US Announces Eligibility Criteria for DV-2026 Visa Programme

The US government has outlined two essential eligibility requirements for applicants of the DV-2026 Diversity Visa programme, which offers a potential pathway to permanent residency for nationals from qualifying countries. The first requirement pertains to the applicant's country of birth; they must be a native of a country that has historically sent few immigrants to the United States.

However, provisions allow applicants to claim their spouse's country of birth if both partners are eligible and enter the US together. Alternatively, if an applicant was born in a non-qualifying country, they may claim the birth country of either parent, provided that country is eligible.

The second requirement focuses on educational and professional background; applicants must have either a high school education or its equivalent or at least two years of relevant work experience within the last five years. Both requirements must be satisfied at the time of application for eligibility.