The US State Department warned in its August 2026 visa bulletin that the Diversity Visa Program (DV-2026) green card quota may be exhausted before the official end of the fiscal year.

According to the document, eligibility for permanent resident status through the DV-2026 lottery is valid only until September 30, 2026. After this date, visas will not be issued to winners or their family members, regardless of the remaining quota. The agency specifically emphasized that visa availability until the end of the fiscal year "cannot be considered guaranteed," and visa numbers may run out early.

The overall program limit for the current year has been reduced from the base 55 thousand to approximately 52 thousand visas, taking into account deductions provided for by legislative amendments allocating a portion of the quota to the NACARA program and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2024.

As of August, thresholds for applicants have been set for six geographic regions: Africa has the highest quota of 60 thousand (Algeria and Egypt have separate, lower thresholds), followed by Asia at 40 thousand and Europe at 29 thousand. There are no restrictions for North American countries, including the Bahamas.

In addition to the diversity visa program, the bulletin also includes updated dates for family-based and employment-based immigration categories. Specifically, the State Department noted the risk of suspension of the EB-1 (priority worker) category for Indian citizens in the coming weeks if the country's limit is reached by the end of the fiscal year. A similar risk remains for the EB-2 category.

The agency noted that the current situation is under constant monitoring, and adjustments to quotas will be made as necessary.