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The U.S. Department of State reported that several individuals born in Cuba were removed from the list of selected applicants for the 2026 Diversity Visa Lottery (DV-2026) due to an error in the system that temporarily displayed applications as approved when they were actually ineligible.
The correction, officially published on October 3 by the Department of State, confirms that Cubans were unable to legally participate in this year's lottery, as the country was excluded from the program for exceeding the legally permitted immigration limit.
According to the statement, the selection system mistakenly generated positive results for a small number of Cuban applicants.
This occurred despite the fact that, according to the DV-2026 instructions, Cuba was excluded from the lottery because more than 50,000 Cubans had legally emigrated to the U.S. in the past five years.
That figure exceeds the threshold set by Congress for a country to participate in the diversity visa program.
The error raised alarms among the Cubans who had received a selection notification and began preparing the necessary documentation to move forward in the process.
After reviewing the system, the State Department directly notified the affected individuals that their applications were canceled and that they were not eligible to continue in the process.
The United States also indicated that a similar fault was detected in the case of applicants from the United Kingdom and some of its dependent territories.
They were asked to verify their status again by entering their confirmation number on the official program portal.
The Diversity Visa Lottery is a mechanism that annually grants up to 55,000 permanent residency visas to citizens of countries with low levels of migration to the U.S., but the rules are strict and allow no exceptions: if a country exceeds the migration limit during the last five years, it is automatically excluded from the process.
The news has caused frustration among many Cubans who viewed this route as a safe and legal alternative for emigration.
The confusion generated by the first notification has been especially painful for those who had already made plans, invested time or resources, unaware that the system had given them false hope.
Although it is a small group, the emotional and symbolic impact of the error is profound, especially at a time when thousands of Cubans continue to seek options to leave the country.
This official correction puts an end to the confusion and makes it clear that no Cuban citizen will be processed as a winner of the DV-2026.
The exclusion of Cuba from the 2026 Diversity Visas program was not unexpected. Since September of last year, the United States announced that the country was out due to having exceeded the legal migration threshold, which automatically disqualifies any nation from the annual selection process.
However, the official decision is part of a broader process of reviewing and tightening the immigration system. U.S. authorities are reviewing more than 5.5 million applications, including cases from previous years, to identify possible irregularities, fraud, or administrative errors within the visa program and other immigration schemes.
The State Department itself has acknowledged that the Visa Lottery will remain under “continuous investigation” as part of a more stringent control policy.
Although no immediate changes have been announced, the random selection system is facing increasing scrutiny from sectors advocating for a more controlled and merit-based migration.
In this scenario, Cuban winners of the DV-2025 lottery continue to face delays and uncertainty.
Many of them submitted their documentation months ago and have still not received a response, which reinforces the perception that opportunities to emigrate legally to the U.S. are increasingly limited, even for those who meet all the requirements of the process.
Frequently Asked Questions about the 2026 Diversity Visa Lottery and the exclusion of Cuba
Why were the selections of Cubans in the 2026 Visa Lottery revoked?
The selections of Cubans in the 2026 Visa Lottery were revoked due to an error in the system that showed as approved applications that were not eligible. Cuba was excluded from the program for having exceeded the permitted immigration limit of 50,000 legal emigrants to the U.S. in the past five years.
What does Cuba's exclusion from the Diversity Visa Lottery imply?
The exclusion of Cuba from the Diversity Visa Lottery means that Cuban citizens cannot participate in this program in 2026 because the country exceeded the established immigration cap. This exclusion closes an important legal pathway for many Cubans seeking to emigrate to the United States.
What are the alternatives for Cubans who wish to emigrate to the United States?
Cubans who wish to emigrate to the U.S. may consider other legal avenues such as humanitarian parole, although this program was revoked by the Trump administration in 2025. Consulting with immigration lawyers is crucial to explore alternative options and ensure compliance with current immigration laws.
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