Green Card Lottery: US Publishes 7 North African Countries Eligible for DV 2026 Programme

• The US Kentucky Consular Center released the official DV 2026 selected entrants list, covering roughly 55,000 permanent resident visas
• Seven North African countries appeared on the published list, with Algeria and Egypt recording the highest selectee figures on the continent
• The DV 2026 programme received over 20 million qualified entries during its October 2024 registration window, with a September 2026 deadline

The United States Department of State has published the official list of selected entrants for the Diversity Visa 2026 programme, confirming which African countries produced successful lottery participants — and seven nations from North Africa feature prominently on that list.

The document, released by the Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky, provides a detailed breakdown of selectees by country worldwide.

The programme makes available approximately 55,000 permanent resident visas each year, drawn from a pool that received 20,822,624 qualified entries during the registration window, which ran from 2 October to 7 November 2024.

After statutory deductions under NACARA and NDAA, the adjusted annual limit stands at roughly 51,830 visas. A total of 129,516 prospective applicants were registered as selectees. All successful applicants must complete their visa processing before the programme deadline of 30 September 2026.

North African countries on DV List

Among African nations, North Africa accounts for a small portion of selectees. Below are the selected countries for the United States (US) Green Card lottery:

1. Algeria – 5,457
2. Egypt – 5,527
3. Libya – 276
4. Morocco – 3,670
5. Sudan – 5,226
6. Tunisia – 202
7. Western Sahara – 2

US Green Card lottery: Other African countries

Beyond North Africa, several other countries across the continent also produced notable numbers regarding the 2026 Green Card lottery list. Kenya recorded 3,949 selectees, placing it among the higher-performing African nations in the lottery. Ghana's figure came in at 1,642, while other countries across West, East, and Southern Africa were also represented in the published breakdown.

Selectees are reminded that being chosen in the lottery does not guarantee a visa. Each individual must still complete a full immigrant visa application, attend an interview at a US embassy or consulate, and meet all eligibility requirements within the programme year. Places are issued on a first-come, first-served basis until the annual cap is reached, meaning early action is strongly advised.

DV lottery; Countries who cannot participate

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the US Green Card Lottery announced 19 countries whose citizens were barred from taking part in the 2026 Diversity Visa programme. The US Department of State selected applicants from more than 20 million qualified entries for a programme offering up to 51,850 permanent resident visas.

For many hopeful applicants, the lottery offers a rare chance to start a new life in the United States, but citizens of countries such as Nigeria, India, Canada, and Mexico were left out. With selected applicants required to complete the process by September 30, 2026, the race to secure a visa is already underway.