DOS released updated policy guidance for diversity visa 2021 applicants
September 16, 2021
Last week, a district court instructed the Department of State (DOS) to rapidly review diversity visa (DV) applications by September 30, 2021 and that previous prioritization guidance may not be relied on. Consular sections were instructed to prioritize scheduling and adjudication of additional DV-2021 cases. The DOS has since instructed consular sections to make every effort within their discretion and subject to posts’ resource constraints, limitations due to COVID-19, and country conditions to prioritize the scheduling and adjudication of additional DV-2021 cases by September 30, 2021. The Department notes that the court did not order the Department to “prioritize DV-2021 applications over other visa applications.”