US Diversity visa interviews are moving forward across the region, but not in Morocco

Moroccans selected for the U.S. Diversity Visa lottery are watching their deadline approach with no interview date in sight, as the U.S. Consulate in Morocco schedules far fewer appointments than counterparts in Egypt and Algeria.

Interview scheduling at the U.S. Consulate in Casablanca has been extremely limited. Since the start of the fiscal year, only two small batches of appointments have been released. According to applicants tracking the process, about 20 in January and fewer than five in April.

Applicants with case numbers below 1,000, which typically place them among the first interviewed anywhere, are still waiting. No official explanation has been given for the gap.

“We have seen consulates around the world operating normally,” said Siham Berkoumi, one of the selectees. “Except in Morocco.”

She is among more than 3,000 Moroccans who were selected for the 2026 Diversity Visa program, according to community estimates shared with Hespress English.

Egypt has already scheduled interviews for cases reaching into the tens of thousands. Algeria has moved steadily without major interruptions.

The State Department paused diversity visa issuances in December to review security procedures, but said interviews could still be scheduled and appointments would not be cancelled.

“DV applicants may submit visa applications and attend interviews, and the Department will continue to schedule applicants for appointments, but no DVs will be issued. Existing diversity visa appointments generally will not be rescheduled or cancelled,” the U.S. State Department says on their website.

Hespress English reached out to the U.S. State Department for clarification. A spokesperson said the Trump administration had paused the issuance of diversity visas to review security procedures, explaining that the move is meant to “uphold the highest standards of national security and public safety.”

“DV selectees who have already paid fees or scheduled interviews may attend their appointments as scheduled,” the spokesperson said. “U.S. Mission Morocco continues to schedule DV appointments in line with their capacity.”

The spokesperson said that applicants should keep checking the official website for updates. Applicants in Morocco say the slowdown started even before that pause and has continued since.

The gap is creating growing anxiety among selectees, who are racing against a fixed deadline. Diversity visas must be issued before Sept. 30, 2026. After that, eligibility expires with no exceptions. Without an interview, applicants cannot complete mandatory steps like medical exams or final processing.

For many, the uncertainty is already reshaping daily life. Some, including Berkoumi, have delayed job applications, unsure if they might have to leave on short notice. Others have spent money on document preparation, translations and planning for relocation.

“It affects everything,” said Berkoumi. She expected an early interview because of her low case number but is still waiting months later.

“I was preparing seriously,” she said. “But living with this uncertainty has been very difficult.”

Unlike other immigration paths, the Diversity Visa program does not roll over. If delays push applicants past the deadline, the opportunity is lost, even if the delay is administrative.

For families, that can mean more than one person losing eligibility, since dependents are tied to the main applicant’s timeline. Berkoumi says the lack of clarity is making the situation worse. With little official communication about scheduling in Morocco, many rely on online groups to track progress and compare notes with other countries.

The visa bulletin, which determines who can be scheduled, has already advanced to 55,000 for Africa. Morocco, still struggling to schedule even its earliest cases, is falling behind that pace.

Berkoumi said her own case has been “current” since October but has still not received an interview appointment. In the Diversity Visa program, a case is considered “current” when its number falls within the range listed in the monthly visa bulletin, making it eligible for interview scheduling.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance and there is no guarantee that it will come again. The thought that it might be lost due to delays and mismanagement by the consulate is very upsetting,” Berkoumi said.

The U.S. Consulate in Casablanca responded to Hespress English by sharing its official Diversity Visa information portal, but the response did not include further clarification on interview scheduling timelines.