Limited paths ahead: Why Indians can’t apply for U.S. green card lottery

India excluded from green card lottery

Indian citizens will be ineligible for the United States Diversity Visa (DV) lottery, commonly called the green card lottery, at least until 2028. The programme is designed to diversify the U.S. immigrant population by selecting applicants from countries with low immigration rates to the United States over the past five years.

Eligibility rules and India’s disqualification

The DV lottery only allows citizens from countries that have sent fewer than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. over the past five years. India, with its high immigration numbers, exceeds this threshold and is automatically disqualified.

In 2021, 93,450 Indians immigrated to the U.S., rising to 127,010 in 2022, surpassing the total immigrants from South America (99,030), Africa (89,570), or Europe (75,610). Based on the data from the US Department of Homeland Security, in 2023, 78,070 Indians moved to the U.S., confirming the country’s ineligibility for the DV lottery until 2028. Other nations excluded from the 2026 lottery include China, South Korea, Canada, and Pakistan.

Limited routes for permanent immigration

With the DV lottery closed to Indians, permanent U.S. immigration paths are narrowing. Options now include converting an H-1B work visa to permanent residency, investment-based immigration, asylum, or family sponsorship.

Experts warn that under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, each route is becoming increasingly restrictive, creating uncertainty for both applicants and employers.

Trump administration’s immigration crackdown

Since taking office, Trump has tightened student visa policies, expanded social media vetting, and instructed diplomats to screen applicants for potential national security risks.

State Department directives now ask officials to scrutinise those “who advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to national security; or who perpetrate unlawful anti-Semitic harassment or violence,” heightening scrutiny for Indian applicants seeking U.S. visas.