US resumes diversity visa lottery after months-long pause

US resumes diversity visa lottery after months-long pause.

In a major relief for thousands of immigrants hoping to move to the US through the Diversity Visa programme, the State Department has resumed issuing Diversity Immigrant Visas after a court order ended a months-long pause. The State Department confirmed that it resumed Diversity Visa issuance on August 28, 2026, in compliance with a federal court order in Medani et al. v. Trump et al. The development comes just weeks before the end of the fiscal year, creating an urgent window for applicants whose cases are still pending. The US had suspended the issuance of Diversity Visas in December 2025 while the State Department reviewed screening and vetting procedures for applicants under the programme. The pause affected the issuance of diversity immigrant visas at US embassies and consulates. The latest development follows litigation challenging the administration's visa-freeze policies. According to immigration law firm BAL, a federal court certified three subclasses of DV-2026 applicants and preliminarily blocked three visa-freeze policies implemented by the Trump administration, finding them likely to be arbitrary and capricious. The court has scheduled a September 18, 2026 status conference to review the progress of adjudications and determine the next steps in the case.

Why September 30 is critical

For DV-2026 winners, the timing is particularly important. Diversity Visas are tied to the US fiscal year and must be issued by September 30, 2026. If a visa number is not used by that deadline, it is lost and cannot simply be carried over into the next fiscal year, immigration law firm Fragomen said. This means that simply being selected in the Diversity Visa lottery does not guarantee a Green Card. Applicants must still complete the required processing, satisfy eligibility requirements and receive the visa before the fiscal-year deadline. The resumption of issuance therefore gives pending applicants another opportunity, but the remaining time is extremely limited.

What does this mean for Indian applicants?

Indians ae not eligible for the Diversity Visa lottery as this visa program is designed for nationals of countries with historically low levels of immigration to the US. Countries that have sent relatively large numbers of immigrants to the US through certain immigration categories are generally excluded from the lottery. Therefore, being of Indian origin does not by itself make someone eligible for the Diversity Visa programme. Eligibility is generally based on the applicant's country of birth, subject to limited exceptions. For those who are eligible and were selected for DV-2026, the immediate priority is to ensure that their applications are processed before September 30.

Key takeaways

US has resumed Diversity Visa issuance: The State Department says the DV issuance pause ended on August 28 following a federal court order.

September 30 is the crucial deadline: DV-2026 visas must be issued by the end of the US fiscal year. Unused visa numbers are lost.

Indians are generally not eligible for the lottery: Eligibility is primarily determined by country of birth, and India is generally excluded because of its immigration levels to the US.

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