The Trump administration has suspended the Diversity Visa (DV) Program, commonly known as the diversity lottery or Green Card lottery, indefinitely as of December 18, 2025. This pause in the green card diversity lottery has affected thousands of applicants around the world who hoped to obtain permanent residency in the U.S. through this lottery program.
The DV Lottery Program has historically made up to 50,000 immigrant visas available each year to nationals of countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. Foreign nationals who are selected and who meet the educational and work-experience criteria can apply for a green card after passing background checks and interviews.
But in late 2025, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, acting on direction from President Trump, ordered U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to halt all Diversity Visa processing, citing national security concerns. The U.S. State Department also paused the issuance of diversity visas at embassies and consulates abroad.
Why the DV Lottery Suspension Was Announced
According to the administration, the suspension is mainly due to national security concerns. This announcement followed a tragic shooting in December 2025 involving a Portuguese national who had entered the U.S. through the Diversity Visa Lottery back in 2017. Officials pointed to this incident as evidence that the program’s screening process needed closer review.
At the time the suspension was announced, interest in the lottery was extremely high. Nearly 20 million people had applied for the 2025 Green Card Lottery, and more than 131,000 selected applicants, including their spouses and children, were already somewhere in the application process.
The Diversity Visa Lottery itself was created by Congress under the Immigration Act of 1990. Its goal was to make U.S. immigration more diverse by using a random, electronic selection system. Critics of the suspension note that because Congress created the program, only Congress has the authority to end it permanently. As a result, the current action is considered a temporary pause, not a complete cancellation.
What the Suspension Means for Current and Future DV Lottery Applicants
DV-2026 Selectees
Applicants selected in the DV-2026 lottery, results for which were announced in May 2025, now face uncertainty. Although they had been progressing through the visa process, including interviews and adjustment applications, USCIS has paused all DV-related processing. This includes interviews, adjudications, and related benefits such as adjustment of status or work/travel authorization tied to DV applications.
The State Department has also suspended the issuance of new diversity visas at consulates worldwide, meaning selectees cannot complete the final steps of becoming permanent residents until the suspension is lifted.
DV-2027 Registration and Future Cycles
The usual registration period for the next Diversity Visa cycle (DV-2027), which normally opens in October, was delayed and remains uncertain. Some reports indicate that registration may have been postponed past its traditional window and even tied to new procedural requirements like a nominal registration fee, which was introduced in 2025 before the suspension.
Because the suspension does not abolish the program in statute, future registrations could proceed once security concerns are addressed, but no firm dates have been announced.
Practical Considerations for Applicants
The indefinite pause has created several practical questions and concerns
- Processing Delays: DV-2026 winners may face extended “administrative processing” statuses indefinitely until the suspension is resolved.
- Visa Issuance Frozen: Embassies and consulates are not issuing new diversity visas while the program is suspended.
- Registration Timing: DV-2027 registration remains on hold with no confirmed start date, leaving millions of hopeful applicants in limbo.
- Congressional Authority: Because the DV Program is established in U.S. law by Congress, a permanent end would require legislative action, not only executive or administrative decisions.
Who Is Most Affected?
The suspension impacts different groups differently
- DV-2026 applicants currently in process: These individuals and their families may have interviews delayed or halted.
- Prospective DV-2027 entrants: With no confirmed registration period, potential applicants must await official announcements.
- Winners awaiting visa issuance: Those with scheduled consular interviews may see their cases postponed indefinitely.
It’s important to note that individuals who already hold a green card through a prior DV lottery cycle remain unaffected by the suspension itself. Displayed reports from applicant forums indicate existing permanent residents continue to maintain their status even as the green card diversity lottery pause unfolds.
What Comes Next for the USA Green Card Lottery?
At this stage, the suspension remains in effect with no publicly announced end date. Government agencies, including the State Department and DHS, are monitoring the situation and have not provided a definitive timeline for resuming normal Diversity Visa operations.
Given that the DV Program is a law established by Congress, many legal experts anticipate challenges if the suspension persists long-term or morphs into a de facto termination. Litigation and legislative responses are likely to be part of the future landscape.
For now, applicants, immigration attorneys, and advocates are urged to track official USCIS and Department of State announcements for the latest updates.
Conclusion
The suspension of the U.S. Green Card lottery in December 2025 marks a historic interruption in one of America’s most popular immigration pathways. Millions of hopeful immigrants now face uncertainty as the Diversity Visa Program undergoes a security review and procedural reevaluation. While the pause does not equate to permanent elimination, its effects are far-reaching and will require careful attention from applicants, counsel, and stakeholders as future policy unfolds.
Immigration policies continue to evolve, and updates to the Diversity Visa Program are still emerging. Follow the Imagility blog for timely insights, policy updates, and expert perspectives on U.S. immigration developments.
