US Court Lifts Visa Restrictions, Offers Fresh Hope to Ghanaian DV-2026 Selectees

Ghanaian winners of the United States Diversity Visa Lottery have received renewed hope after a federal judge temporarily blocked three government policies that had halted the processing and issuance of visas to DV-2026 selectees.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, August 28, 2026, U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila of the Northern District of California granted part of a request for class certification and a preliminary injunction in the case of Roksana Medani and Others v. Donald J. Trump and Others.

The court temporarily suspended three policies affecting DV-2026 applicants: the State Department’s general pause on Diversity Visa issuance, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services’ hold on DV-based adjustment-of-status applications, and the 75-country immigrant-visa pause as it applied to Diversity Visa applicants. (courthousenews.com⁠)

Ghana was among the 75 countries affected by the immigrant-visa suspension introduced by the Trump administration. The policy, which took effect on January 21, 2026, was justified by the U.S. government on the grounds that nationals from the listed countries were considered at higher risk of depending on public benefits after entering the United States. (travel.state.gov⁠)

The California court certified three subclasses covering DV-2026 selectees and their derivative beneficiaries affected by the respective restrictions. This means the relief is not limited only to the individuals originally named in the lawsuit.

Judge Davila ordered the U.S. Department of State, as far as practicable and in good faith, to take reasonable steps to reconsider applications refused solely because of the Diversity Visa pause or the 75-country pause.

The department was also directed to resume the normal processing of pending DV-2026 applications during the remaining period of the Diversity Visa fiscal year.

USCIS was similarly ordered to resume processing pending adjustment-of-status applications without applying its DV hold. The two government agencies must provide the court with a joint report by September 18, 2026, detailing the progress made in processing the affected applications. (courthousenews.com⁠)

The ruling is particularly important because eligibility for DV-2026 visas generally expires on September 30, 2026. Selectees who do not receive their visas or complete adjustment of status by that deadline could lose their opportunity unless further relief is granted.

However, the decision does not automatically grant a visa or permanent residence to every DV-2026 selectee. Applicants must still satisfy all eligibility requirements, undergo the required security and medical checks, attend interviews where necessary and have visa numbers available.

The court itself noted that being selected in the Diversity Visa Lottery only provides an opportunity to apply and does not guarantee that a visa will be issued. (courthousenews.com⁠)

The injunction is also temporary and will remain subject to further court proceedings. The U.S. government may seek a review or appeal of the decision.

Ghanaian DV-2026 selectees whose applications were refused or delayed solely because of the affected policies are therefore advised to monitor their case status and official communications from the Kentucky Consular Center, the U.S. Embassy and USCIS.

Applicants should avoid assuming that their visas have already been approved and must rely on official instructions concerning interviews, passport submission, medical examinations or additional documentation.

The latest ruling follows another federal court decision on August 21, which struck down the broader 75-country immigrant-visa policy after finding that it exceeded the Secretary of State’s statutory authority. (reuters.com⁠)

For hundreds of Ghanaian families affected by the restrictions, the California ruling has reopened a narrowing window of opportunity—but with barely a month remaining before the DV-2026 deadline, the speed at which U.S. authorities implement the order will be critical.

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