Indians Excluded from US Green Card Lottery Until 2028: Immigration Pathways Narrow Under Trump Administration

Other countries besides India excluded from the 2026 DV lottery include China, South Korea, Canada, and Pakistan due to high immigration volumes.

Washington:

Indian citizens have been excluded from the United States Diversity Visa (DV) lottery until at least 2028. This popular program, commonly known as the green card lottery, aims to diversify America's immigrant population by selecting applicants primarily from nations with low immigration rates to the United States over the past five years.

The program only permits participation from countries that have sent fewer than 50,000 immigrants during the previous five-year period. India's substantial immigration volume to the US has exceeded this eligibility threshold, automatically disqualifying Indian nationals from the lottery.

Immigration statistics show that 93,450 Indians moved to the US in 2021. This number increased significantly to 127,010 in 2022, surpassing the combined total of immigrants from South America (99,030), Africa (89,570), and Europe (75,610). In 2023, 78,070 Indians immigrated to the US. These figures automatically render Indians ineligible for DV lotteries until 2028.

The latest visa allocations for qualifying countries were announced on Wednesday, with several nations joining India on the ineligibility list, including China, South Korea, Canada, and Pakistan.

With the DV lottery route closed, Indians face limited permanent immigration pathways to the US. Remaining options include converting H-1B work visas to permanent residency, pursuing investment-based immigration, seeking asylum, or applying through family sponsorship programs.

Under President Trump's administration, these immigration avenues are becoming increasingly restricted, causing anxiety among both applicants and employers.

Since returning to power, the Trump administration has implemented a stringent approach toward immigration, particularly regarding student visas. Measures include enhanced social media vetting and expanded screening protocols. Recent State Department directives have instructed US diplomats worldwide to exercise heightened vigilance when reviewing applicants who might be perceived as hostile to American interests or who have histories of political activism.

Additionally, State Department officials have been directed to screen for individuals "who advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to national security; or who perpetrate unlawful anti-Semitic harassment or violence."