Last updated: July 2, 2026
Many DV Lottery applicants are asking the same question right now: has the Diversity Visa pause ended?
Based on official U.S. Department of State information checked today, there is no official State Department notice saying that Diversity Visa issuance has restarted.
The official State Department guidance still says that the Department has paused all visa issuances to diversity immigrant visa applicants. The same notice says DV applicants may still submit visa applications and attend interviews, and that the Department will continue to schedule applicants for appointments, but no Diversity Visas will be issued while this guidance remains in effect. The notice also says there are no exceptions to this guidance. [Source 1]
The State Department’s U.S. Visas News page shows later visa-related updates from 2026, but I found no newer DV-specific notice on that official page saying the DV issuance pause has been lifted. [Source 2]
This is not the update many applicants were hoping for, but it is the most important fact right now: do not trust rumors unless the information appears on an official U.S. government source.
What the pause means for DV applicants
The pause does not mean every part of the DV process has stopped.
According to the State Department, DV applicants may still submit visa applications, attend interviews, and continue following official instructions from KCC or the U.S. embassy or consulate handling their case. Existing DV appointments generally will not be rescheduled or cancelled because of the pause. [Source 1]
However, the same official guidance says no Diversity Visas will be issued under the pause.
That difference matters.
An interview can still happen. A case number can still become current. A DS-260 can still be submitted. But none of those things, by itself, means a visa will be printed or placed in a passport while the State Department’s DV issuance pause remains active.
July 2026 Visa Bulletin: DV-2026 numbers are published
The July 2026 Visa Bulletin has been released. It includes Diversity Visa rank number cutoffs for July 2026 and advance numbers for August 2026. [Source 3]
These numbers show which DV-2026 rank numbers are within the published range for normal visa-number availability, if the applicant is otherwise qualified and if a visa can legally be issued.
Important: a Visa Bulletin number does not cancel the separate DV issuance pause.
The Visa Bulletin gives rank number availability. The separate State Department DV pause guidance says no Diversity Visas are being issued while that guidance remains in effect. Both things can be true at the same time.
DV-2026 July 2026 rank number cutoffs
For July 2026, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2026 applicants with regional lottery rank numbers below the following cutoffs: [Source 3]
Africa: 55,000
Exceptions: Algeria 40,000; Egypt 31,000
Asia: 35,000
Exception: Nepal 13,000
Europe: 23,000
North America: Bahamas 50
Oceania: 1,700
South America and the Caribbean: 3,300
DV-2026 August 2026 advance numbers
The July Visa Bulletin also gives advance notification of DV numbers for August 2026: [Source 3]
Africa: 60,000
Exceptions: Algeria 51,250; Egypt 36,000
Asia: 40,000
Exception: Nepal 13,500
Europe: 29,000
North America: Bahamas current
Oceania: 2,050
South America and the Caribbean: 4,000
Again, these numbers are important, but they do not mean the DV issuance pause has ended.
DV-2026 deadline is still September 30, 2026
DV-2026 selectees are now in a very time-sensitive part of the year.
The July 2026 Visa Bulletin says DV-2026 entitlement ends on September 30, 2026. It also says DV visas may not be issued to DV-2026 applicants after that date. [Source 3]
This deadline also applies to spouses and children of DV-2026 principal applicants. Derivative family members can only receive DV-2026 status until September 30, 2026. The Visa Bulletin also warns that DV visa availability through the end of the fiscal year cannot be taken for granted because numbers could be exhausted before September 30. [Source 3]
This is one of the hardest parts of the DV program: selection does not guarantee a visa.
The State Department also says selectees must still meet all eligibility requirements under U.S. law. [Source 4]
What DV-2026 selectees should do now
DV-2026 selectees should continue following the official process and keep their case ready.
If you were selected and have not completed your DS-260, the State Department says selected entrants should complete the online DS-260 immediately so an interview appointment can be scheduled at the appropriate U.S. embassy or consulate. [Source 4]
The principal applicant and each family member applying for a Diversity Visa must complete Form DS-260. After submitting DS-260, applicants should print the confirmation page and bring it to the visa interview. [Source 5]
The State Department also says KCC can tell applicants whether a form has been processed, but KCC cannot decide whether an applicant is eligible for a Diversity Visa. Only the consular officer who interviews the applicant can make that decision. [Source 5]
At the same time, applicants should stay realistic. If the DV issuance pause is not lifted, attending an interview does not automatically mean a visa can be issued.
DV-2027 registration has not been announced yet
There is still no official DV-2027 registration start date.
The State Department’s official DV-2027 notice says the Department is making changes to the DV entry process and will announce the DV-2027 registration start date “as soon as practicable.” The same notice says the Department will also announce when DV-2027 selection results may become available through Entry Status Check. [Source 6]
This does not mean DV-2027 is cancelled.
The official notice says the visa application period for people selected in DV-2027 remains October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027. [Source 6]
So the correct update is:
DV-2027 registration is delayed.
The start date has not been announced.
The State Department has not said DV-2027 is cancelled.
Applicants should wait for the official registration instructions.
New DV entry rules: passport information, passport scan, and $1 fee
Future DV entrants should also prepare for new entry rules.
The Department of State published a final rule requiring DV entrants to provide valid, unexpired passport information and upload a scan of the passport biographic and signature page in the electronic entry form, unless the person qualifies for a limited exemption. This rule became effective on April 10, 2026. [Source 7]
The rule also says the passport scan must be in JPEG/JFIF format. PDF files will not be accepted. The file size must not exceed 5 MB. [Source 7]
There is also a new $1 DV registration fee. The official Federal Register document says the State Department established a $1 fee to register for the Diversity Visa lottery. This is separate from the existing $330 Diversity Visa application fee for selected applicants who later apply for the visa. [Source 8]
The same official rule says the registration fee will be collected through an authorized U.S. government payment portal at the time of registration, before submission and completion of the registration. [Source 8]
Because DV-2027 registration has not opened yet, applicants should wait for the official DV registration period and official State Department instructions. Do not pay random websites, agents, or social media accounts claiming they can register you early.
Interview location rules also matter
Another important update for DV-2026 applicants is the interview location rule.
The State Department says immigrant visa applicants are now generally required to interview in the consular district designated for their place of residence, or in their country of nationality if requested, with limited exceptions. The same notice says these changes apply to Diversity Visa applicants in the DV-2026 program year. [Source 9]
This is important for applicants who moved to another country, live outside their country of birth, or want to transfer their case.
A transfer is not automatic. If an applicant wants to transfer an immigrant visa case to a new consular district after the National Visa Center has scheduled the appointment, the State Department says the applicant should contact the National Visa Center and should not contact the consular section directly. [Source 9]
Applicants should also check the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate handling their case for local instructions.
Scam warning: only trust official DV sources
When there is uncertainty, scammers become more active.
The State Department warns that scammers send fake emails and letters pretending to be the U.S. government. [Source 10]
For DV results, the official rule is simple: the only way to check whether you were selected is through Entrant Status Check at the official DV website. The State Department says applicants will not receive a notification letter or email telling them they are a successful DV entrant. [Source 10]
The State Department also warns that the U.S. government will never ask DV applicants to send payment in advance by check, money order, or wire transfer. [Source 10]
Applicants should use their own email address, keep their confirmation number, submit only one entry per eligible person, and avoid anyone who claims they can improve the chance of selection. The State Department says consultants cannot improve a person’s chance of being selected. [Source 10]
Bottom line for the DV Lottery community
As of July 2, 2026, there is no official State Department announcement saying that Diversity Visa issuance has restarted.
The official DV guidance still says DV visa issuance is paused, although applicants may still submit applications and attend interviews.
The July 2026 Visa Bulletin has published DV-2026 rank number cutoffs, but a current case number does not override the separate DV issuance pause.
DV-2026 still ends on September 30, 2026, and no DV-2026 visas can be issued after that date.
For DV-2027, the registration start date has not been announced yet. The State Department says it will announce the registration start date as soon as practicable, and the official DV-2027 visa application period remains October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027.
For now, the safest advice is simple: keep your documents ready, follow only official U.S. government instructions, and do not believe anyone who says they can bypass the pause, guarantee a visa, or register you before the official DV-2027 entry period opens.
This update is based only on official U.S. government sources available as of July 2, 2026.
Official sources used
[Source 1] U.S. Department of State — Diversity Visa Issuance Updated Guidance
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/diversity-visa-issuance-updated-guidance.html
[Source 2] U.S. Department of State — U.S. Visas News
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news.html
[Source 3] U.S. Department of State — Visa Bulletin for July 2026
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-july-2026.html
[Source 4] U.S. Department of State — Diversity Visa Program: If You Are Selected
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry/diversity-visa-if-you-are-selected.html
[Source 5] U.S. Department of State — Submit Your Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry/diversity-visa-if-you-are-selected/diversity-visa-submit-your-iv-and-alien-registration-application.html
[Source 6] U.S. Department of State — Changes to Entry Period for 2027 Diversity Visa Program
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/changes-to-2027-dv-program-entry-period.html
[Source 7] Federal Register — Visas: Enhancing Vetting and Combatting Fraud in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/11/2026-04737/visas-enhancing-vetting-and-combatting-fraud-in-the-diversity-immigrant-visa-program
[Source 8] GovInfo / Federal Register — Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, Diversity Visa Lottery Fee
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-09-16/pdf/2025-17851.pdf
[Source 9] U.S. Department of State — Adjudicating Immigrant Visa Applicants in Their Country of Residence
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/adjudicating-iv-applicants-in-their-country-of-residence.html
[Source 10] U.S. Department of State — Fraud Warning
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/fraud.html
