The Visa Bulletin & DV Case Numbers Decoded
How regional rank numbers, monthly cutoffs, and visa quotas dictate when you can be scheduled for an interview.
Case Numbers Determine Your Priority Order
Diversity Visa processing is not scheduled randomly. Interviews are offered strictly in order of numerical ranking within each geographical region. A lower number means an earlier interview.
1. Anatomy of a DV Case Number
Found on your Selection Notification Letter, a Case Number has 14 characters formatted as:
2. How Monthly Cutoffs Work
Around the 8th to 15th of each month, the Department of State publishes the Visa Bulletin on travel.state.gov. In Section C (Diversity Immigrant Category), it announces cutoff numbers for the upcoming two months.
If the published cutoff for Africa for July is 45,000, any applicant with an African Case Number below 45,000 whose DS-260 is fully processed is eligible for interview scheduling. If marked "Current", all processed cases in that region are eligible regardless of number.
3. Regional & Single-Country Caps
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act:
- No single country may receive more than 7% (approx. 3,850 visas) of the total available diversity visas in any fiscal year.
- High-demand countries (e.g., Egypt, Algeria, Uzbekistan, Nepal) often have lower country-specific cutoffs published in the Visa Bulletin to avoid exceeding the 7% ceiling.
4. The Absolute September 30 Fiscal Year Cutoff
Strict Statutory Midnight Deadline
By U.S. law (INA § 204(a)(1)(I)(ii)(II)), eligibility for a Diversity Visa strictly terminates at midnight on September 30 of the program fiscal year.
No visa can be issued after September 30, even if your interview was already conducted or your background checks were delayed. This is why having your DS-260 and civil documents in perfect order early is crucial.
Regulatory Notice & Official Links
This guide is prepared based on Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations (22 C.F.R. § 42.33) and Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 502.6). Always verify instructions on the official U.S. Department of State portal: dvprogram.state.gov .