HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I About 1,513 Ugandans now stand a chance of pursuing permanent residency in the United States after being selected in the 2026 Diversity Visa Lottery, commonly known as the US Green Card Lottery.
The selection gives successful applicants an opportunity to continue with the immigrant visa process, although it does not guarantee that they will ultimately receive Green Cards.
Uganda ranked third in East Africa among countries whose applicants were selected in the DV-2026 lottery, behind Kenya, which recorded 3,949 selectees, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 2,210.
The US Department of State announced that the Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky, had completed the selection and notification process for candidates eligible to continue with the DV-2026 immigration process.
The selections were made through a random computer-generated drawing under Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which establishes the Diversity Immigrant Visa programme.
Uganda among 12,570 East African selectees
Across eight East African countries, 12,570 applicants were selected in the latest lottery cycle. Besides Uganda and Kenya, Burundi recorded 1,616 selected entrants, Somalia 1,554, Rwanda 1,252, Tanzania 404, while South Sudan had the lowest number in the region, with 72.
The figures place Uganda among the countries whose citizens have been given an opportunity to pursue immigration to the US through a programme intended to diversify the immigrant population.
The Diversity Visa programme provides up to 55,000 permanent resident visas each year to eligible applicants from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States.
The programme is designed to give people from underrepresented countries an opportunity to apply for immigrant visas through a random selection process.
For DV-2026, the drawing was conducted from 20,822,624 qualified applications submitted during the 37-day registration period that ran from October 2 to November 7, 2024.
The programme also registered approximately 129,516 prospective applicants, including selected candidates, their spouses and children.
Selection does not guarantee a Green Card
Although the lottery offers an opportunity to pursue permanent residency, selected applicants must still meet the programme’s eligibility requirements and complete the required immigrant visa processing.
Selection alone does not mean that an applicant has been approved for a visa or that a Green Card will automatically be issued.
Successful applicants must therefore complete the next steps in the immigration process and ensure that their cases progress before the programme’s official expiration deadline.
For DV-2026, that deadline is September 30, 2026. The deadline means that selected applicants must act promptly because visas cannot be issued under the programme after the end of the relevant fiscal year.
Applicants urged to check status independently
The US Department of State has advised applicants to verify their selection status independently using their confirmation details through the official Entrant Status Check portal.
Applicants should not rely on unsolicited messages claiming that they have won the lottery.
For the 1,513 Ugandans selected, the announcement marks the beginning of a potentially life-changing immigration process.
However, the final outcome will depend on whether each applicant meets the eligibility requirements, completes the necessary documentation and successfully undergoes the required immigrant visa processing.
The selection therefore represents an opportunity rather than a guarantee, with applicants now required to take the necessary steps before the September 30 deadline.
About the Author
