Green Card Lottery: Kenyans Among Top Nationalities Selected for US Residency

Thousands of Kenyans have been selected to move forward in the United States Diversity Visa (DV) 2025 programme, following the release of the official selection results by the US Department of State.

A total of 4,459 Kenyan nationals were chosen from nearly 20 million qualified entries submitted during the 35-day application period between October and November 2023. Kenya ranks sixth globally for the highest number of selectees, highlighting the country’s strong participation in the programme. 

Globally, applicants from Uzbekistan topped the list with 5,564 selectees, followed by Algeria, Russia, Egypt and Sudan. Within Africa, Kenya is placed fourth, behind Algeria, Egypt and Sudan, but ahead of Morocco, Cameroon, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana.

The DV programme provides up to 55,000 green cards annually to applicants from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. It offers a route to permanent residency without requiring a job offer or family sponsorship, making it one of the most accessible legal immigration options. 

Although 131,060 individuals, including principal applicants and their family members, have been selected for further processing, only a limited number will eventually receive visas. For the first time, a mandatory registration fee of $1 (approximately KSh129) was introduced for all DV entrants. 

Previously, the application was free, and costs were incurred only at the visa stage. The new fee aims to distribute administrative costs more evenly across the estimated 25 million people who register each year, rather than concentrating expenses on the 55,000 successful applicants.

Those who progress to the interview stage must also pay a $330 (KSh42,619) visa application fee. The introduction of these charges marks a significant change for applicants who previously viewed the lottery as a cost-free opportunity.

As the DV-2025 process continues, successful Kenyan selectees will be required to complete the necessary documentation, attend interviews and undergo visa processing. For many, this represents a major opportunity to live, work and study in the United States.