NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyans hoping to secure permanent residency in the United States may have another opportunity to enter the country’s Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery after a federal judge ordered the US government to resume the delayed 2027 registration process.
US District Judge Jinsook Ohta, of the Southern District of California, issued a preliminary injunction on October 14, directing the US Department of State to proceed with the DV-2027 programme following a legal challenge over the failure to open registration on schedule.
Under a revised timetable approved by the court, the State Department must announce the registration period by October 29 and open entries by November 1, 2026. The registration window must remain open for 30 days, while selected entrants are due to be notified by December 3.
The ruling follows a lawsuit brought by California-based immigration law firm Red Eagle Law against Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The case, Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio, challenged the department’s failure to launch the annual lottery, which provides a pathway to US permanent residence for eligible applicants from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States.
However, the court order does not mean applications are already open. Prospective applicants must wait for the State Department to publish the official registration dates, instructions and applicable requirements.
How Kenyans can apply
Eligible Kenyan-born applicants will need to submit their entries electronically through the official Electronic Diversity Visa website during the designated registration period.
The State Department says entries submitted outside the official window will not be accepted. Applicants are also limited to one entry per person during each registration period; submitting multiple entries can lead to disqualification.
Applicants should read the official DV-2027 instructions before completing the form and ensure that all personal information is accurate. Eligibility is generally determined by country of birth rather than citizenship alone, alongside other programme requirements.
The DV-2027 process also comes amid changes to the programme’s entry rules. US regulations published in March 2026 introduced a passport requirement, subject to specified exceptions, and a US$1 registration fee. Applicants should check the final DV-2027 instructions to confirm how these requirements apply before submitting an entry.
Those who receive help completing an entry should be present during the process, check that their details are correct and retain access to their confirmation information.
After a successful submission, applicants should securely save or print the confirmation page and unique confirmation number. The number is needed to check the entry status and access further instructions if selected. The State Department warns against relying on third parties that promise guaranteed selection.
Selection does not guarantee a Green Card
Being selected in the lottery does not automatically entitle an applicant to a US immigrant visa or permanent residency.
Selected entrants must still meet the programme’s education or qualifying work-experience requirements, submit the required documentation, undergo screening and complete the applicable immigration procedures. Visas are subject to eligibility, availability and the programme’s statutory deadlines.
Also Read: US Green Card Lottery: Trump administration issues DV-2027 update for Kenyans
The timetable is particularly important because the DV-2027 visa year is scheduled to end on September 30, 2027. The revised court schedule leaves selected applicants a limited period to complete the subsequent stages of the process.
There is also a wider uncertainty: the State Department’s published guidance says it has paused the issuance of diversity immigrant visas while it reviews screening and vetting procedures. That means prospective entrants should distinguish the court-ordered reopening of registration from any guarantee that visas will subsequently be issued.
Applicants urged to follow official updates
Kenyans interested in the opportunity should monitor the US Department of State’s visa announcements and the official Diversity Visa entry website.
Applicants should be cautious of websites, social media accounts or agents claiming that DV-2027 registration is already open, offering unofficial entry forms or promising guaranteed selection.
The immediate next step is for the State Department to publish the official registration instructions in line with the court-approved timetable. Until then, prospective applicants should prepare their documents, verify the new requirements and avoid submitting personal information through unofficial websites.
