The United States has once again excluded India from the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery program, making Indian citizens ineligible until at least 2028. The decision was made because of the high number of Indian immigrants already residing in the US. Along with India, China, Pakistan, and Canada have also been excluded from the 2026 DV lottery.

The Diversity Visa Lottery is designed to promote diversity in America’s immigrant population. Only countries that have sent fewer than 50,000 immigrants to the US over the past five years are eligible. Since India far exceeds this limit, it automatically becomes ineligible for the program.

According to US government data, 93,450 Indians migrated to the US in 2021, 127,010 in 2022, and 78,070 in 2023. This large influx of Indian immigrants led to India’s exclusion from the DV Lottery list until 2028.

Currently, Indian citizens seeking permanent residence in the US must rely on limited options such as H-1B visa adjustments, investment-based immigration, family sponsorship, or asylum. However, strict immigration policies under the Trump administration have made these routes increasingly difficult. Enhanced background checks, scrutiny of student visas, and monitoring of social media profiles have added more hurdles for applicants. For thousands of Indians aspiring to settle in America, this decision has come as a major disappointment.