The Diversity Visa program for fiscal year DV-2026 moves forward month by month through the Visa Bulletin, and the January 2026 Visa Bulletin is the document that decides which DV-2026 selectees are eligible to be processed for a diversity visa during that month. For selectees, this single question comes first: Is my case number “current” for January 2026? If it isn’t, a case can’t move to visa issuance in January, even if everything else is ready.
The January 2026 bulletin matters because it sets regional cutoff numbers—the highest case numbers that can be processed in each region—and also keeps (or changes) country-specific limits for certain high-demand countries. Those limits can override the regional number and are a common reason people misread their status.
This guide walks through the DV-2026 “journey” as it applies to January 2026: how the Visa Bulletin works, how to check your case number correctly, what changes from December 2025 mean, and how to plan using the February 2026 advance numbers—while keeping your eye on the immovable fiscal-year deadline of September 30, 2026.
For official background and the government’s monthly publication, readers can refer to the U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html.
What the Visa Bulletin controls
In DV processing, visas aren’t released using petition “priority dates.” Instead, DV uses a rank-order system inside each geographic region. When you’re selected, you receive a case number (also called a rank number) tied to a region. That number is not just an ID—it is your place in line.
Each month, the Visa Bulletin announces a cutoff number for each region. That cutoff is the government’s way of controlling how many cases can move forward at once. In plain terms:
- If your case number is below the cutoff for your region (and below any country-specific cutoff that applies to you), you are current for that month.
- If your case number is at or above the cutoff, you are not current for that month.
Important detail: the cutoff is exclusive. A case number that is equal to the cutoff does not qualify. Only numbers strictly below the cutoff are considered current.
Being current is the gateway condition, but it is not a guarantee of immediate action. Even after a case becomes current, processing capacity, document readiness, and consular workload still affect interview scheduling and timing. Current status means visa numbers are available for issuance in that month, not that an interview automatically appears.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, reading the Visa Bulletin correctly helps selectees avoid the two most common mistakes:
– assuming “current” equals “scheduled,” and
– ignoring a country limit that overrides the regional cutoff.
January 2026 cutoff numbers, region by region
For January 2026, DV-2026 immigrant visa numbers are available up to the following limits. Your correct cutoff depends first on your region, and then (only if listed) on whether your country has a lower limit.
Summary table (January 2026)
| Region | Regional cutoff | Country-specific cutoffs |
|---|---|---|
| Africa (AF) | 35,000 | Algeria 20,000, Egypt 16,000 |
| Asia (AS) | 15,000 | Nepal 6,000 |
| Europe (EU) | 8,500 | (no country exceptions listed) |
| South America & Caribbean (SA) | 1,850 | — |
| Oceania (OC) | 1,100 | — |
| North America – Bahamas (NA) | 20 | — |
Africa (AF): strong forward movement, but two country limits remain
- Regional cutoff: 35,000
- Algeria: 20,000
- Egypt: 16,000
If you are chargeable to an African country other than Algeria or Egypt, your AF case number must be below 35,000 to be current in January 2026. If you are chargeable to Algeria, you must be below 20,000. If you are chargeable to Egypt, you must be below 16,000.
Note: Seeing “Africa 35,000” can be misleading—Algerian and Egyptian cases must meet the lower, country-specific numbers.
Asia (AS): regional increase, Nepal remains capped
- Regional cutoff: 15,000
- Nepal: 6,000
If chargeable to an Asian country other than Nepal, your AS number must be below 15,000. If chargeable to Nepal, your number must be below 6,000.
Europe (EU): modest step forward, no country exceptions listed
- Regional cutoff: 8,500
All European applicants are current for January 2026 if their EU case number is below 8,500. No country-specific exceptions are listed for Europe in January.
South America & Caribbean (SA): unchanged
- Regional cutoff: 1,850
Applicants in this region are current for January 2026 if their SA case number is below 1,850.
Oceania (OC): unchanged
- Regional cutoff: 1,100
Applicants chargeable to Oceania are current if their OC case number is below 1,100.
North America (NA – Bahamas): very limited numbers
- Regional cutoff: 20
The Diversity Visa program for North America applies only to the Bahamas, and Bahamian applicants are current for January 2026 if their NA case number is below 20.
A quick method to check if you’re current
Use this four-step method to avoid the most common errors:
- Identify your region of chargeability. Your case number begins with a regional code (AF, AS, EU, SA, OC, or NA).
- Check whether your chargeability country has a listed exception. In January 2026, exceptions apply to Algeria, Egypt, and Nepal.
- Compare only the numeric part of your case number to the correct cutoff. (Example: EU0008200 → 8,200.)
- Confirm the rule is strictly below the cutoff. If your number equals the cutoff, you are not current.
Because the Visa Bulletin changes monthly, match your check to the correct month. A case not current under December 2025 cutoffs may become current under January 2026 (or a later month). That month-by-month shift is central to DV planning.
Practical examples using January 2026 cutoffs
- EU example (current): France, EU0008200 → 8,200 < 8,500 → current.
- AS example (current): India, AS00014200 → 14,200 < 15,000 → current.
- AS Nepal example (not current): Nepal, AS00007200 → 7,200 > 6,000 → not current.
- AF Egypt example (current): Egypt, AF00015800 → 15,800 < 16,000 → current.
These examples show why country exceptions matter: Nepal and Egypt do not benefit from the higher regional cutoffs in January 2026.
December 2025 compared with January 2026
Many selectees track monthly movement to estimate when their number may become current. The cutoffs were:
Cutoffs — December 2025
- Africa: 17,500 (Algeria 17,250; Egypt 16,000)
- Asia: 10,000 (Nepal 6,000)
- Europe: 7,750
- South America & Caribbean: 1,850
- Oceania: 1,100
- North America (Bahamas): 20
Cutoffs — January 2026
- Africa: 35,000 (Algeria 20,000; Egypt 16,000)
- Asia: 15,000 (Nepal 6,000)
- Europe: 8,500
- South America & Caribbean: 1,850
- Oceania: 1,100
- North America (Bahamas): 20
Key changes:
– Africa jumped 17,500 → 35,000, one of the largest month-to-month advances in DV-2026.
– Algeria increased 17,250 → 20,000.
– Egypt remained at 16,000, so many Egyptian cases above 16,000 remain blocked despite the regional increase.
– Asia rose 10,000 → 15,000, but Nepal stayed capped at 6,000.
– Europe moved moderately 7,750 → 8,500.
– South America & Caribbean, Oceania, and North America were unchanged.
February 2026 numbers and how to plan your next steps
The January 2026 bulletin includes advance cutoffs for February 2026, often used by selectees to plan readiness. February 2026 advance cutoffs are:
- Africa: 45,000 (Algeria 37,000; Egypt 21,000)
- Asia: 30,000 (Nepal 11,000)
- Europe: 6,500
- South America & Caribbean: 2,000
- Oceania: 1,175
- North America (Bahamas): 25
Two planning messages from these figures:
- The February numbers suggest continued expansion in Africa and Asia, including higher country limits for Egypt (January 16,000 → February 21,000) and Nepal (January 6,000 → February 11,000). For Algeria, February 37,000 signals a much wider window than January’s 20,000.
- Europe’s February cutoff is lower than January’s (January 8,500 → February 6,500). This highlights a critical DV reality: cutoffs do not move in a strictly linear fashion. They are subject to regional demand management, so a higher number one month does not guarantee a higher number the next month.
Practical advice: do not rely on a single directional guess. Stay ready, monitor each monthly Visa Bulletin, and match your case number to the specific month’s cutoffs.
Country limits and the September 30, 2026 deadline
Country-specific cutoffs exist “to prevent any single country from consuming a disproportionate share” of diversity visas. In January 2026, those limits apply to Algeria, Egypt, and Nepal. Read them correctly: if your country has its own cutoff, you must use the country cutoff even when the regional cutoff is higher.
This is a common source of confusion. To avoid it:
– Always check for country exceptions before comparing your number.
– Use the four-step method above every month.
Final, unchangeable deadline:
All DV-2026 visas must be issued by September 30, 2026. No diversity visas may be issued after this date under any circumstances. The Visa Bulletin also warns that DV numbers “may be exhausted before the end of the fiscal year.”
Because of this deadline, selectees who become current later in the fiscal year often face a narrower window and must be prepared to respond quickly to scheduling and documentation requirements once their case number falls below the applicable cutoff for a given month.
The January 2026 Visa Bulletin sets DV-2026 regional and some country-specific cutoffs: Africa 35,000 (Algeria 20,000; Egypt 16,000), Asia 15,000 (Nepal 6,000), Europe 8,500, and other regions unchanged. A case is current only if its numeric value is strictly below the applicable cutoff. The bulletin includes February advance numbers showing likely movement. Current status permits processing but not automatic interviews; all DV-2026 visas must be issued by September 30, 2026.
