After months of uncertainty over the next Diversity Visa lottery, prospective entrants finally have a timetable—but they cannot apply just yet.
A federal judge has ordered the State Department to move forward with the delayed DV-2027 Diversity Visa Program, requiring the government to announce registration details by October 29 and open a 30-day entry period no later than November 1, 2026. Fragomen
The October 14 preliminary injunction in Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio is a significant development for people who had been waiting for the State Department to open the annual green-card lottery.
But it is important not to read more into the ruling than it says.
DV-2027 registration is not open yet. The court has ordered the government to run the registration process on a specified timetable. It has not selected any entrants, guaranteed anyone a visa or removed the immigration requirements that apply after selection.
Why DV-2027 was delayed
The Diversity Visa Program makes immigrant visas available through a randomized selection process to qualifying people from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.
DV registration ordinarily occurs well before the fiscal year in which selected applicants may receive visas.
But DV-2027 did not follow the usual schedule.
The State Department had previously announced that it was changing the DV entry process and said it would publish the registration start date “as soon as practicable.” The Department nevertheless confirmed that the period during which DV-2027 selectees can qualify for visas would still end on September 30, 2027. Travel.state.gov
With registration still unopened, litigation followed.
On October 14, Judge Jinsook Ohta of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California granted a preliminary injunction requiring the State Department to proceed with the program.
The timetable was then modified at the parties’ request.
What the court ordered
Under the revised schedule reported from the case, the State Department must:
- announce the DV-2027 registration period, official entry website and eligibility requirements by midnight Eastern Time on October 29;
- open registration by midnight Eastern Time on November 1;
- maintain the registration period for 30 days; and
- notify selected entrants by midnight Eastern Time on December 3, 2026. Fragomen
The distinction between a deadline and an announced opening date matters.
The court has given the State Department a latest date by which registration must open. Until the Department publishes its official notice, applicants should not assume a particular hour or attempt to register through unofficial websites.
Is the DV-2027 lottery open now?
No.
As of October 19, the official State Department information located for DV-2027 still says that the Department will announce the registration start date. Travel.state.gov
Prospective entrants should wait for the official instructions.
The State Department says Diversity Visa entries must be submitted electronically through its designated E-DV system during the specified registration period. Late entries and paper applications are not accepted. Travel.state.gov
Applicants should be particularly cautious about websites or people claiming they can submit a DV-2027 entry before the official registration system opens.
What prospective applicants can do now
There is no need to submit anything before the official window opens.
But prospective entrants can use the next several days to prepare.
First, check the State Department’s forthcoming DV-2027 instructions rather than relying exclusively on requirements from previous lottery years. Eligibility rules, technical requirements and entry procedures should be verified for the current program before submitting an entry.
Second, applicants should make sure the information used in the entry is accurate.
The State Department permits only one entry per person during a registration period and says multiple entries can result in disqualification. Travel.state.gov
Married couples may have strategic opportunities under the DV system because each qualifying spouse may generally submit a separate entry that lists the other spouse as a derivative, but applicants should follow the forthcoming DV-2027 instructions carefully.
Finally, retain the confirmation number after submitting a valid entry. The State Department specifically warns that this number is necessary to check entry status and obtain further instructions if selected. Travel.state.gov
What this means for immigrants and applicants
The court order creates an opportunity to enter the DV-2027 lottery; it does not create an entitlement to a green card.
There are several distinct steps.
A person must first submit a valid entry during the registration period. The State Department then conducts the selection process. Selection allows the person to pursue a Diversity Visa case, but the applicant must still satisfy applicable eligibility requirements, complete the immigration process and receive a visa—or, where legally available, complete adjustment of status—within the applicable fiscal-year deadline.
For DV-2027, that deadline remains September 30, 2027. Travel.state.gov
That date can be unforgiving. Diversity Visa eligibility does not normally carry into the next fiscal year simply because a case was pending.
The delayed registration and compressed calendar therefore make it particularly important for eventual selectees to pay attention to instructions and deadlines.
Selection does not guarantee a visa
A Diversity Visa selection is sometimes casually described as “winning a green card.”
Legally, that description is incomplete.
Selection gives an entrant the opportunity to pursue one of the available Diversity Visas. It does not guarantee visa issuance or admission to the United States.
Applicants still must satisfy the program’s qualifications and general immigrant-visa requirements. Visa numbers are also limited.
That distinction is especially important this year because the DV program has been affected by separate litigation and State Department policies.
The State Department currently maintains separate guidance concerning Diversity Visa issuance, including an issuance pause announced in August 2026. That policy is distinct from the litigation requiring the Department to conduct DV-2027 registration. Travel.state.gov
In other words, the October 14 court order answers an immediate question—whether the government must move forward with the DV-2027 lottery process—but it does not necessarily resolve every issue that could affect visa issuance months later.
What happens next
The first date to watch is October 29.
By then, under the revised court timetable, the State Department is expected to publish the official registration period, entry website and eligibility information. Registration must then open no later than November 1 and remain available for 30 days. Fragomen
Because the ruling is a preliminary injunction, rather than a final judgment ending the litigation, further court proceedings or an appeal could still affect implementation.
Prospective applicants should therefore rely on current State Department instructions when registration begins rather than screenshots, recycled instructions from previous DV years or unofficial application sites.
For most people, simply entering the Diversity Visa lottery does not require individualized legal representation. But people with questions about eligibility, prior immigration violations, inadmissibility issues, family derivatives, adjustment of status or a selection that creates a time-sensitive immigration strategy may benefit from case-specific legal advice.
Arce Immigration Law assists individuals and families with U.S. immigration matters, including immigrant visa processing and adjustment of status.
General information only; this article does not constitute legal advice.
