I think the reason the UK case numbers is so high, is maybe the normal process of selecting people is they decide how many cases to select per region and they don’t have a predetermined case number range to start with and they probs have no idea how high the max case number will be in advance
They probably tried to do the same process for UK, but they had no idea how many to select as they don’t have experience with doing it to just a single country by itself and to avoid more complications with the lawsuit they decided to be conservative and go high not knowing in advance how crazy the case numbers would end up finally
Your theory is incorrect – that is not how the draw works. The process you describe would not be a random selection. I did create a detailed explanation of the mistake that caused this – really no need to speculate.
Hello Simon, I found your video informative and easy to understand. I have a question regarding the derivatives and its calculation, as I believe there is double counting. I applied and my wife was my derivative. My wife applied and I was her derivative, so we were counted twice, unless they somehow take account of family applications? Is there a known answer to this?
Hello @Brit Simon and thank you for your guidance to DV beneficiaries. We finally made it to US, we are in new Jersey, I escorted my daughter here as I take a holiday. She is a Telcom and information systems Engineer and wishes to enroll for a masters course Posibly after the GC arrives. Which university is good where she could enroll for data Engineer masters program? She is willing to even change the state if need be. Meanwhile she wishes to do some work, not sure about the job market in her area of expertise. Plus she needs the SSN to get a job? Kind regards as you respond.
Great video Simon, fascinating. Do you have any insight on whether the UK will be eligible for DV 2027? I understood it’s down to whether we’ve taken more than 50k US isas in the last five years, is that right?
Yes the 50K number is the total immigrants in 3 specific classes. The 50K is 5 years rolling window total. The 2024 figures are not published yet, so we don’t know if UK is in for sure for DV2027, but my assumption is yes since the UK has been hovering just under the 50k number. It would take a fairly big increase in the 2024 number to cause the UK to be ineligible for DV2027.
Do you know where we can get accurate data for those numbers, I checked out world population review and it doesn’t make sense as it says Cuba never dropped below 16k per year in last 14 years, yet its been eligible all this time until only last year, https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/us-immigration-by-country
Thanks again for another informative video, Simon!
I must say I am finding this whole thing quite exciting… although I have a stupidly high case number, it is something to tune into to see how it all develops. Feel like I’m part of a special club! Haha. I’ll be sure to attend each of your livestreams to see how this all unfolds…
I know a lot of us Brits are going to be feeling a bit deflated about the situation, I know I was at first. But I think it’s worth remembering that, while the UK certainly has its issues at the moment, there are places experiencing hardship many of us could only experience in our nightmares, who’s citizens won’t even get the chance of being a selectee. As it stands, we are in the running – albeit with the odds heavily stacked against us. That counts for something.
Haha – yes agreed about the UK. Quite honestly it is hard for people from some countries to imagine why people from Western Europe even enter the lottery. My decision came down to the weather – which is extremely trivial compared to the safety issues and poverty that motivates many that are DV entries.
UK is pretty unpleasant lately and my prospects for any kind of life here especially financially, buying a house are limited (realistically on a 25,000 a year pay packet with little chance of increase beyond a few grand and £700 rent plus bills and heavy taxes regardless of two humantiies degrees). There’s also an increasing feeling of unsafety as a single woman in the cities (Manchester, Birmingham, London etc) that I and my friends have picked up on and there’s been a huge difference in feelings of safety now versus feelings of safety ten years ago. I’m lucky to live in a nice area but I don’t feel I have a future here. A lot of people say there’s dystopian vibes in this country and I don’t disagree, it’s in the air and in people’s faces.
My trips to the states are such a contrast it’s hard to believe it’s the same planet. I know there’s bad places there and negative points too but it feels the world opens up and there’s suddenly opportunity. Tax alone when I checked in the state I wish to move to would leave me in a wildly better position on an average pay packet than where I am now where I can’t even move out and subsist.
It just feels the system in the UK keeps people in the mud.
I am however mightily grateful for the NHS and always will be. It saved my parent’s lives and would be lost without it.
Interesting comments. I’m not sure you are comparing like for like. If you end up on a low income in the USA, or make the mistake of living in a “less expensive area” you might end up back in the fire.
There are plenty of people on low and medium incomes here in the USA that feel they are on a hamster wheel. The trick for most people is to earn more than you spend, invest that extra money and then get those savings creating a second income. That is certainly easier to action in the USA, but you have to make sure you practice strong discipline to avoid the mistakes that 80% of Americans make.
Yes taxes are less in the USA, but the taxes don’t include health insurance, so that can be a shock for new immigrants when they learn how expensive healthcare is actually. And those degrees you earned in the UK could have cost you 6 figure student loan debt here in the USA – that’s because the taxes here don’t subsidize education well enough. And that low rent you mention will be hard to match in the USA once you factor in the cost of property tax the landlord will be paying for more services you currently get included in your taxes. So the point there is don’t assume the low taxes are really the only taxes you’ll pay here.
Now, is America better – yep – I made my choice, and I’m happy with it. But you have to be smart to thrive here, and accept that this is like walking on a tightrope without the safety net.
This was a very interesting watch. Something I found interesting is that Svalbard and the Vatican have entries, even after the passport rule came into force – pretty much nobody has ever been born in either of these places. Is this just some form of fraud?
You should consider EB2-NIW if you want a green card based on merit, if you are well qualified and can prove you are critical to national interest of the US, you can get one,
the diversity visa is based on a random algorithm where you either get selected or not and nothing else, doesn’t matter how hard you work, who you are or how much you want it, its down to chance and nothing else the “team” can do to help
October 16, 2025 at 20:12
I think the reason the UK case numbers is so high, is maybe the normal process of selecting people is they decide how many cases to select per region and they don’t have a predetermined case number range to start with and they probs have no idea how high the max case number will be in advance
They probably tried to do the same process for UK, but they had no idea how many to select as they don’t have experience with doing it to just a single country by itself and to avoid more complications with the lawsuit they decided to be conservative and go high not knowing in advance how crazy the case numbers would end up finally
October 16, 2025 at 21:09
Your theory is incorrect – that is not how the draw works. The process you describe would not be a random selection. I did create a detailed explanation of the mistake that caused this – really no need to speculate.
October 15, 2025 at 06:30
Bonjour Brist excusez moi. Quand sortiront les instructions relatives à la DV 2027
October 15, 2025 at 11:35
DV2027 is not yet announced
October 13, 2025 at 14:26
Hello Simon, I found your video informative and easy to understand. I have a question regarding the derivatives and its calculation, as I believe there is double counting. I applied and my wife was my derivative. My wife applied and I was her derivative, so we were counted twice, unless they somehow take account of family applications? Is there a known answer to this?
October 13, 2025 at 16:11
It’s not really important. Yes, if you have each entered, both of you would have been counted “twice” as entries – but that doesn’t cause any problem.
October 9, 2025 at 13:55
Hello @Brit Simon and thank you for your guidance to DV beneficiaries. We finally made it to US, we are in new Jersey, I escorted my daughter here as I take a holiday. She is a Telcom and information systems Engineer and wishes to enroll for a masters course Posibly after the GC arrives. Which university is good where she could enroll for data Engineer masters program? She is willing to even change the state if need be. Meanwhile she wishes to do some work, not sure about the job market in her area of expertise. Plus she needs the SSN to get a job? Kind regards as you respond.
October 9, 2025 at 16:42
Hi Anne, it’s really hard for me to recommend universities – there are MANY excellent options, so it is something she will need to research.
She can start work before the SSN arrives, but will need to provide it within a few days of starting work.
October 9, 2025 at 21:27
Noted thank you
October 8, 2025 at 18:52
Hi Simon, I learnt there’s a halt in US embassies working . Does it affect DV winners appointments?
October 8, 2025 at 20:32
There is NOT a halt in embassies working. The government shutdown does not affect embassies/DV processing – at least not in the short term.
October 8, 2025 at 15:57
Great video Simon, fascinating. Do you have any insight on whether the UK will be eligible for DV 2027? I understood it’s down to whether we’ve taken more than 50k US isas in the last five years, is that right?
October 8, 2025 at 16:35
Yes the 50K number is the total immigrants in 3 specific classes. The 50K is 5 years rolling window total. The 2024 figures are not published yet, so we don’t know if UK is in for sure for DV2027, but my assumption is yes since the UK has been hovering just under the 50k number. It would take a fairly big increase in the 2024 number to cause the UK to be ineligible for DV2027.
October 8, 2025 at 19:48
Do you know where we can get accurate data for those numbers, I checked out world population review and it doesn’t make sense as it says Cuba never dropped below 16k per year in last 14 years, yet its been eligible all this time until only last year, https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/us-immigration-by-country
October 8, 2025 at 23:27
The immigration yearbook is the source, but you only take IR, Family and work based classes and those have been low for Cuba until recently.
2023 here – table 10.
https://ohss.dhs.gov/topics/immigration/yearbook/2023
October 8, 2025 at 13:10
Thanks again for another informative video, Simon!
I must say I am finding this whole thing quite exciting… although I have a stupidly high case number, it is something to tune into to see how it all develops. Feel like I’m part of a special club! Haha. I’ll be sure to attend each of your livestreams to see how this all unfolds…
I know a lot of us Brits are going to be feeling a bit deflated about the situation, I know I was at first. But I think it’s worth remembering that, while the UK certainly has its issues at the moment, there are places experiencing hardship many of us could only experience in our nightmares, who’s citizens won’t even get the chance of being a selectee. As it stands, we are in the running – albeit with the odds heavily stacked against us. That counts for something.
Looking forward to your next video!
October 8, 2025 at 14:00
Haha – yes agreed about the UK. Quite honestly it is hard for people from some countries to imagine why people from Western Europe even enter the lottery. My decision came down to the weather – which is extremely trivial compared to the safety issues and poverty that motivates many that are DV entries.
October 11, 2025 at 05:17
UK is pretty unpleasant lately and my prospects for any kind of life here especially financially, buying a house are limited (realistically on a 25,000 a year pay packet with little chance of increase beyond a few grand and £700 rent plus bills and heavy taxes regardless of two humantiies degrees). There’s also an increasing feeling of unsafety as a single woman in the cities (Manchester, Birmingham, London etc) that I and my friends have picked up on and there’s been a huge difference in feelings of safety now versus feelings of safety ten years ago. I’m lucky to live in a nice area but I don’t feel I have a future here. A lot of people say there’s dystopian vibes in this country and I don’t disagree, it’s in the air and in people’s faces.
My trips to the states are such a contrast it’s hard to believe it’s the same planet. I know there’s bad places there and negative points too but it feels the world opens up and there’s suddenly opportunity. Tax alone when I checked in the state I wish to move to would leave me in a wildly better position on an average pay packet than where I am now where I can’t even move out and subsist.
It just feels the system in the UK keeps people in the mud.
I am however mightily grateful for the NHS and always will be. It saved my parent’s lives and would be lost without it.
October 11, 2025 at 09:15
Interesting comments. I’m not sure you are comparing like for like. If you end up on a low income in the USA, or make the mistake of living in a “less expensive area” you might end up back in the fire.
There are plenty of people on low and medium incomes here in the USA that feel they are on a hamster wheel. The trick for most people is to earn more than you spend, invest that extra money and then get those savings creating a second income. That is certainly easier to action in the USA, but you have to make sure you practice strong discipline to avoid the mistakes that 80% of Americans make.
Yes taxes are less in the USA, but the taxes don’t include health insurance, so that can be a shock for new immigrants when they learn how expensive healthcare is actually. And those degrees you earned in the UK could have cost you 6 figure student loan debt here in the USA – that’s because the taxes here don’t subsidize education well enough. And that low rent you mention will be hard to match in the USA once you factor in the cost of property tax the landlord will be paying for more services you currently get included in your taxes. So the point there is don’t assume the low taxes are really the only taxes you’ll pay here.
Now, is America better – yep – I made my choice, and I’m happy with it. But you have to be smart to thrive here, and accept that this is like walking on a tightrope without the safety net.
October 8, 2025 at 06:12
This was a very interesting watch. Something I found interesting is that Svalbard and the Vatican have entries, even after the passport rule came into force – pretty much nobody has ever been born in either of these places. Is this just some form of fraud?
October 8, 2025 at 09:17
I don’t know for sure, but yeah some kind of mistake.
October 8, 2025 at 01:05
I’m very serious about the program please let the team know everything about me thanks again
October 8, 2025 at 03:12
HAHAHHA
October 8, 2025 at 04:48
You should consider EB2-NIW if you want a green card based on merit, if you are well qualified and can prove you are critical to national interest of the US, you can get one,
the diversity visa is based on a random algorithm where you either get selected or not and nothing else, doesn’t matter how hard you work, who you are or how much you want it, its down to chance and nothing else the “team” can do to help
October 8, 2025 at 09:13
If you are serious you will find a way to phrase a question in a useful way.