The US has paused the Green Card Lottery (Diversity Visa). Here’s a clear, human explanation of what’s happening, who it affects, and what alternatives exist in 2025–2026.
Did the US actually suspend the Green Card Lottery?
Yes – temporarily, not forever.
In December 2025, the US Department of Homeland Security announced a pause in processing Diversity Visa (DV) cases – better known as the Green Card Lottery.
Key word here: pause.
Not cancellation. Not deletion. Not “America is over.”
The US loves temporary measures that last… well, longer than expected.
Quick refresher: what is the Diversity Visa Lottery?
In simple terms:
- up to 50,000 Green Cards per year
- free to enter
- open to countries with low immigration rates to the US
- low odds, but very real – which is why millions apply every year
For many people, DV was the only realistic legal path to permanent residency without family sponsorship, a US employer, or a seven-figure bank account.
Why did the US hit pause?
Official reason: national security concerns.
Unofficial reason: politics, optics, and pressure to “tighten the system.”
The pause followed several high-profile violent incidents involving a foreign national who had previously obtained permanent residency through the DV program.
The government’s logic is straightforward:
if there’s a potential risk, stop the program and review it again
Critics point out that DV applicants already go through multiple background and security checks, but in US immigration policy, logic often loses to politics.
Where does Trump fit into this?
Short answer: everywhere.
The pause fits neatly into the broader immigration approach associated with Donald Trump, who has long criticized the Diversity Visa program, calling it outdated and risky. Over the past year, the US has already slowed or frozen several legal immigration pathways. DV is not a random victim – it’s part of a bigger trend: fewer legal routes, more checks, longer timelines.
What does this mean in real life?
Translated from bureaucratic English into human language:
- new and existing DV cases are not moving forward
- winning the lottery does NOT currently guarantee anything
- timelines are frozen, no clear restart date
- legal challenges are possible since DV is written into US law
In other words: everything is on hold, not erased.
Is this only about the lottery?
No.
The DV pause is just one piece of a larger immigration tightening.
Looking ahead:
- stricter background checks across visa categories
- increased scrutiny for Green Cards and citizenship
- upcoming visa restrictions affecting dozens of countries in 2026
The direction is clear: immigration is getting harder, slower, and more stressful.
Should you panic?
No.
But relying only on luck was never a strategy.
The lottery isn’t dead, but counting on it as your sole plan is increasingly risky. A Plan B is no longer optional – it’s common sense.
Internet Myths vs Reality
❌ “The Green Card Lottery is cancelled forever”
False. It’s paused, not abolished.
❌ “The US is closed to immigrants”
Also false. Legal pathways still exist – they’re just stricter.
❌ “If you won, you’re done”
Not exactly. Your case is suspended, not automatically denied.
❌ “Everything will reopen next week”
Highly unlikely. Immigration policy doesn’t work that fast.
❌ “Tourist visas are next”
Wrong. Tourist visas are still being issued, under different rules.
Important note
If the DV pause made you rethink your options, a US tourist visa may be a more realistic starting point right now.
I help people apply for US tourist visas, including complex cases and prior refusals – with honest expectations, not fairy tales.
. Here’s a clear, human explanation of what’s happening, who it affects, and what alternatives exist in 2025–2026.){kind=link}