State Department to Resume Diversity Visa Issuance

The State Department has confirmed that as of August 28, 2026, the agency is resuming issuance of diversity visas in order to comply with a court order in an ongoing lawsuit. The case is Medani et al. v. Trump et al., Case No. 5:26-cv-06332 (N.D. Cal., case filed June 24, 2026).

Background

In December 2025, the State Department announced it was temporarily suspending issuance of diversity visa (DV) immigrant visas at U.S. Embassies and Consulates in order to undertake a review of DV screening and vetting protocols. As a result of the above-referenced court order, the suspension is over; however, there is significant urgency in the adjudication of impacted applications. Diversity immigrant visas must be issued by September 30 of the applicable fiscal year, or the visa number is lost.