US resumes Diversity Visa issuance, but DV-2026 winners face September 30 deadline

The United States has resumed issuing Diversity Immigrant Visas after a federal court order ended a months-long suspension, giving thousands of applicants another chance to complete their cases before the fiscal year closes.

The State Department said issuance restarted on August 28, 2026, in compliance with the order in Medani et al. v. Trump et al. The department had halted Diversity Visa issuance in December 2025 while it reviewed screening and vetting procedures at U.S. embassies and consulates.

The restart comes with very little time left. DV-2026 visas must be issued by September 30, 2026. Visa numbers not used by that date are lost and cannot simply transfer into the next fiscal year. Selection in the lottery alone does not guarantee a Green Card. Applicants must complete processing, meet eligibility requirements and receive the visa before the deadline.

The case follows legal challenges to 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 policies, finding they were likely arbitrary and capricious. The court scheduled a September 18 status conference to review adjudication progress and determine next steps.

People born in India are generally not eligible for the Diversity Visa lottery. The program is intended for nationals of countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States, and eligibility usually depends on country of birth rather than ethnic origin. For eligible DV-2026 winners, the immediate priority is completing processing before September 30.