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May 7, 2026 at 15:27
Hi Brit,
IMMPact Litigation sent us an email informing us about the government’s memorandum related to the DV2026 lawsuit motions.
What is your opinion about that memorandum? Do you see it as negative for plaintiffs, or just a standard response from the government in this type of litigation?
Thank you.
May 7, 2026 at 16:14
I could share at least the idea behind this memorandum with everyone. Thank you.
May 8, 2026 at 10:09
https://britsimonsays.com/my-take-on-the-government-responses/
May 7, 2026 at 11:59
Hi Brit,
I hope you’re doing well.
As a DV winner from Israel, I’ve completed my interview but was recently placed under 221(g) administrative processing. While waiting for a resolution, I’ve started researching what it would actually take for a family of five (two adults and three children) to relocate to the U.S.
We have friends in Texas and family in the D.C. area, and from my initial research, it seems that to maintain our current lifestyle, we would need a household income of at least $300,000 in Texas—and likely much more in other states. For context, I am an electrical engineer and my wife is an HR manager.
I’m beginning to wonder if this move is financially wise. My goal in moving to the U.S. is to improve our quality of life, not to struggle or lower our standard of living. I often see other DV applicants coming from developing countries and I honestly wonder how they manage the transition given the current cost of living.
I’d love to hear your perspective on this. Is my assessment of the necessary income realistic, or am I overestimating the costs?
May 7, 2026 at 15:16
300K is FAR higher than the typical income in Texas. See link below.
Now of course, TX is a huge state. City living will be more expensive than rural Texas, so the percentiles may sound too low. BUT 300k would be at the high end in any TX city.
You will probably both take a step backward in your careers. Often people struggle to get their first good role and take a lesser role. Good people will quickly rise to the top and get promotion. BUT yes you could easily find yourself in less high end jobs for the first 2 or 3 years. Even then, if you could get your household income into the high 2’s, you would have plenty of disposable income.
I can say is that it is generally easier to build wealth in the USA than in other places.
https://statisticalatlas.com/state/Texas/Household-Income
May 6, 2026 at 18:26
Hi Simon,
I know in case the medical are about to expire the embassy will tell you to get them renewed.
The question is, when they usually tell you to do so? Is it a possibility that they’ll issue visas with only a month remaining? that is not a lot of time to prepare for a relocation. should we prepare to act fast and book a flight when visas are printed?
Thanks again!
May 6, 2026 at 23:11
This is something you would discuss with the embassy once the pause is lifted.
May 7, 2026 at 06:10
Hi Simon! I hope you are doing well. I don’t know if my message got lost in the group, so thought to ask you her. I hope I am not troubling you. I do have a question/clarification for my DV case: I just wanted to confirm that my name usage across my DV case is acceptable, or if any updates are needed.
My legal name in Serbian is “Anđela Mihajlović,” this is the transliterated version shown on the passport biographic page, but at the end of that bio passport page where is shows your full name, passport number etc, it says “Andela Mihajlovic.” The Serbian letter “đ” does not have a direct English equivalent and is commonly transliterated either as “dj” or simplified to “d” in visas and official documents. In Serbian, “dj” is used to represent the letter “đ.”
When I entered the DV lottery, I used “Andjela.” On the DS-260, I followed the instruction to match the passport biographic page and therefore entered “Andela,” while also listing “Andjela” under “other names used.”
For the visa registration (USTravelDocs profile for passport delivery), I entered my name again as ‘Andjela’.
Could you please confirm that this is fine as-is, given that the variation has been disclosed, or if you recommend updating/closing the current registration profile and starting a new one to match the passport spelling?
Thank you Simon!
May 7, 2026 at 15:08
I did answer in the Telegram channel.
My answer was this:
It sounds OK – but name denials are very rare anyway if the CO doesn’t believe there is any fraud.
May 6, 2026 at 15:27
Hi Brit,
I’m seeing that the interest in joining the lawsuit is growing a lot. From what I understand, many people seem to have strong hope in the lawsuit.
Do you think I made the right decision by joining the lawsuit, even though I am current but still haven’t received my 2NL yet?
May 6, 2026 at 23:08
Yes
May 6, 2026 at 12:34
Hi Simon,
All your existing DV community and viewers need your help in obtaining information from RE and Immpact regarding the next set of DV lawsuits. Are you able to speak with them or add them to a live so we have transparency on their intentions regarding more lawsuits please?
Time is quickly running out and we can’t wait around for them to decide if they will do future group lawsuits or not. A lot of us need to decide very soon if we need to take alternative options to solve our situation.
Thanks!
May 6, 2026 at 12:49
REL are pretty transparent, although they are not 100% decided to file a follow on lawsuit or not. I spoke to Immpact and suggested they consider a follow on lawsuit, but no firm decision yet.
May 6, 2026 at 12:54
Thanks Simon, could you please check with them to understand the timeline of when both law firms decide?
It would be beneficial for all your DV community to have this information instead of a smaller group of people that message them directly.
Thanks!
May 6, 2026 at 14:37
I will.
May 6, 2026 at 14:54
Amazing, thanks a lot Simon!
As you can see there’s a lot of people losing hope with every day that passes. The opportunity to have a chance at being on the next lawsuit(s) will be a huge boost and relief for us.
May 6, 2026 at 11:00
Just had my interview, got 221g as expected (SA29**). Signed up for the Red Eagle interest list for the second lawsuit. Any idea of the timing for that, and when results could come out? (I’m doing CP, and wondering how tight things will be with the 9/30 deadline)
May 6, 2026 at 12:47
I don’t know any details around timing etc. The 9/30 deadline is firm.
May 5, 2026 at 18:18
Hi Simon,
Now we understand the reality:
The September 30 deadline is approaching fast
Plaintiffs in Ivanov and IMMpact will most likely get their visas as we can clearly see in Curtis Morrison’s recent court filings, the government and even the plaintiffs’ lawyers agree that relief should benefit only the named plaintiffs, not the rest of us.
Non-plaintiffs are watching their dreams expire helplessly
My question is simple:
why isn’t there a new lawsuit being filed for non-plaintiffs right now, so that we could also benefit from a favorable outcome?
Given the timing, late May or early June seems like the absolute last window to file something with realistic chances before September 30. After that, mathematically it becomes impossible.
I understand lawyers work for their paying clients, and I respect that. But thousands of selectees are now actively looking to join any new action
We also have no guarantee that Curtis Morrison, another firm, or even the judge will seek to extend relief beyond the named plaintiffs. Waiting passively for that outcome as a non-plaintiff is extremely risky given the timing.
Thank you
May 5, 2026 at 19:22
Red Eagle have an interest list for a possible lawsuit.
May 6, 2026 at 07:41
Hi BritSimon,
We are in both the Red Eagle and IMMpact Telegram groups, but their response to non-plaintiffs is quite slow. We are also encouraging people to fill out the interest list.
Many people are asking about a new lawsuit. Curtis mentioned in today’s live session with the Somali group that a new lawsuit might happen, but this is still uncertain and not a solid answer. It seems they are waiting for the outcome of the current lawsuit, but time is very important for us.
My question is: in addition to Red Eagle and IMMpact, are there any other lawyers or organizations in the USA who are planning to start a new lawsuit?
May 6, 2026 at 12:46
I don’t know of any.
May 5, 2026 at 14:48
Hi Simon, Curtis Morrison mentioned in his last live stream that there was a case in Arizona where a judge issued a PI to a DV-26 selectee from Australia. Do you have any news regarding that case?
Thank you.
May 5, 2026 at 14:58
I found the case, Horne et al. v. Edlow et al. (2:2026-cv-01917)
https://cases.justia.com/federal/district-courts/arizona/azdce/2:2026cv01917/1484402/12/0.pdf?ts=1777617458
May 5, 2026 at 16:32
It’s a DV AOS case – so I posted the PI order to the AOS forum.
May 5, 2026 at 05:02
Hello Simon,
I had my interview today with my wife, generally it was positive we were able to provide necessary documents, at the end CO didn’t give a paper about 221g or AP, he just said there is a dv pause going on and they can’t issue visas and they will mail us if the pause is lifted, and strangely CO gave us a paper about domestic violence rights in US for immigrants and that’s all.
Is this a positive outcome and as we don’t have proof about 221g is it going to be a problem after we win the immpact litigation u think?
Thanks!
May 5, 2026 at 08:52
It’s normal. Your CEAC status shows your 221g status whether you get a piece of paper or not.
May 5, 2026 at 13:47
Thanks for the reply but it does not specifically mention 221g in writing on ceac status it just says refused and mentions the CO might verbally inform you for AP etc so technically I don’t have hard proof for 221g as I don’t have a paper nor my ceac page doesn’t show, that was the thing we were worried about. But I think after the litigation gives result it might get re-adjudicated I believe right?
Thanks again for your time and attention.
May 5, 2026 at 14:08
This is important to understand. Hi Simon – where can an individual point to evidence of being put in 221g in this instance? If it just states refused then that’s worrying.
May 5, 2026 at 14:15
It’s different wording in CEAC.
May 5, 2026 at 14:15
I’m not sure what you think you don’t have. 221g is a refusal. The CEAC message shows different text for 221g versus a final refusal. Regardless of any piece of paper, or even the CEAC system update, your case is in 221g. It’s a status in their system.
May 5, 2026 at 14:17
What’s the CEAC message you see Brk, does it mention 221g or administrative processing?
May 5, 2026 at 14:26
I explained the refusal wording in the post below…
https://britsimonsays.com/dv2023-ceac-data-published/
May 4, 2026 at 12:47
Hi Simon,
I’ve got my DV interview this week. Should I get it rescheduled? I will most likely be placed on 221g which the government is arguing is a final refusal.
I assume lots of RE and Immpact clients are on 221g hold so don’t understand how they will get their visas despite government acknowledging plaintiff only reliefs (I assume in this scenario they’re trying to argue that plaintiffs who are current and have not yet attended the interview are the only ones who can benefit).
Thanks.
May 4, 2026 at 12:50
You know as much as I know.
May 4, 2026 at 15:52
If 221(g) is turning into a status that cannot be won through a lawsuit, this would mean that the embassy in Albania is helping in a way that it still does not plan to schedule interviews.
May 4, 2026 at 17:38
Well that is far from a decided matter.
May 4, 2026 at 10:46
Hello Sir, Earlier there was some expectation around early June as a potential turning point. Do you still see mid-June as a meaningful window for movement, or has that shifted based on recent development?
May 4, 2026 at 12:22
No shift in that timeline, BUT it is not a guaranteed timeline.
May 4, 2026 at 10:37
Hi Simon, I didn’t really go into the consular nonreviewability subject in details.
Given the fact that my interview was cancelled due to the war, and I’m supposed to reschedule it, would it be wiser to pick a date after the court decision? (I’m a plaintiff in IMMPACT)
Or do you think it wouldn’t matter? Everyone is put on 221(g) regardless, so I’m thinking wether being on 221(g) just because of the DV pause (the only pause that affects me) could have a negative impact on my chance. Thank you again.
May 4, 2026 at 12:21
You are asking me to know the future. I don’t have a crystal ball to know how this will all play out.
May 4, 2026 at 10:34
Good morning Simon
I am a medical physician who is in the US on an H1B visa (a temporary training job) and a DV2026 selectee.
Do you know if I can apply for AOS and ask for an exemption as a physician?
Or does the exemption not extend to the Diversity Visa program.
Thank you so much
May 4, 2026 at 12:20
Medical physicians were just granted an exemption from the 75 country pause by USCIS. However, the DV pause is still in place, so that would need to be removed too for you to be able to benefit. I would suggest you should be watching developments very carefully, and either file now if you are current OR be ready to file if/when the DV pause is removed.
May 4, 2026 at 09:45
Hi, I am a dv2026 winner post interview. What is the status of the law suits? Is it possible that only the winners who participated in the law suits would get the visa? Is it too late to join the law suits? Why are they multiple cases and what is the difference between them?
Thanks!
May 4, 2026 at 12:17
The lawsuits (there are at least 2 for DV) are going through their normal process where each side makes their points in writing for the Judge. By mid May that stage will be over and then the next step will be for the Judge to make a decision or ask for oral argument.
Yes it is possible that relief is only given to plaintiffs. The government lawyers have asked for that, and there is no reason for the lawyers to argue against that request since they work for their clients. However, there is still a small chance that some relief could come for the non plaintiffs if the government loses the arguments.
There may be follow on lawsuits – you should register on the interest list for Read Eagle Law if you are interested in that.
May 4, 2026 at 14:57
Please what is Red eagle law website. Thank you I really appreciate
May 4, 2026 at 17:38
If only there was a way we could all search for things on the internet….
May 4, 2026 at 09:44
Hi Simon,
221g with only DV pause, still have chance to get the visa eventually?
Were there similar situations in 2020&2021 lawsuit?
May 4, 2026 at 12:13
The government is trying to argue that 221g status is a final adjudication that cannot be reviewed by the court. That is an INSANE position to argue since there own website contradicts that point. So – this is something that will be argued in the court cases.
May 4, 2026 at 13:43
BritSimon Sir, by “final adjudication,” do you mean refusal? If that’s the case, then that’s crazy and it sucks.
May 4, 2026 at 14:20
That’s why I said it was insane.
May 3, 2026 at 19:16
Hi Simon,
I have just checked the CEAC tracker and seen that my case is “At NVC” – Is it work checking in about the processing of my DS-260 form with KCC before the next bulletin is listed?
Thank you again for all of the info and assistance you have provided around the DV lottery! You are the light in a very weird time!
May 4, 2026 at 00:41
at NVC is simply the “starting point” for all cases. It won’t change until you are scheduled. You can certainly ask KCC whether your DS260 is processed or not.
May 3, 2026 at 16:27
Hey Simon,
I have an interview coming up and I noticed I made some minor mistakes when filling out my ds-260 like the current house address and some typos in my company’s name etc, are these fatal or can they be fixed during interview (I didn’t want to unlock the DS260 and risk anything when it’s so close to the interview) thanks!
May 3, 2026 at 14:45
Hi Brit,Which of the lawsuits do you think is performing better so far—Immpact or Red Eagle? And which one do you believe has a stronger chance of succeeding regarding the DV-2026 pause and the suspension affecting the 75 countries?
Thank you for your time and all the work you do
May 3, 2026 at 15:22
I don’t think there is a way to assess performance between the two.
May 3, 2026 at 14:40
Hi Brit
Just got a question, you do have any update on the immpact litigation which was challenging the 75 country pause and dv pause, im a plaintiff in that case but have not hear any concrete update or timelines as opposed to redeagle lawsuit where we have a idea of the court schedule and somewhat predict when the court will rule after full briefings
May 3, 2026 at 15:21
You can participate in the Telegram group here:-
https://t.me/dv2026immpact
May 3, 2026 at 17:24
Thanks Brit
May 3, 2026 at 12:19
Hi Simon, I have a question please, is there a possibility to add more plaintiffs in the current lawsuit of REL or Immpact ?
May 3, 2026 at 15:20
There might be follow on lawsuits. REL have an interest list, and Immpact may do the same. But if those lawsuits are started, there won’t be much time to decide to participate, so think carefully.
May 3, 2026 at 05:45
Hi Simon,
I watched the first 45 minutes of your livestream from yesterday about the lawsuits, but I am still unsure about my specific situation.
My case number is EU35K, so I am far from being current. I am also not a plaintiff in those lawsuits because, back when the deadline passed, I didn’t think my number would ever be called. After hearing the recent news, I have mixed feelings and want to make an informed decision.
You mentioned that the lawyers and the government agree that only plaintiffs should benefit from these lawsuits. With that in mind, I have a few questions:
1. The Pause: Do you think the pause will be removed for everyone before September 30th?
2. High Case Numbers: What are the chances for a high number like mine in general? I’m not asking about the math, I know the numbers are against me. I’m asking about the government’s behaviour. Does their response mean they will fight to keep the pause and hold the Visa Bulletin at 20K until the end of the year?
3. The Judge: Can a judge do anything about this? If so, does that mean the only chance for the numbers to move would be on the very last Visa Bulletin for September interviews?
I appreciate your answer!
May 3, 2026 at 10:12
1. I hope so, and expect so – but I can’t be 100% sure, and damage is being done in terms of wasted capacity.
2. I don’t have a crystal ball to see the future. However, the capacity of each embassy will be a factor. If high numbers became current AND the pauses are lifted, you might still NOT get an interview depending on which embassy you are at and how many interviews they accept.
3. The Judge can remove the pauses for the plaintiffs. He can’t order embassies to do additional work or control the VB numbers.
May 3, 2026 at 05:38
Department of Homeland Security just received renewed funding. Will this has any effect in the pause?
May 3, 2026 at 10:09
No – that had no effect on creating the pause.
May 3, 2026 at 04:51
Dear Mr. Simon,
I hope you are well. I apologize for reaching out again, but my concern is increasing as time passes.
I became current in April (Case Number: 2026EU15k), but I have not yet received my 2NL, and there have been no updates so far.
Do you think there is still a realistic chance to receive the 2NL during May? If not, could the Impact Litigation lawsuit potentially help cases like mine?
Thank you very much for your time and guidance.
May 3, 2026 at 10:08
You might get the 2NL – that is possible depending on the embassy. If you are on a lawsuit you have to wait and hope.
May 2, 2026 at 08:09
Hi Simon, based on recent news from Curtis it seems like the government will provide relief to only plaintiffs in the Ivanov case for DV pause. There’s a lot of other people who weren’t in lawsuits but are stuck in the DV pause. 2 questions:
– What happens to non-plaintiffs – the pause just continues and we time out after Sep 30?
– Will Curtis be doing another DV 2026 lawsuit (is this something you can find out for all your viewers / it’d be good to cover on an upcoming live with Curtis about future lawsuits)?
Thanks!!
May 2, 2026 at 15:34
1. Yes the September 30th deadline means the end of the road.
2. There is an interest list for a follow on lawsuit on Read Eagles website.
May 3, 2026 at 03:12
Hi Simon,
I wanted to raise one point that seems very important regarding the possibility that the government may provide relief only to the Ivanov plaintiffs.
If the government’s position is that the DV-2026 issuance pause is based on a genuine security/vetting review, then offering relief only to the people who sued creates a serious contradiction. If DV applicants cannot be issued visas because of an ongoing security review, why can the same government suddenly process and issue visas to the 1,600+ plaintiffs simply because they are in litigation?
To me, that seems to weaken the government’s own justification. It would suggest that the pause is not truly a uniform security necessity, but rather a discretionary litigation strategy: give visas to the plaintiffs to avoid a broader court ruling, while continuing the same pause against non-plaintiffs until they time out on September 30.
My concern is that the government may try to moot the case by saying: “We will give relief to the named plaintiffs, so there is no longer a live controversy.” But isn’t that essentially voluntary cessation? The underlying policy would still remain in place for thousands of similarly situated DV-2026 selectees who did not join the lawsuit. The government would not be ending the allegedly unlawful policy; it would only be carving out the people who sued.
This also creates a fairness and legality problem. If the pause is unlawful or arbitrary, it should not become lawful simply because the government selectively exempts the plaintiffs. And if the government can issue visas to the plaintiffs, then it becomes harder to understand why it cannot issue visas to non-plaintiffs who are in the exact same situation, especially those who already completed interviews before the pause.
Could you ask Curtis about this in a live or update?
Specifically:
1. Is the Ivanov case technically seeking class-wide or policy-wide relief, or is it mainly limited to named plaintiffs?
2. If the government offers relief only to plaintiffs, will the plaintiffs’ lawyers argue that the case is not moot because the broader DV pause policy remains active?
3. Can the court still address the legality of the overall DV pause even if the government tries to resolve only the plaintiffs’ cases?
4. What happens to non-plaintiffs who already completed interviews but are stuck only because of the pause?
5. Is another DV-2026 lawsuit still realistic at this point, given that we are already in May and the fiscal year ends on September 30?
The concern is that the government may be trying to avoid a broader ruling by helping only the people who sued, while leaving everyone else to expire. If that happens, it would effectively mean that the same allegedly unlawful pause continues, but only against non-plaintiffs.
Thank you for covering this issue.
May 3, 2026 at 10:07
1. Named plaintiffs only.
2. No. They are working for their paying customers – not everyone else.
3. Possible but unlikely.
4. If the pause remains in place for non plaintiffs beyond the September 30th deadline – those cases are finished.
5. Maybe – the lawyers will decide/announce.
Your concerns are well founded – and the unfairness doesn’t need explaining. That is why some will have decided to be on lawsuits. It is not completely certain that the governmentdon’t remove the pause, but you need to weigh the risks for yourself and make your own decision.
May 3, 2026 at 11:28
Hi Simon,
Thank you for your previous answer. I understand your point that the Ivanov case appears to be for named plaintiffs only, and that the lawyers are working for their paying clients.
But this raises another serious concern.
If the government provides relief only to the Ivanov plaintiffs and avoids a broader ruling on the legality of the DV pause, why would DOS have any incentive to remove the general pause for non-plaintiffs? From the government’s perspective, settling only with named plaintiffs would reduce the legal pressure while still allowing the broader pause to continue against everyone else. In practical terms, they would issue far fewer DV visas and still avoid a court decision saying the pause itself is unlawful.
That seems like a very dangerous incentive structure.
Also, if the case ends through plaintiffs-only relief or settlement, then there may be no merits ruling that the DV pause is unlawful. If lawyers later open a “follow-up lawsuit” or collect a new interest list for non-plaintiffs, wouldn’t that new lawsuit be much weaker and possibly too late? We are already in May, the fiscal year ends on September 30, and there would be no precedent or court finding from Ivanov establishing that the pause was unlawful.
So my question is:
If Ivanov ends with relief only for named plaintiffs, is a later DV-2026 lawsuit for non-plaintiffs realistically meaningful at all? Or would it mostly be too late, because the government would have avoided a broad ruling and the clock would keep running toward September 30?
I understand that the lawyers represent their clients, not everyone else. But from the perspective of non-plaintiffs, a plaintiffs-only settlement seems to leave everyone else in the worst possible position: the government avoids a broader legal defeat, the pause remains in place, and any later lawsuit starts from zero with very little time left.
Is that a fair way to understand the risk?
May 3, 2026 at 15:19
There is risk. Lots of risk. Being on the earlier lawsuit is better than being on the later lawsuit, of course. Being a plaintiff on A lawsuit is better than not being on a lawsuit. But it costs money – so some are deciding to take their chances and hope for an outcome that gives benefit to non plaintiffs. There is risk that some embassies aren’t scheduling enough cases. There is risk from the VB. Nothing offers a guarantee – there is risk any way you look at it. How you “look at it” is up to you. What you do about the risk is up to you. I wish there was a nice guarantee you could be given, but there isn’t.
May 3, 2026 at 15:48
Thank you, Simon. I really appreciate your time, your good wishes, and the fact that you answered these questions honestly.
I understand what you are saying. There is risk everywhere. Being on an early lawsuit is better than being on a later lawsuit, and being a plaintiff in any lawsuit is better than not being in one. I understand that. I also understand that lawyers are working for their clients, not for everyone else.
But I just want to share the emotional side of this, not to blame you or anyone here, but because this situation is truly devastating for some of us.
Many DV selectees come from relatively poor countries or financially difficult backgrounds. I think this may be one reason why the number of plaintiffs stayed around 1,600+. It is not always because people did not care or did not understand the risk. Sometimes they simply could not afford to join a lawsuit.
For example, I am 22 years old. Before being randomly selected for DV-2026, I was a young software developer in Turkey, trying to survive, trying to build a future, and hoping to pursue a master’s degree and maybe an academic career one day. Even though software is considered a good sector, life in some countries is still economically very difficult, especially if you come from a financially weak family.
When I was selected, the idea of building a future in the United States, especially in this field, felt incredible. It meant everything to me. I tried everything I could to make it happen. I moved my case to another country. It was my first time outside my own country. I gave everything I had, financially and emotionally, to attend my interview and make this chance real.
My interview was on December 23. Then I returned home with nothing honestly, with a great nothing. I came back having spent almost everything I had, with my plans suspended, and without the visa that people only a few days before me were able to receive. I cannot explain how heartbreaking that was with words.
Since that day, my life has completely changed. I have been stuck in uncertainty. I feel helpless. I could not join the lawsuits for reasons you can probably imagine. Not because I did not want to act, but because I simply did not have the money. Now I can only wait, follow updates, research from time to time, and sometimes ask questions on platforms like this just to calm the voices in my head and understand whether there is still any hope.
The hardest part is the feeling that there is almost nothing I can do. When I think about my interview date, it is still impossible for me to make sense of it. There were people who got their visas only a few days before me. I did the same process, I attended my interview, I gave everything I had — and then the pause took everything away.
Again, I am not saying this to blame you. I appreciate your honesty. I just wanted to explain what this looks like from the side of a non-plaintiff who was already interviewed, financially exhausted, and still waiting with one last hope.
May 3, 2026 at 16:03
You are 22, which means I have been spending many hours EVERY week since you were 8 or 9 years old, helping people get through this process. I have been involved in multiple lawsuits against the government including spending thousands of dollars of my own money to help people I have never met, or never knew. I have given up my privacy by allowing my name to be published in various lawsuits where I provided expertise and assistance to the lawyers. I have risked my own immigration status (although as a citizen now, I am somewhat more protected). I spend time on my blog and my YT channel to try and use my time in the most efficient way possible – reaching as many as possible. I don’t charge any fees to anyone – and never have.
I did all that (and more) because I understand the emotional side of this program.
You don’t need to tell me.
I know.
May 3, 2026 at 17:26
Thank you, Simon. I understand, and I truly respect the work you have done for so many people over the years.
I did not mean to imply that you do not understand the emotional side of this process, or to put any burden on you personally. I was only trying to express what this situation feels like from my side as someone who is stuck outside the lawsuits after completing the interview.
I appreciate your time, your honesty, and everything you have done for DV applicants.
May 2, 2026 at 07:22
Question 1: Will the U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery (Green Card Lottery) open for 2027, and if so, what is the approximate date?
Question 2: Will it open for 2028 as well? And if someone wins, will we face the same situation as before (e.g., long delays, administrative issues, or difficulties)?
I need a clear answer because obtaining a passport in Turkey costs $300, which is a very large amount for me. thank you sir
May 2, 2026 at 15:33
1. Yes, but I don’t know the dates yet – no one does.
2. Yes, but it is too soon to know what the situation will be like 2 years from now (which is when DV2028 will be interviewing)
May 2, 2026 at 04:03
Dear Mr. Simon,
I hope you are doing well.
I would like to ask for your opinion regarding my DV-2026 case. At the moment, my case is currently under administrative processing (221(g)) after my interview. In addition, my country is affected by both the “75 countries pause” and the DV processing pause.
Given the current situation, I would appreciate your professional opinion on whether these pauses are likely to be lifted before September 30, 2026, which is the deadline for DV-2026 processing.
If the pauses are not lifted in time, would you recommend that I join the ongoing lawsuit group related to DV-2026 cases?
I would be very grateful for your advice and guidance on the best course of action.
Thank you very much for your time and support.
May 2, 2026 at 15:32
I discussed this in detail on my live youtube session this morning.
https://www.youtube.com/live/mz2GYgbXtj8
May 1, 2026 at 23:11
Hi Simon,
IMMpact plaintiff here and recently got married. I want to add my wife as a plaintiff also. I know IMMpact charged per family but is there a chance to apprnd her? What should I do? Mail IMMpact etc?
Thanks, Ozan
May 2, 2026 at 00:32
You can contact Immpact to discuss.
May 1, 2026 at 08:52
I have seen different views from immigration lawyer in internet that there will be a short window for DV 2027 .that means there will be short days for lottery entry period comprising to other year due to less time will this be a possible for less window .
Any update regards 2027 DV..?
May 1, 2026 at 09:59
We don’t have any official update, no.
May 1, 2026 at 06:02
Hi Uncle ! I hope the family is doing great.
I need your advice on something. I received my 2NL from Paris embassy 2 weeks ago but for some reason when I try to retrieve my appointment on the us visa website it says my case number is wrong. I tried with and without the extra 000 but it’s not working.
Also when trying to retrieve my CEAC statuts with name and passport number it’s not working and I was wondering if it’s because my last name is only 4 letters and not 5 ?
Thanks for your help !
Can’t wait to see you on YouTube this weekend
April 30, 2026 at 17:40
Hi Simon, hope you are doing well.
I am DV 2026 winner case number Asia 5000, I am Iranian Canadian dual citizen and have both valid passports. I did my interview in Nov 2025 in Montreal Canada and got 221g; they wanted more information about my work in iran and my family. I sent them that information in Dec 2025. My file’s last update is 31 Dec 2025.
I did my Medical in October 2025.
I want to do a new medical, and my immigration doctor said it’s possible.
Do you think it’s a good idea to renew my medical without embassy asking?
Also I want to join lawsuits; are there any lawyer that you recommend?
Last but not least, do you think I get a new background check and send them?
Thank you for your help and support for DV lottary community
April 30, 2026 at 19:23
Only get the new medical if the embassy tells you to do so.
Red Eagle Law may announce a follow on lawsuit, so register with them for updates.
April 30, 2026 at 19:45
Will it do any harm if I do it without embassy request?
I asked the doctor office who did my first medical and the receptionist said they can renew my medical. She said i don’t have to do the blood work because I already did it, and I only have to renew the chest ray and something else that I can’t remember. My previous medical is done 6 and half months ago so it’s already expired. I appreciate for your insight.
April 30, 2026 at 21:59
Well you will be wasting validity time of the visa and incurring additional cost.
May 1, 2026 at 10:09
Thank you for your reply.
What validity time of the visa means?
They didn’t issue any visa for me. I am on 221g.
I am ok with new medical expenses.
I just don’t want to create other problems by sending them my renew medical.
My previous medical is 6.5 months old, so I am assuming it’s expired. And just want to be updated if I they remove the freeze.
Any insight will be appreciated
May 1, 2026 at 11:17
The visa (if and when it is issued) will have an expiry date on it – that date is set as 6 months after the medical date. So – if you do the medical now, that 6 months “clock” is already counting, even though the pause is in place.
So you WILL NEED the medical – but there is no point in doing that now.
May 1, 2026 at 20:21
Thank you Simon
So i will wait and if they remove the pause I renew my medical
April 30, 2026 at 13:01
Hi. One principal, two minors successfully applied the DV 2026 lottery. DS260 for all were completed however the two minors did not attend the embassy interview due to financial constraints. They did not reschedule their interview(s). Principal is now states side and has been issued with the Green Card and SSN. Is it possible to get the two minors (both aged over 15 yrs) to join the principal using the lottery win or what happens to get them states side?
April 30, 2026 at 14:01
It might be worth discussing with a lawyer, but I think they will have to file a family based petition.
April 30, 2026 at 11:59
Hi Simon,
I’m a bit taken off guard by Curtis reaction to Karimova case in his today’s live. He seemed to have gotten quite concerned about plantiffs already on 221(g) but as far as I checked, the ruling on Karimova happened in March, so Curtis must have been aware of it pretty much from the early days of the lawsuit… Why is it that only now he’s saying 221g holders may have difficult time benefitting from the lawsuit? Just wondering what was your impression of his answer… Did he discuss it further in other channels or groups that youre a part of?
April 30, 2026 at 12:38
I’m surprised at your interpretation of Curtis’ reaction to that question. He isn’t saying “221g holders may have difficult time benefitting from the lawsuit” – he pointed out that it was a *possible* outcome – but not a probable one. Reading your assessment, one would form a different understanding entirely of watching the session.
The Karimova opinion is not binding on other cases, and the deadline in DV will make a difference.
April 30, 2026 at 13:24
He says that he needs to “formally warn plantiffs to stop trying to get interviews”. It just sounded to me like he got concerned about it. But thank you for sharing that you received it differently.
On another note, I’ve had my interview yesterday and will share my story soon on your website. One thing that may be important to other selectees – there was around 5 applicants waiting before me and each one of them including myself were asked about health insurance as one of the very first questions. I know that you’ve been articulating that already but seems like now it’s a standard question they ask.
April 30, 2026 at 14:03
I’m sure he can deal with the assertion of 221g being a final determination.
Thanks for the update about health insurance – I’ll look out for your story.
April 30, 2026 at 03:31
Dear Brit,
I hope you are well.
I would like to ask, in your opinion, if a DV-2026 lawsuit is successful, which categories of applicants are most likely to benefit?
1.Those who have already had their interview and are in 221(g) administrative processing
2.Those who have received their 2NL and are waiting for the interview
3.Those who are current but have not yet received a 2NL
4.Those who are not yet current.
Thank you in advance for your insight.
April 30, 2026 at 09:04
I don’t know.
May 1, 2026 at 10:14
2
April 29, 2026 at 17:15
Hi Britsimon,
I asked from immpact whether they are planning to file a second law suit for dv lottery 2026 pause. This is the reply I got from them.
“At this time we do not plan to file a second lawsuit on the DV pause unfortunately. We did not see sufficient plaintiff interest on our waitlist to plan for a second lawsuit, and the judge has put us on an expedited timeline that prevents us from amending our case to add additional plaintiffs in a smaller number.”
What are your thoughts on this?
Do you know any law firms that interested in filling a second law suit for followups if current one only won for plaintiffs?
April 29, 2026 at 17:24
I think Red Eagle law may file another case – but I’m not certain.
April 30, 2026 at 21:09
Hi Britsimon,
I reached out and received the following reply,
(Hi Yoshida,
Sign up on our interest list to be notified when we offer the next DV-2026 lawsuit:
https://fs11.formsite.com/HVzA9z/otqxlb2rkg/index
—
Curtis Morrison)
If possible, could you please discuss this matter during your weekend video session? Unfortunately, I won’t be able to join the session, but I will watch the recording on Sunday.
Thank you very much.
May 1, 2026 at 06:37
Hi Britsimon,
If they file a new lawsuit, I’m concerned about whether there will be enough time remaining.
May 1, 2026 at 10:01
That is a valid concern. You must decide what is right for you.
April 29, 2026 at 13:26
Hi Brit
Please do you really think we will see positive changes from Accra embassy (Ghana) at this business end of the program ?
April 29, 2026 at 14:10
I don’t know. They are unpredictable – and I don’t think I have ever said otherwise.
April 29, 2026 at 10:46
Hi, as an Iranian-Canadian male applicant who had an interview in MTL in Nov 2025 and was placed in 221g AP and asked to complete Form DS5535. Do you think I should follow up with the consulate now, or continue to wait? Any insights would be appreciated. Thank you.
April 29, 2026 at 12:00
Even though you may be exempt from the travel ban (through your Canadian citizenship), you are still subject to the general DV pause – so that will mean you will remain on 221g until the pause is lifted. So – there is no harm in asking the embassy your status, but the answer is obvious.
April 29, 2026 at 06:04
Hi Brit
Thank you for your good work done for the DV community.
Please I want this clarification.I’m a DV26 selectee from Ghana.Is it because of the two pauses that affect the DV and my country Ghana is the cause for not receiving 2NL here in Accra embassy or it’s a backlog from the embassy ?
April 29, 2026 at 09:44
The embassy has failed to allow any interviews. That is not the case in other countries – so they cannot claim it is because of the pauses.
April 28, 2026 at 16:33
Hi Brit
Hope you are well.
Just got a question around showing how much funds we have,
is it normal to show your superannuation fund ? In our country the superannuation body allows individuals to withdraw their entire fund if they are permanently migrating.
We have approve 30k USD combine for me my spouse already in our bank account however we want to further strengthen our case.
Appreciate your guidance
KS
April 28, 2026 at 16:38
Sorry for my spelling errors, it should be:
*We have 30K USD combined in our bank accounts and we want to show further fund which is in our superannuation account (based on the fact the superannuation fund allows withdrawal if we migrate)
Sorry again for the misspellings above
April 28, 2026 at 17:23
The 30K is probably enough, but feel free to take proof about the Superannuation fund too.
April 29, 2026 at 03:17
Thanks Brit
April 28, 2026 at 11:16
HI SIMON,
I hope you are well.
I am writing because I am very worried about my Diversity Visa case. My case number became current in April, but April is almost over and I still have not received my Second Notification Letter (2NL) for the interview.
I already contacted KCC, and they replied with the standard message saying that my case number is current for interview processing and that if I am scheduled for an interview, I will receive an email notification to check the DV website.
I am concerned that since April is ending and I still have not received my 2NL, I may not be scheduled later. I am afraid that after April passes, I may lose my chance for an interview.
Could you please share your opinion on whether this situation is normal and if there is still a chance to receive the interview notice later?
Thank you very much for your time and help.
April 28, 2026 at 12:21
As I know you know already (because you have discussed this before), cases get scheduled in an case number order (by AV month), according to embassy capacity. If the embassy does not make capacity available, then there will be a backlog at that embassy. So – if your embassy is restricting capacity, you have no other option that to hope that they make capacity available in a later month. Your case will be scheduled in case number order, depending on when you became current, and whether you were processed. I have a video that explains that scheduling.
Now then. Let me be clear. If your embassy doesn’t make capacity available that allows scheduling of your case – you will lose your chance. So – your fears are justified, but you need to discuss that within your Albanian group to determine what case numbers have been scheduled so far – and therefore how much backlog there could be. You could use the tracker I created to make sure other people at your embassy have filled in their details.
https://britsimonsays.com/DVtracker/index.html
April 28, 2026 at 14:47
I understand that nothing is certain, but I wanted to ask for your opinion. If Impact Litigation wins our case, do you think it could help resolve the current issues we are facing with DV-2026 (such as delays or lack of 2NLs)?
April 28, 2026 at 16:07
That is impossible to predict.
April 28, 2026 at 16:21
I thought we would benefit from the lawsuit. So does this mean that the only people benefiting from the lawsuit are those who received 221(g)?
April 28, 2026 at 17:22
The outcomes of a lawsuit are not certain – but you should understand that individual embassies make their own decisions about priority and capacity. The lawsuits are not trying to change that.
April 28, 2026 at 14:34
Welcome to the boat. I’ve been current since January, and I’m yet to receive a 2NL. My country also has less than 200 selectees, so there’s genuinely no valid excuse for me not to have gotten an interview date, but what can we do except wait?
April 28, 2026 at 08:12
Hello Simon, Firstly thank you for all your help and advice on your blog and YouTube. We are finding the information you provide invaluable. I’ve also signed up for your address service, thank you. I wanted to advise of our experience at the London embassy for our document check. We were quite relaxed about this but it didn’t go too well. They wouldn’t accept or look at my husband’s work experience. He is the main applicant. They only wanted copies of the highest level of education he had which threw us as we were hoping to qualify through his work experience. They also wanted a police certificate for myself for Canada even though I’ve not yet lived there for 4 months. I shoulfld have arranged one but there is contradictory advice on the London embassy and US government website about requirements for police checks. US government website asks for police certificates after living there for 6 months and the London embassy after 12 months. Just wanted to advise on our experience. Hoping our interview is better! Thank you again.
April 28, 2026 at 09:31
It is normal to ask for education proof as a first approach. That is because the education either meets or doesn’t meet the standard required, objectively. Work experience is a subjective evaluation of the evidence presented at interview, and is only performed by the CO – not the person doing the document screening.
I don’t know how you have prepared for the work experience evaluation, but please do make sure you have aligned it to a qualifying job on Onetonline, and print that job description.
May 2, 2026 at 04:51
Thank you for the information regarding the education aspect. We have printed off the job description from a qualifying job from Onetonline and it aligns with my husband’s job thank you. Thank you again for your help, it’s much appreciated.
April 27, 2026 at 16:33
Hi Simon, have you heard about the recent case where US judge rules USCIS cannot pause applications (39 country ban) and orders to resume processing in behalf of plaintiffs?
Any idea how it could affect the DV lawsuits? In a good way of course.
April 27, 2026 at 16:35
For your reference, it seems like this is the case Saghafi v. Edlow (8:26-cv-00100)
https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/62407992/Saghafi_et_al_v_Edlow
April 27, 2026 at 16:56
Yes I am aware of the case.
It has no direct connection to our cases, although each of the lawsuits that achieves some wins demonstrates the general approach and that courts are coming down against the government in being able to put indefinite holds on their work.
April 28, 2026 at 06:46
Hey Simon, I understand that this decision does not directly apply to us, but as you mentioned, it is still a positive development in terms of how the process is being viewed. However, I’m curious about one point: in this particular case, the ruling was issued as “plaintiffs only.”
I am not a participant in any of the lawsuits (unfortunately, I was unable to join any for various reasons). Do you think there is a high likelihood that the lawsuits filed regarding the DV-2026 general pause will also result in “plaintiffs only” decisions?
If that happens, would these decisions essentially have no impact for individuals like me who are not part of the lawsuits?
April 28, 2026 at 09:23
There are certainly scenarios where the lawsuits could achieve a win and that win only affects plaintiffs. That is exactly what the lawyers are targetting. So yes of course, that is a possible outcome. There are also possible scenarios where the win affects more people. However, I can’t tell you which scenario WILL happen – we just have to wait and see.
April 27, 2026 at 14:05
Hey Simon,
There’s a chance me and my wife’s police certificate might not come out on time by Serbian Authorities because of the processing time of the document until our interview, we are Turkish Nationals being interviewed in Belgrade/Serbia, is this a fatal thing or can be fixed after the interview during the 221g process and re-submit the missing document if we have everything else right? Also a plaintiff here on the immpact case do you think this will have any negative effect on the outcome if we win the case?
Thanks!
April 27, 2026 at 15:36
It’s not a problem. It would normally cause 221g while you get the certificates, but right now all cases are getting 221g anyway.
April 27, 2026 at 12:09
Hi Simon,
We’ve checked our DV status with KCC but we’re a bit confused on the answer, we tried clarifying but just got the same response.
“You have submitted a complete and valid DS-260 application.”
Is this saying that it’s been processed? Or literally that it’s valid, which we already knew?
Thanks,
Ryan
April 27, 2026 at 12:12
That answer means it is processed.
April 27, 2026 at 03:39
Hi Simon.
Hope you are doing well.
I shared my information with someone and he added a derivative without my consent.
My form is already due for processing and it’s an early case number. 5k from Cameroon.
Please what do I do to remove the derivative?
April 27, 2026 at 09:21
You cannot remove the derivative DS260, but you can explain what has happened to KCC or the embassy themselves.
April 27, 2026 at 12:55
U already received 2nl bro ? I am also a selectee from Cameroon
April 30, 2026 at 02:59
Hi
Am a selectee from Cameroon and I don’t even know wat a going on again
My case is 373**
April 27, 2026 at 03:18
Quick question
After joining US army and become naturalized before completing 5 years residency. I gotta new born now,, can he qualify for Child birth Abroad as citizen?
April 27, 2026 at 09:20
I am not an immigration lawyer, so I suggest you arrange a consultation with a competent lawyer.
My understanding though is that you have to have 5 years of physical presence (yourself), prior to the birth of the child – but there may be nuances I don’t know of.
April 26, 2026 at 13:35
Dear Simon,
Many thanks again for the time you spend assisting with Green Card questions.
We were admitted to the United States as LPR around 7 December 2025.
We left after a month to prepare for the final move in June.
Regarding taxes, are we expected to have filed for our federal taxes now (April 2026) or in April 2027?
Many thanks.
April 26, 2026 at 20:38
You should have filed already for 2025. You are late – but that doesn’t matter as long as you do file.
April 26, 2026 at 13:25
Hi Simon,
Do you have any projection for the final DV-2026 cutoff number for South America?
The last three visa bulletins have been stuck at 3000, and there are only three bulletins left in the process, so I’m trying to understand how it might move going forward.
April 26, 2026 at 20:37
There is no way to predict what they will do, because it is not just about the math. It is now about their decisions, and NO ONE can reliably predict that.
April 26, 2026 at 08:19
Hi Simon, what would you recommend to those whom embassy is closed due to conflict in the middle east? I had an scheduled interview cancelled last minute and now I’m waiting to be rescheduled… Do you think the embassy could stay closed till September? If so, is it possible to get the interview done in different country? Thank you.
April 26, 2026 at 08:32
I know as much as you do. Hopefully the embassy will reopen soon, but you can ask them if there is a way to transfer your case. They may have a plan in place or an agreement with another embassy.
April 25, 2026 at 22:01
What exactly conversation with Curtis about DV 2027 can you explain here…?
April 25, 2026 at 23:19
I described it in detail on my live video today – 18:40.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhHPtg36S6w
April 25, 2026 at 16:40
Hi Simon,
I just wanted to share my thoughts about DV26. Let me know if I’m right or wrong.
Since all interviewed winners are currently in 221(g) administrative processing, do you think it’s possible that if the pause is lifted, the government could still keep applicants in AP, causing delays? If so, many people might lose their chance by the end of September.
This seems like a different scenario compared to the Gomez lawsuit, where about 7,000 applicants were interviewed in September and issued visas right away, since there was no 221(g) AP involved.
April 25, 2026 at 19:54
I know people like to think of all these negative scenarios, but really it has nothing to do with reality.