Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery Pause: What it Means

18 دسمبر 2025 کو اپ ڈیٹ کیا گیا
On December 18, 2025, the U.S. government announced a plan to pause the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery program. This pause would affect future lotteries and people who already won but are still waiting for their Green Cards.
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Information may change on this page. More updates coming in January.

Status of the DV Lottery program

The DV Lottery is officially called the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. It is also known as the Green Card lottery. It is a yearly program that allows people to enter for a chance to win a U.S. visa. A computer selects the winners randomly.

The U.S. government has announced a plan to pause the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery program. The U.S. government did not announce if the planned pause has an end date and could continue indefinitely.

What this means for winners

If you were selected in the DV lottery and have not finished the process, your case may be paused.

You may be affected if you:

  • have not had your interview
  • have not received your visa
  • have not finished your Green Card process

Lawyers and media reports say current winners who are still waiting are directly affected.

What this means for future lotteries

The DV-2027 lottery was delayed earlier this year, but the government said it would still happen.

The announced pause on the DV program suggests that no new DV lottery will happen for the foreseeable future.

What we know

  • Many cases already in progress may be frozen or delayed.
  • The DV program still exists in the law.
  • This pause comes from the executive branch and could be challenged in court or changed later.

What we do not know yet

  • Whether embassies will fully stop DV interviews or only slow them.
  • Whether courts will order the government to continue processing for current winners, as happened in the past.

More details may come through court cases or new government guidance.

What to do

  • Check for official updates from the DOS and USCIS.
  • Keep your documents ready (passport, DV confirmation page, and medical exam results).
  • Talk to an immigration lawyer.
  • Protect yourself from diversity visa scams. Do not pay money for an entry.
  • Be careful with international travel. It may be risky if you do not have a valid visa.

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