Overview

• The State Department confirmed Cuban nationals are ineligible for DV‑2026 after determining more than 50,000 Cubans immigrated to the United States in the previous five years.
• Officials said some Cuban entrants mistakenly received initial selection messages and were later notified they are not eligible for the 2026 program.
• The department also noted a small number of participants from the United Kingdom and its dependencies may have received incorrect communications and instructed them to verify their status online.
• Rep. Mike Collins reintroduced the SAFE Act to abolish the Diversity Visa lottery, arguing it fuels chain migration by allowing winners to sponsor certain family members, a move applauded by advocacy group NumbersUSA.
• The lottery typically issues about 50,000–55,000 immigrant visas to nationals of low‑admission countries each year, a pathway that has historically benefited many Cubans, while separate reports cite added hurdles such as processing nonimmigrant visas in Georgetown, Guyana.