So – you are a UK entrant and received an email telling you to check your entry status. You then found you are a selectee in the DV2026 lottery. However, things may not be as good as it may seem.
You may not be aware that I filed a lawsuit against the government when I had proof that they had not included UK entries in the draw. Your inclusion as a winner is a result of that lawsuit. However, the government have managed to screw that up and selected UK winners up to almost 200k. This means they have selected 4 times more people than they should have selected. Numbers higher than 2026EU50000 are very unlikely to get a chance for interview.
In these circumstances, I would discourage high case numbers from even completing the DS260 – at least for now. This is because completing that form is an application for an immigrant visa, and would be on “your record” if you ever decide to apply for a non immigrant visa for the USA. It would be seen as a factor to decide you have “immigrant intent”, which can make the approval of a non immigrant visa somewhat less likely.
I have explained this in so please watch the video linked below to understand better.
October 12, 2025 at 15:28
Hello, I was emailed on the 3rd October as I’m from the uk completed the ds-260 and my number is within the 33k range. Being from the UK with this number are we then in a backlog of “late” ds-260 forms when most people would have started completing from may when finding out, or do our numbers slot within the number ranges for our region? (I wasn’t sure if UK would be delayed even further for processing of interviews etc) – would you know when likely possibility for interviews being called for uk selectees? Thank you , you have taught us so much already!
October 12, 2025 at 15:42
You won’t be delayed because you will be waiting for your case number to become current anyway, which could be around summer 2026.
Congratulations!
October 13, 2025 at 01:15
Thank you Simon! That’s fab keeping everything crossed 🤞 our number falls within range for interview.
Because we have processed our ds-260 does this effect travel to the states prior to interview (which may/may not happen?) we still have a valid esta and are due for a family vacation at Xmas in the states! (We can prove dates of holiday booking from last year and our return flights etc but have heard so much conflicting news about travelling once a Ds-260 form is completed and I didn’t realise that once we completed it!)
October 13, 2025 at 09:09
No problem in using the ESTA you already have – you’ll be fine.
October 13, 2025 at 10:11
Thank you that’s a relief! Xmas vacation to the states can continue!!
And honestly Thank you for all your help in helping us UK entrants get to this point! 🤞now just a waiting game for interview!
October 5, 2025 at 12:45
Hello Britsimon,
I got selected in the DV2025 draw I filled my DS260, I was on the wait to be called for an interview but due to the visa restrictions on Sierra Leone, I was robbed off the opportunity of going to the United States. But I do still have the belief that if I try again God Almighty Will give me another chance.
So I want to know when will the portal be open for DV2027 application?
October 5, 2025 at 12:54
The entry period has not been announced yet – but should be soon
October 5, 2025 at 14:11
Hello Simon,
I just learned that I am winner with number EU280**.
What do you advise about the DS260 and general process?
Thank you
October 5, 2025 at 14:34
Congratulations – are you a UK case?
Your number is pretty good, in a normal year you should expect to get current as long as the government do what they are supposed to do.
As you correctly guessed, you first fill out the DS260, then wait for that to be processed and for your number to become current. That will take some months. Along the way you also need to gather documents and so on. There is a basic questions section on my site, and also there is a guide to help with the DS260. I answer questions here daily, and usually do a Q&A session each weekend on YouTube.
https://britsimonsays.com/completing-the-ds260-for-dv-lottery-entrants/
October 5, 2025 at 07:30
Hi Simon,
Thanks for all your work on this.
I applied for DV2025 and DV2026 and have just checked the site to see if DV2027 is open yet and saw the message about UK applicants. The site no longer recognises my DV2025 number so won’t let me check if it is successful. (I presume this is because it is now after 30th September.)
(My DV2026 application is still unsuccessful.)
Any idea whether successful DV2025 applicants received any other correspondence to recheck their application status? It seems a bit unfair otherwise as applicants would have no reason to recheck their application otherwise.
I’d just be nice to have the peace of mind that I hadn’t been selected anyway.
October 5, 2025 at 10:20
Yes Robert, UK winning cases were informed by email on August 8 for DV2025 or October 2 for DV2026. So – if you didn’t get those emails you were not selected in the draw (which is not surprising – it is a lottery).
October 4, 2025 at 16:33
Hi Simon. My case number is around EU29000. Do I have a strong chance of getting a visa?
October 4, 2025 at 17:10
The number is probably ok. A bit early to be sure.
October 4, 2025 at 20:29
Thanks Simon, also I only got the email recently so assuming from your legal action. Should I hold off on doing the DS260?
October 4, 2025 at 20:45
Apologies I meant around 20900 not 29k
October 4, 2025 at 21:19
Oh – then that is a very safe number.
October 4, 2025 at 21:19
No need to hold off. It would be surprising to not get a chance with that number.
October 4, 2025 at 14:40
Thank you Simon for your work. It is interesting that a big number of UK citizens (200K? plus) would be interested to immigrate to the USA.
October 4, 2025 at 15:33
It’s not 200k people – it’s a few hundred people with case numbers up to 200K.
Everyone has their own reasons. Mine was the weather.
October 4, 2025 at 13:28
Thank you for your knowledge on this, I have been selected and I am EU00037XXX. Unfortunately, I filled out the DS260 this morning before I discovered you! Am I likely to get an esta declined now if I am to apply? Being in the UK I take it I have a very slim chance of this progressing?
October 4, 2025 at 13:37
The immigrant intent aspect is not a complete block. It is one aspect that would affect non immigrant visa applications. It should NOT affect ESTA.
October 5, 2025 at 04:43
Thank you so much. Do you only get offered an interview if you complete the DS 260?
October 5, 2025 at 10:14
Yes that is correct.
October 4, 2025 at 11:00
sorry please ignore my previous post; its September 2026!
October 4, 2025 at 13:01
Oh – there you go – you figured it out!