US resumes diversity visa lottery after 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. 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, according to immigration law firm BAL. 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. Trump et al. The latest development follows litigation challenging the administration’s visa-freeze policies.
The development comes just weeks before the end of the fiscal year, creating an urgent window for applicants whose cases are still pending.
The court has scheduled a September 18, 2026 status conference to review the progress of adjudications and determine the next steps in the case. US has resumed Diversity Visa issuance: The State Department says the DV issuance pause ended on August 28 following a federal court order.