more than 50,000 of its citizens to the US in the previous five years.
In a statement, the US Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria said that individuals who were born outside of Nigeria or who have parents who were born outside of Nigeria are now eligible for the Diversity Visa Lottery, instead of Nigerians. Put differently, individuals whose parents are Nigerians and who were born in Nigeria are not eligible.
Regarding the DV program
under an annual lottery, people from nations with low rates of immigration to the US can apply for a green card under the US Diversity Visa Program (DV Program).
Each year, the US State Department distributes 55,000 diversity visas (DVs) among six areas.
The excluded countries are:
- Bangladesh
- Brazil
- Canada,
- China (including mainland and Hong Kong)
- Colombia
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Haiti
- Honduras
- India
- Jamaica
- Mexico
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Republic of Korea (South Korea)
- Venezuela, and
- Vietnam
As a result, individuals who meet the qualifying requirements from other countries are welcome to apply for the US Diversity Visa Program.
