A US federal judge has ordered the State Department to continue processing certain Diversity Visa applications for 10 days beyond the September 30 fiscal-year deadline. The order follows concerns that delays in implementing an earlier court ruling reduced the time available to applicants.Key HighlightsUS District Judge Edward Davila ordered an extension of Diversity Visa processing for certain FY2026 applicants.The extension runs for 10 days beyond the September 30 deadline.The judge had previously ordered the government to resume ordinary processing.Applicants had argued that government delays left them with insufficient time.Selection for the Diversity Visa programme does not guarantee visa approval.The programme makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available each year.US Judge Extends Diversity Visa ProcessingThe latest order concerns applicants selected under the FY2026 Diversity Visa programme, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery.Judge Edward Davila of the US District Court for the Northern District of California had earlier issued a preliminary injunction requiring the State Department and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume processing affected applications.The applicants later asked the court for additional relief, arguing that government delays in implementing the earlier order had reduced the time available before the fiscal-year deadline.Why the Deadline Was ExtendedUnder US immigration law, FY2026 Diversity Visa cases generally had to be completed by September 30. Applicants argued that delays after the court's August ruling prevented some cases from being processed in time.According to Courthouse News, the government had provided status reports to the court three times a week. Judge Davila said 3,814 visas had been processed based on those reports.The judge had previously questioned how the court could extend the statutory deadline, but considered whether additional time could address delays caused by the government's implementation of the earlier order.Earlier Court Order on Diversity VisasOn August 28, Judge Davila temporarily set aside three policies that had affected Diversity Visa processing.The policies included a USCIS hold on certain adjustment-of-status applications, a State Department pause on Diversity Visa issuance and a separate State Department pause affecting immigrant-visa applicants from 75 countries.The court ordered the agencies, where practicable and in good faith, to resume ordinary adjudication of pending applications during the remainder of the fiscal year.What the Diversity Visa Programme MeansThe Diversity Visa programme provides a pathway for eligible applicants from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States.Each year, the US government makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available through the programme. Applicants are selected through a lottery, but being selected does not guarantee that an applicant will receive a visa or permanent residence.What Happens to Affected ApplicantsThe extended processing period is intended to provide additional time for specified FY2026 cases affected by the earlier processing delays.However, the court's order does not automatically approve applications. Applicants must still meet the applicable eligibility and admissibility requirements, and immigration authorities retain the authority to make individual decisions on cases.The development comes as the legal dispute over the administration's Diversity Visa policies continues in federal court.
