Why is my birth country more relevant than the country of my citizenship?

When participating in the Green Card Lottery your birth country, according to current borders, is more relevant than the country of your citizenship. Your birth country is independent from the citizenship you have, for example the citizenship stated in your passport. Over the last few decades, international country borders have experienced much change and your birth country is according to current borders. There would be too many individual cases to review, so the US authorities make no exceptions. To participate in the Green Card Lottery, please provide your birth country. In case you win, your country of citizenship will then become relevant.

Here you can find a complete list of countries which are not eligible to apply if you were born there.

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