The Department of State (DOS) released a statement on October 6, 2021, noting that the agency is aware of various court orders regarding the reservation of DV-2020 and DV-2021 diversity visas. DOS said it will publish guidance regarding its plans for complying with the orders as the guidance becomes available. DOS summarized the court orders:

  • On August 17, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Gomez v. Biden ordered DOS to “process DV-2020 applications in random order until all 9,905 diversity visas have been granted.” However, as of September 30, 2021, the court had not issued a final order establishing a time frame for processing.
  • On September 27, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Rai v. Biden ordered DOS to “reserve 966 diversity visa numbers of applicants awaiting adjudication at the twenty-seven embassies and posts previously subject to Proclamations 9984 and 10143 and Defendants’ regional No-Visa Policy.”
  • On September 30, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in the Goodluck v. Biden-related matters ordered DOS to “reserve 6,914 diversity visas for adjudication pending final judgment in the Goodluck-related matters.”
  • On September 30, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Goh v. Biden ordered DOS “to make 481 diversity visas available for adjudication” and to “adjudicate those diversity visas by the close of Fiscal Year 2022.”

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