The US State Department has paused the issuance of all Diversity Visas, putting the immigration program on hold while it reviews screening and vetting procedures.
The State Department announced the change on August 31, saying the pause followed concerns over the screening and vetting process used in the Diversity Visa program. The department said it wants to review potential vulnerabilities and ensure that people selected through the lottery can be properly identified and assessed for national security and public safety concerns.
What has the US paused?
The State Department said it has paused all visa issuances to Diversity Visa applicants. However, applicants can still submit applications and attend scheduled interviews.
Existing Diversity Visa appointments generally will not be cancelled or rescheduled, according to the department. But even if an applicant attends an interview, the department said no Diversity Visas will be issued while the pause is in effect.
There are also no exceptions to the new guidance, according to the State Department.
The department said the action is connected to a review prompted by concerns following the Brown University shooting and the killing of an MIT professor, which officials said involved a person admitted to the US through the Diversity Visa program. The review is intended to examine the program’s screening and vetting procedures.
Is India on the Diversity Visa list?
No. India is not an eligible country for the Diversity Visa program.
The State Department’s official DV-2026 information lists India among the countries whose natives were not eligible to participate in that year’s program. Other excluded countries included Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam.
India’s exclusion is not new. Under the program’s rules, countries whose natives have had high levels of immigration to the US over the previous five years can be excluded from the lottery. The State Department has also listed India as ineligible in earlier DV programs.
Indians born in India were already unable to enter the lottery under the recent program rules.
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What does this mean for Indians?
For people born in India, the immediate impact is limited because India is already excluded from the Diversity Visa lottery.
However, Indians who may qualify through another country of chargeability should check the specific DV rules carefully. Eligibility is generally based on the applicant’s country of birth rather than citizenship, although there are limited provisions allowing some applicants to use a spouse’s or, in certain circumstances, a parent’s country of birth.
The latest announcement also does not revoke existing valid US visas. The State Department specifically said that no diversity or other visas were revoked as part of this guidance.
The State Department has not provided a date for when Diversity Visa issuances will resume. Applicants affected by the pause will need to monitor the department’s official Diversity Visa guidance for further updates.
