CALIFORNIA, United States — A United States federal judge has ordered the government to reopen registration for the 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery, after the annual entry process failed to begin as scheduled.
US District Judge Jinsook Ohta, sitting in the Southern District of California, issued a preliminary injunction on October 14, 2026, directing the US Department of State to proceed with the DV-2027 programme.
The order followed a lawsuit challenging the department’s failure to open registration for the annual immigration lottery.
Under a revised timetable approved by the court, the department must announce the registration period by October 29 and open the entry window by November 1, 2026. Registration is expected to remain open for 30 days, with selected entrants due to be notified by December 3.
The ruling offers a potential opportunity for people who had been waiting to apply through the programme, which provides a route to permanent residence in the United States for eligible applicants from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the country.
Why the DV-2027 lottery was delayed
The Diversity Visa programme was not opened on its usual schedule, prompting Red Eagle Law, a California-based immigration law firm, to file a lawsuit against US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The case, Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio, sought to compel the State Department to conduct the DV-2027 lottery. The firm argued that the continued delay threatened access to a programme established under US immigration law.
The government had argued that the late timetable created difficulties for completing the process within the relevant visa year. Judge Ohta’s preliminary injunction directs the department to proceed, although the litigation has not necessarily reached a final resolution.
The court subsequently approved a revised schedule after the parties sought changes to the initial deadlines. The new timetable gives the department until October 29 to announce registration details and November 1 to open the application window.
What the ruling means for applicants
The Diversity Visa programme makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available annually under the statutory framework. Applicants must meet the programme’s eligibility requirements, including qualifying education or work experience, and satisfy the relevant immigration screening procedures.
However, entering the lottery does not guarantee selection, and selection itself does not guarantee that an applicant will receive a visa. Successful entrants must complete the required application process and meet all applicable conditions.
The delayed timetable also creates a shorter period for the selection and visa-processing stages. The DV-2027 visa year runs through September 30, 2027, meaning the department will have to administer the process within the remaining period set by law and the court’s order.
Prospective applicants should therefore follow official announcements closely and prepare to check the eligibility requirements before submitting an entry.
Applicants warned against lottery scams
The court ruling does not mean registration is already open. Applicants should wait for the State Department’s official announcement and use the government’s designated entry website once the registration period begins.
The official Diversity Visa entry portal is dvprogram.state.gov. The State Department’s information page on changes to the DV-2027 entry period is available here.
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Applicants should be cautious of websites, agents or social media accounts claiming that they can submit an official entry before the portal opens or guarantee selection. No intermediary can guarantee that an applicant will be selected.
For now, the court has ordered the programme to proceed, but the State Department’s official registration announcement remains a key next step.
The case could also have wider implications for the administration of immigration programmes when delays threaten statutory timelines.
The immediate issue, however, is whether the department meets the revised deadlines and provides eligible applicants with the opportunity to enter the DV-2027 lottery.
