Diversity visa lottery 2022 results by country are in. Egypt, Sudan and Russia top the list
More than 13 million people from around the globe — the applicants and their family members or “derivatives” — tried to legally immigrate to the United States through the 2022 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, better known as the visa lottery.
U.S. Department of State statistics released this week in the Visa Bulletin for August 2021 show that during the DV-2022 application period last year, the government registered 7,336,302 qualified entries (13,191,296 with derivatives) for the lottery, which makes available up to 55,000 permanent resident visas, known as green cards, each year.
DV-2022 winners were selected through a randomized computer drawing apportioned among six geographic regions “with a maximum of seven percent available to persons born in any single country.”
U.S. authorities said that approximately 119,021 foreign nationals were registered and notified, and thus can already apply for an immigrant visa.
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“Since it is likely that some of the first 55,000 persons registered will not pursue their cases to visa issuance, this larger figure should ensure that all DV-2022 numbers will be used during fiscal year 2022,” the Department of State said in its monthly bulletin.
Diversity Visa Lottery 2022 results
Immigrant visas allow foreigners to live and work legally and permanently in the United States with legal permanent residence.
Here are the 10 countries that most benefited from the DV-2022 program and the number of qualified applicants selected:
▪ Egypt — 6,005
▪ Sudan — 6,001
▪ Russia — 6,001
▪ Algeria — 6,001
▪ Uzbekistan — 6,001
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▪ Iran — 5,739
▪ Ukraine — 4,949
▪ Morocco —4,138
▪ Nepal — 3,802
▪ Congo Democratic Republic — 3,347
Green cards are only available to immigrants who fall under one of these categories
In the Americas region, natives from Venezuela and Cuba benefited the most from this year’s drawing: 1,800 Venezuelan nationals were selected at random for a potential green card, and 975 Cuban nationals.
Venezuela was the only South American country that exceeded the threshold of 1,000 DV-2022 numbers. In fact, there was a 57% decrease in the number of selectees in South America and the Caribbean, compared to the DV-2021 program.
Recommendations for green card winners
If you were selected in the DV-2022 program, you are entitled to apply for an immigrant visa, but only during the government fiscal year — from Oct. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2022.
In the August bulletin, officials recommended:
▪ During the visa interview, principal applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or show two years of work experience within the past five years.
▪ Those selected will need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly.
▪ Applicants should follow the instructions in their notification letter and must fully complete the information requested.
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Visa Lottery 2023 on the horizon
Applicants not selected in this year’s drawing still have an opportunity for the DV-2023 program.
According to the visa bulletin, the DV-2023 registration period “will be widely publicized in the coming months.”
Those interested in entering the lottery for a U.S. green card can check the Department of State’s Diversity Visa Program web page for updates.
You can read a version of this story in Spanish at el Nuevo Herald.
Daniel Shoer Roth is a journalist covering immigration law who does not offer legal advice or individual assistance to visa lottery selectees. Follow him on Twitter or Instagram. The contents of this story do not constitute legal advice.
