For the Diversity Visa Program (commonly known as the ‘lottery’) for the U.S. government fiscal year 2018 (from October 1st, 2017 to September 30th, 2018), the following countries are not eligible to apply: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.
These countries are not eligible to apply because more than 50,000 natives of these countries immigrated to the United States in the previous five years, and therefore do not bring any ‘diversity’.