Highlights:
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India will remain ineligible for the US Green Card (Diversity Visa) Lottery until at least 2028.
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The exclusion applies to countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the US in the past five years.
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Other countries excluded from the 2026 Green Card Lottery include China, South Korea, Canada, and Pakistan.
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Indian nationals now primarily rely on H-1B visa conversions, investment visas, or family sponsorship to obtain a Green Card.
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Trump administration’s immigration policies have tightened vetting, reducing opportunities for permanent residency.
Indians will remain ineligible for the United States Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery, until at least 2028. The exclusion is based on the lottery’s rule that bars countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants to the US over the past five years. This marks another limitation on immigration pathways as the Trump administration enforces stricter visa and residency policies.
Green Card Lottery Ineligibility for India
The US Diversity Visa Lottery was established to promote diversity in the country’s immigrant population by offering permanent residency to applicants from countries with historically low immigration rates. However, India’s sustained high volume of immigrants has surpassed the qualifying threshold, automatically disqualifying Indian applicants from the 2026 lottery round.
Data from recent years highlight the scale of immigration from India. In 2021, approximately 93,450 Indians obtained legal permanent residence in the US. That number increased to 127,010 in 2022—surpassing the combined totals of immigrants from South America, Africa, and Europe. Although the number dropped to 78,070 in 2023, it still exceeds the Green Card Lottery limit, confirming India’s ineligibility until at least 2028.
Alongside India, other countries excluded from the 2026 Green Card Lottery include China, South Korea, Canada, and Pakistan. The US State Department officially announced the updated eligibility list earlier this week.
Limited Green Card Pathways for Indian Nationals
With the Diversity Visa Lottery no longer an option, Indian nationals seeking US permanent residency must rely on alternative pathways. These include converting an H-1B work visa into a Green Card, applying through investment-based immigration programs, seeking family sponsorship, or applying for asylum.
However, the Trump administration has imposed stricter measures across these routes, making them increasingly restrictive. Employers and potential applicants have expressed concerns about shrinking legal avenues for skilled professionals who aim to settle permanently in the US.
Trump Administration Tightens Immigration Rules
Since taking office, President Trump has introduced broad immigration reforms targeting work, student, and family-based visas. US diplomats abroad have been instructed to enforce tighter vetting procedures, including background checks and monitoring of social media activity.
Officials are also required to scrutinize applicants perceived as potential security risks or those involved in political activism. The administration has expanded inadmissibility criteria to cover individuals who “advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists” or those connected with “unlawful anti-Semitic harassment or violence.”
These policies directly impact the Green Card process by limiting both eligibility and the number of visas available for high-skilled and professional immigrants.
Impact on Indian Talent
For thousands of Indians aspiring to live and work permanently in the United States, exclusion from the Green Card Lottery adds another hurdle. Experts warn that continued restrictions on Green Card eligibility could result in the United States losing access to highly skilled global talent. Many Indian professionals may consider relocating to countries with more accessible immigration policies, including Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The exclusion from the Green Card Lottery until 2028 underscores the growing difficulty for Indians seeking permanent residency under the Trump administration’s policies. As legal pathways narrow, the pool of Indian talent willing to navigate these restrictions is likely to decrease, potentially impacting US industries that rely heavily on skilled foreign workers.
