Uzbekistan tops list of Green Card lottery winners

The U.S. government annually allocates up to 55,000 permanent residency visas under the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, commonly known as the Green Card lottery.

According to official data, over 131,000 individuals registered for the 2024 edition of the program.

The results, announced on May 3, revealed that most lottery winners were registered in countries across Africa, Asia, and Europe. The top five countries by number of selected applicants are:

•  Uzbekistan – 5,564
•  Algeria – 5,526
•  Russia – 5,519
•  Egypt – 5,515
•  Sudan – 5,505

The announcement noted that, “Since not all of the initially selected 55,000 individuals will proceed with the visa issuance process, this higher number ensures that all DV-2025 visas can be distributed during the fiscal year 2025 (from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025).”

The Green Card lottery is a program developed under the U.S. Immigration Act of 1990. It grants winners the right to live and work permanently in the United States. The U.S. Department of State is responsible for conducting the lottery, selecting winners, and processing their visas.

Every year, over 20 million people from around the world apply for the 55,000 available visas. Typically, only a bit more than half of those selected as winners actually obtain visas, as the final step involves passing an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate.