New Diversity Visa Freeze Leaves Caribbean Selectees Racing Against Sept. 30 Deadline

Caribbean residents selected for the United States Diversity Visa program are facing an increasingly narrow window to obtain their visas after the State Department again halted issuance, even though federal law ends all DV-2026 eligibility on September 30. Current guidance from the Department of State says that Diversity Visa applicants may continue submitting applications and attending interviews and that appointments will generally remain scheduled. However, the department says no Diversity Visas will actually be issued while the suspension remains in place. There are no exceptions under the current guidance. The timing is particularly consequential because Diversity Visa eligibility cannot simply be carried into the next fiscal year. The State Department's September Visa Bulletin states that every DV-2026 applicant's entitlement ends September 30. Visas cannot be issued to applicants after that date, and spouses and children seeking status through a principal applicant face the sa...