(DUSHANBE) — The U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe has confirmed the indefinite suspension of the diversity immigrant visa (DV) Program, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery, as of January 9, 2026.
The halt follows a global directive from the U.S. Department of homeland security budget sees record funding boost in 2026 proposal”>homeland security and the Department of State, the embassy said, stopping one of the best-known routes to U.S. permanent residency for applicants in Tajikistan and elsewhere.
What the government announced
Secretary of Homeland Security kristi noem announced the suspension on December 18, 2025, at the direction of President Trump.
“At President Trump’s direction, I am immediately directing USCIS – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services – to suspend the DV1 program to ensure that no more Americans are harmed by this program,” Noem said.
The Department of State later issued guidance on December 23, 2025:
“Effective immediately, the Department of State has paused all visa issuances to diversity immigrant visa applicants. This pause will allow the Department to undertake a review of the screening and vetting protocols in the DV program.”
Local operations vs. global pause
- The embassy in Tajikistan is still scheduling and conducting interviews, but it is prohibited from issuing visas.
- This leaves selectees in limbo even if they complete required steps and attend interviews.
- The State Department’s pause applies to “all visa issuances to diversity immigrant visa applicants,” making the restriction global while local embassies continue to manage interview calendars.
Reason given for the suspension
The administration tied the move to national security concerns after a shooting incident on December 13, 2025, at Brown University and MIT. The suspect, Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, reportedly obtained permanent residency through the Diversity Visa program in 2017.
The suspension is the second under the Trump administration (the program was paused once during the 2020 pandemic). Unlike that earlier stop, the current suspension is explicitly linked to a security vetting review rather than public health.
Impact on applicants in Tajikistan
- The DV program is a widely pursued and rare direct pathway to U.S. permanent residency in Tajikistan.
- Nearly 3,000 winners were selected in 2025, reflecting high interest and making the annual lottery a focal point for would-be migrants.
- Even though interviews continue, without visa issuance there is no visa foil placed in passports after interviews are completed.
Financial consequences
Applicants must still complete standard steps and pay some costs despite the freeze:
- $330 non-refundable Diversity Visa fee (must be paid)
- Medical exam costs required to attend interviews
- Other related expenses for documentation and appointments
Regularly check official U.S. government pages for updates on the DV program and related holds. Track any new guidance, filing changes, or dates to adjust plans and avoid unnecessary spending.
These costs leave DV-2025/2026 selectees in a state described as an “indefinite hold”, even for those who have followed all instructions and appeared for required appointments.
Impact on applicants in the United States
USCIS acted after the DHS announcement. A USCIS policy memorandum dated December 19, 2025, titled “Hold and Review of Pending USCIS Adjustment of Status Applications Filed by Aliens Under the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program,” directed officers to place an “immediate hold” on all pending Form I-485 applications filed under the program.
The memorandum also placed associated work and travel authorizations under hold, including:
Form I-765(work authorization)Form I-131(travel document)
This freeze means some selectees already in the United States who would otherwise adjust status through USCIS are unable to move forward while the hold remains.
Summary of affected forms and statuses
| Area | Affected Forms / Actions | Current Status |
|---|---|---|
| Consular processing (abroad) | Visa issuance, visa foil in passport | Paused — interviews may proceed but visas not issued |
| USCIS adjustment of status (inside U.S.) | Form I-485 |
Immediate hold per USCIS memorandum |
| Associated authorizations | Form I-765, Form I-131 |
Placed on hold with Form I-485 cases |
Broader U.S. entry rule changes layering on uncertainty
- Presidential Proclamation 10998, effective January 1, 2026, restricts entry for nationals of 39 “high-risk” countries, including several in Central Asia.
- The proclamation imposes additional vetting for many visa types, widening scrutiny beyond the DV Program at a time when the lottery itself is paused.
New visa bond requirement for Tajikistan
Separate from the DV suspension, a visa bond policy targeting some nonimmigrant applicants will take effect January 21, 2026.
- Requires certain applicants, primarily B1/B2 visa seekers, to pay a refundable bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 as a guarantee of their return.
- Although this targets nonimmigrant travelers rather than immigrant visa applicants, it contributes to rising uncertainty across multiple pathways for Tajik applicants.
Program background and practical effects
The Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program — the Green Card Lottery — has been promoted as a way to diversify immigrant admissions by offering a chance at permanent residency through selection and screening.
- The current pause stops visa issuance while agencies review screening and vetting protocols, according to the State Department guidance.
- In Dushanbe, applicants are still being asked to prepare and appear for interviews despite the blocked final issuance step.
- Selectees are unable to complete the final step toward travel and entry as new permanent residents until the pause is lifted.
Local and global coordination of the pause
The embassy’s confirmation in Dushanbe places Tajikistan among countries seeing immediate local impacts of a global order that affects both consular and domestic immigration systems simultaneously.
- Visa issuance abroad is halted.
- Green card processing steps inside the United States are frozen.
- Applicants both overseas and in the U.S. face overlapping delays and financial burdens.
Official sources
Official government information about the program remains available online through:
The U.S. Department of State and Homeland Security have halted the Diversity Visa Program indefinitely starting January 2026. This suspension blocks visa issuance globally while agencies review vetting protocols. In Tajikistan, nearly 3,000 winners face uncertainty as interviews proceed without final approvals. The freeze also affects domestic applicants, pausing all pending green card adjustments and associated work permits under the lottery program.
