DV Lottery for Nigeria: Eligibility, Odds and What to Prepare

Natives of Nigeria could not enter DV-2026

Nigeria was on the DV-2026 list of countries whose natives could not enter, because more than 50,000 of its natives immigrated to the United States in the previous five years. The list changes every year and no DV-2027 list has been published. If Nigeria is excluded again, a person born there can still enter only through a spouse’s country of birth, or a parent’s country of birth if neither parent was born in or resident of Nigeria at the time of birth.

Country of birth normally determines chargeability. Citizenship or current residence alone does not replace it. Check spouse, parent and territory exceptions in the actual cycle’s instructions.

Partial suspension affects Nigeria immigrant visas

The published PP 10998 guidance includes Nigeria in the partial-suspension list that covers immigrant visas, including Diversity Visas, with limited exceptions such as some dual-national cases. “Partial” does not mean DV is automatically allowed; it means an individual assessment is needed.

Nationality, passport, location and visa validity at the effective date can matter. Limited exceptions require individual review. Do not treat a country selector as a final eligibility ruling.

How many people from Nigeria enter and are selected

The State Department did not publish separate entry or selectee figures for Nigeria in the years we compiled; its entrants may be counted under another country of chargeability.

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What to prepare if you were born in Nigeria

1. Passport: valid and unexpired, with its number, issuing country and expiry date ready, and a JPEG scan of the biographic and signature page (5 MB or less). Check it free on your device →
2. Photo: 600 × 600 pixels, JPEG, 240 KB or less, taken within six months, head 50–69% of the height, no glasses. Frame it free →
3. Your name in the Roman alphabet, exactly as in your passport, with your city and country of birth as recorded in your documents.
4. Your family: your spouse and every unmarried child under 21, each with a compliant photo, even if they will not immigrate. See who must be listed →
5. Your qualification: a formal 12-year education or two qualifying years of work in the past five. Check the rules →

Run the complete entry check to see your acceptance score and every problem before you submit on the official site.

After selection: documents from Nigeria

A person born in Nigeria may need police or civil records from more than one country because of past residence, marriage, birth or arrest history. The format of each record depends on the country that issued it, not only on your nationality: use the official document finder for every country involved.

What happens after selection → · Documents after selection →