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Hi Brit,
If possible, could you share your opinion on what the March Visa Bulletin number for DV Europe might look like?
I’m not asking for anything exact—just a general thought or feeling. I understand you don’t speculate, but even a rough view would be appreciated.
Thank you as always for your time and work.

@TravelGov
In Case You Missed It: The Department of State has paused issuance of all diversity immigrant visas. We will take the time and the measures necessary to protect U.S. national security and public safety. There are no new announcements regarding DV-2027 at this time. More information at https://ow.ly/isQg50XU8mq cela veut dire

Hey Simon,
I told you from the start that Trump is the one who gave the direct orders to stop the American Diversity Visa lottery. He even found a trick by charging just $1 to drag things out and waste time.
You kept saying the lottery is in the Constitution and Trump has to respect it… but come on, Trump doesn’t respect the Constitution at all!
If he can take over a whole country like Venezuela with all its oil and still do whatever he wants, you really think he’s gonna respect the Constitution for something like this?
There is no DV-2027 lottery anymore — it’s gone, finished. Wake up, man.

SImon, given the kind of events happening in the US right now (ICE, Venezuela, Greenland) and what the government is focussed on, do you think they’ll bother to lift the pause?

Hi

I have an appointment coming in Montreal. I just gave birth and still working on getting birth certificate and passport and might not be able to make it in time. I do email them with proof I submitted a request for birth certificate and that I registered birth. They did not reply.

Question is, will they allow me to go in the interview with the baby?

-Anything else I should do?

Thank you

Hello simon.
There is this case where a family had a successful interview on 17th Dec 2026, The PA and two beneficiaries received their visas but one beneficially is yet to receive. What could be your advice on such a case.

Hello Mr. Simon,

I understand your prediction that the 2NLs for February would be delayed. I noticed that in my country, 2NLs were sent on 5 January.

I would like to clarify the usual process: are 2NLs typically sent only once per month, or can they be released in multiple batches? Currently, it appears that the 2NLs have reached approximately case number 4,500, while my case number is close to 6,000.

Could you advise if there is a possibility that additional 2NLs will be sent later this month?

Hi Simon,
The Sydney consulate requested me to post my medical appointment confirmation among the other DV1 documents.
However, I live in Melbourne and I haven’t been able to schedule it yet as the U.S. visa team of the medical centre in Melbourne is not working.
If I wait until they are able to schedule my medical, it will be too close to the date I need to post my documents to Sydney by.

What do you think I should do?
I am leaning towards the first option but let me know if it could cause any issues:

-Schedule my medical in Sydney then change it to Melbourne once the medical centre is available. (In this case I will have a different medical appointment to the document I will post to the consulate)
OR
-Fly to Sydney for a day and get it done there

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Good day Sir Brit.I am a DV 26 selectee(2026AF20XX) from Zimbabwe but my country is on the ban list(partial) though I cannot really tell if I am also eligible on the partial part.My question is do you think I should consider attending the interview incase I get a 2NL?Hoping to hear from you soon.

“Happy New Year Simon! Thank you for all your help. DV2026 AOS (AS9xxx). Interviewed Newark Dec 30. Officer said he has everything and needs NO more documents, but gave a ‘Decision cannot be made’ notice and told me to wait. Online status is still stuck at ‘Biometrics’ (Nov). Is this normal with the 2026 pause? Thanks!”

hello Dear Simon
im dv selectee 2026AF30k ,i am now in a country that does not schedule appointement ,and i will move to LIBYA for work on 1st March ,so i will have a justification of residency there .
my question how long KCC gonna take to change my location for interview. AND i want to know where gonna be the interview in TUNISIA or ALGERIA (for libyen ).
thanks for your help dear Simon

I am a DV winner for Asia residing in Asia with case number 18000 plus and is current in visa bulletin. My daughter is currently in the US on valid F1 visa with graduation date of May 2028. Her F1 visa sticker is valid till August 6th, 2026 and she will not be able to enter the United States without a valid visa or green card if she were to leave the United States for interview after her visa expires. Do you suggest:
1. She files for form I-485 before receiving 2NL ? Is filling allowed for DV cases before receiving 2 NL? or
2. ⁠Wait to come with me for interview abroad? or
3. ⁠Renew her F1 visa coming abroad?
I am worried if she has to go abroad and her documents are not ready in time for her college or if it coincides with her exams.
please advice.

Hi Simon, I checked my DV-2026 case using CEAC data and it shows about 15,927 people (around 7,115 cases) ahead of me.
In your opinion, how reliable is this data, and with these numbers, do you think there is still a realistic chance for an interview?

Hi Simon
We were selected in the Diversity Visa lottery (DV-2026). I have an issue concerning one item on the DS-260 form — I would appreciate your assistance. Below I briefly set out the facts and list my questions.

Brief facts
• Principal applicant: my wife (DV selectee); I am the derivative spouse; we have a child together (born Aug 2025).
• I lived in the Republic of Korea approximately from 17 Aug 2022 to 25 Sep 2024; the first year I was lawfully present (status G-1-4, applied for asylum), the second year I overstayed.
• In Sep 2024 I completed a voluntary departure / Order of Departure (immigration stamp 68-1) and departed on my purchased ticket on 25 Sep 2024. I possess: voluntary departure confirmation/form, entry/exit certificate (출입국 사실증명), boarding pass, ARC, and a Korean police certificate with apostille.

Questions (please answer item by item):
1. From a legal perspective, does an Order of Departure (stamp 68-1) in Korea constitute “removed/deported” for the purposes of the DS-260 and potential inadmissibility to the United States? What are the risks and benefits of the two possible approaches: (a) correct the DS-260 to “Yes + brief explanation,” or (b) leave the DS-260 as submitted and disclose the fact at the interview?
2. Which documents and exact wording would you recommend preparing and presenting first (the Korea-packet) to minimize the chance of a Washington referral and to expedite adjudication?
3. Should I request KCC to unlock my DS-260 now to correct the removal question — and if yes, how should that KCC request be worded? If not, what are the practical risks of delaying correction (i.e., waiting to disclose/correct only at the interview)?
4. If my case is placed in administrative processing and later requires a waiver (e.g., I-601), what are realistic chances of success given my documentation (voluntary departure confirmation, clean police certificates, principal spouse and child, no criminal record)? Please estimate likely timeframes and probability ranges.

Thank you in advance for concrete recommendations and for your assistance.

“President Trump yesterday ordered a special force to kidnap the Venezuelan president. Even though the Venezuelan president is a dictator, President Trump has no right to do that; he has violated international law. No president of a country has the right to go and arrest the president of another country just because he does not want to hand over its wealth to him. Trump does not recognize the law; he could wake up one morning and say that the 2027 U.S. diversity visa lottery will be canceled simply because he does not want to see an immigrant from Africa, Asia, or South Africa in America.”

I understand that it’s not really possible to know for sure what the Visa Bulletin number will be for March for Europe, but I’d still love to hear your personal opinion or best guess based on your experience.

Hi Simon,

Our number is AF30xxx but we have not received our 2NL for our interview in Doha. We were asked for proof of residency back in November which we provided. We followed up at the beginning of December and was told that our DS-260’s were complete and valid.

Do we send another follow-up/query as to why it has not been transferred to the consulate or simply wait to see if we receive a 2NL after the next visa bulletin is issued.

Thanks in advance

hey simon,
So because of this pause and considering the fact that kathmandu embassy capacity to interview people what are the chance of me to get scheduled for interview my case no is around 11.5K.

Hi Simon,

I trying to work out the formula that you use to indicate/predict “safe case numbers”. Am I on the right track with the following calc: total case numbers – holes % – refusal % x 2 family members? The 2 is based on an assumption that OC has smaller families and more singles or married without children may take advantage of this program.

If we use OC region as the example 3300 – 54% = 1518 – 5% = 1442 x 2 = 2884?

I believe Tonga is on the banned list for OC as for now this is not a factor in the above calculation, because at this stage there is no guarantee they will redistribution/recirculate banned countries visas.

Many thanks Renee

Hi Simon,

I’m trying to better understand what “on hold” means in the policy that was published.

Does the current pause on AOS cases still allow I-485 filings for DV to be processed (including intake/initial review) and biometrics to proceed?

Also, if someone files for adjustment of status in January or February, will USCIS still schedule interviews even if final approval/issuance is on hold due to the pause?

Thanks!

Hi Simon, this is Marz* here (2026AF46k), just a quick one here, I recently checked my case number in ceac website, but how comes that my derivatives weren’t shown? is it because am not yet current and not processed yet?

Hi Simon
Is there still hope for those with successful interviews awaiting the visa document.