A federal judge in San Diego has ordered the U.S. Department of State to reopen the registration period for the 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery (Green Card Lottery), a program that allows up to 55,000 applicants from around the world to seek permanent residence in the United States. The exact time the system will reopen has not yet been officially announced.
What happened?
The State Department missed the usual registration window for DV-2027, effectively putting a pathway to permanent U.S. residency for tens of thousands of applicants at risk. In response, a Southern California immigration law firm filed a lawsuit last August against Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asking the court to intervene and restore the program — and a federal judge (Jinsook Ohta) granted that request.
What does the court order require?
- The State Department must publicly announce the registration period no later than midnight on October 15;
- The announcement must include the opening and closing dates, the official website for electronic entries, and the participation requirements;
- The information must be disseminated through customary public channels, including the Federal Register;
- The registration period must remain open for 30 days;
- Eligible electronic entries must be accepted, and selected applicants must be notified and processed under the usual procedures until all visas are issued or the fiscal year ends in September 2027.
What applicants should know
Since the exact reopening time has not yet been officially announced, applicants are advised to rely only on official announcements and trusted sources. Our consultants at Dayan Tak are ready to review your eligibility free of charge, so that your documents are ready the moment registration opens.
Conclusion
The federal court ruling has put the 2027 Green Card Lottery back on track; however, no system will reopen until the State Department formally announces the registration period. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us — our team will get back to you as soon as possible, and you can follow the latest updates right here in our newsletter.
Source: Courthouse News Service — October 14, 2026
