US Resumes Diversity Immigrant Visa (Green Card Lottery) Issuance Following Court Order 🇺🇸🗽⏳
In a major legal turn for thousands of immigrant visa selectees, the U.S. Department of State has instructed American consular missions worldwide to restart processing and issuing Diversity Immigrant Visas (DV). The resumption follows a preliminary injunction issued by a U.S. Federal District Court in Medani et al. v. Trump et al., which suspended the administration’s December 2025 executive visa freeze.
With the injunction active, consular posts are prioritizing remaining appointments for qualifying DV-2026 selectees ahead of the strict statutory fiscal deadline of September 30, 2026.
Key Court Ruling & Consular Directives
The legal injunction alters the procedural landscape for selectees caught in the freeze:
- Executive Suspension Enjoined: The federal court found that an indefinite administrative halt to the congressionally mandated program risked irreparable harm to winning applicants, ordering consular processing to resume immediately.
- The September 30 Statutory Deadline: Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), all 55,000 statutory Diversity Visas allocated for Fiscal Year 2026 must be printed and issued before midnight on September 30, 2026. Visas not formally issued by this cutoff are permanently lost.
- Consular Prioritization: Overseas posts have been directed to re-open canceled calendar slots and prioritize scheduled interviews for documentarily qualified selectees whose case numbers are current.
- Writ of Mandamus & Case Preservation: Legal advocates are seeking emergency court relief to request that unused visa numbers be “reserved” past the fiscal deadline to account for time lost during the bureaucratic suspension.
Fast-Track Timeline: DV-2026 Status vs. Normal Track
| Legal Parameter | Standard DV Processing Cycle | Current Injunction Operating Status |
| Visa Issuance Window | October 1 to September 30 | Expedited interview pipeline closing September 30, 2026 |
| Administrative Status | Ongoing interviews across the fiscal year | Prioritized processing after months-long administrative suspension |
| Available Visas | Statutory ceiling of ~55,000 | Limited number of days left to issue remaining visa allocations |
| Post-Deadline Validity | Unissued numbers immediately expire | Contingent on ongoing emergency motions to preserve visa numbers |
Chargeability Rules: Pakistan, India, and Regional Exceptions
While the court order clears the way for global selectees to be processed, baseline geographic eligibility rules remain intact:
- High-Admission Country Exclusions: Individuals born in countries sending over 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. across the preceding five years—including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland)—remain strictly excluded from primary selection.
- Cross-Chargeability Exception: An individual born in an ineligible country (e.g., Pakistan) can claim the eligibility of their spouse if the spouse was born in an eligible jurisdiction (e.g., Nepal, Sri Lanka, or GCC states), provided both receive visas and enter the U.S. simultaneously.
- Parental Origin Exception: If neither parent was born or legally resident in an ineligible country at the time of the applicant’s birth, the applicant may claim chargeability to the parents’ country of birth.
Action Plan for Documentarily Qualified Selectees
Selectees who have already submitted their DS-260 Immigrant Visa Electronic Application must act quickly:
- Verify Case Status on CEAC: Regularly check the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) dashboard to track whether your status shifts to “Ready” or if an expedited interview notification is generated.
- Assemble Final Civil Records: Ensure police clearance certificates from all countries of prior residence, complete certified medical reports from panel physicians, and original birth and marriage certificates are organized.
- Prepare Proof of Public Charge Exemption: Assemble primary bank records, employment offer letters, or an Affidavit of Support (Form I-134) to confirm financial self-sufficiency during the consular interview.
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📌 Important Notice: Compiled from official federal court filings in Medani et al. v. Trump et al. and U.S. Department of State consular updates. Diversity Visa lottery selection does not guarantee visa issuance; all candidates must undergo full statutory admissibility and security screening.
