US Bars Nigeria as Only African Nation from DV-2026 Green Card Lottery

The United States excluded Nigeria as the only African country from the DV-2026 Diversity Visa eligibility list, blocking its nationals from that cycle’s green card lottery. The list names 19 countries in total.

The other 18 countries are Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China including Hong Kong SAR, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

The diversity visa program generally excludes countries that have sent large numbers of immigrants to the United States in recent years. Countries with lower historical immigration levels can remain eligible.

The exclusion does not amount to a travel ban. Nigerian nationals can still face other immigration or travel processes under rules that are separate from diversity visa eligibility.

The deadline remains September 30, 2026. By that date, selected applicants must have their visas issued or adjust their status.

The program selected 129,516 prospective applicants worldwide. Eligible entrants could continue through the process until the September deadline, although issuance developments have added uncertainty for those already selected.

African selectees were recorded across dozens of eligible countries

Published figures show how widely the program selected applicants across Africa. Egypt recorded the highest listed total, followed by Algeria and Sudan.

The published figures also include several smaller totals across other African states.

The country totals describe selectees, not guaranteed admissions. Applicants still need to complete the required process before the department can issue a visa or approve adjustment of status.

A fresh issuance pause now overlaps the final deadline

The Department of State has taken separate actions affecting diversity visa issuance during the same cycle. On August 28, 2026, it said a December 2025 pause was no longer in effect after a court order in Medani et al. v. Trump et al.

Four days later, the department imposed another pause. On August 31, 2026, it halted all Diversity Visa issuance while reviewing screening and vetting procedures.

The legal development concerns processing generally, while the country list determines who could participate in the cycle. Those are separate parts of the program.

Selectees therefore faced both an issuance pause and a fixed statutory deadline. The department’s review did not change the September 30 date stated for completing visa issuance or adjustment of status.

The exclusion list itself remained broader than Africa’s single barred country. Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China including Hong Kong SAR, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam joined the African country on the list.

Eligible applicants who remained in the process had until September 30, 2026, to obtain a visa or adjust status before the cycle closed.