A U.S. federal judge issued an order to reopen the registration period for the 2027 Diversity Visa Program, reversing the State Department’s prior failure to open the lottery. The ruling came on October 14, 2026, from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California in response to a lawsuit filed by Red Eagle Law, L.C. against Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Court Orders Registration Reopening and Sets Deadlines
Judge Jinsook Ohta issued a preliminary injunction requiring the U.S. State Department to announce the reopening dates and provide an official website for electronic applications. The department was also ordered to publicize the registration details through its
usual channels, including the Federal Register. The court subsequently approved a revised schedule on the same day, October 14, 2026, after joint requests from the parties involved.
The new deadlines must announce registration by October 29 and open electronic application forms by November 1, 2026, at the latest. The State Department is obligated to accept and process applications that comply with legal and documentary standards. The visa issuance process must continue until either the 55,000 visas allocated for fiscal year 2027 are exhausted or September 30, 2027, whichever occurs first. The judge retains authority to modify or enforce the injunction
as necessary.
Structure and Requirements of the Diversity Visa Program
The Diversity Visa Program, also known as the Visa Lottery or Green Card Lottery, grants up to 55,000 immigrant visas annually to nationals from countries with historically low immigration rates to the United States. Selection is randomized without guarantee of visa issuance.
Applicants must submit a single electronic entry within the designated registration period set by the State Department. Late applications or paper forms are not accepted. Multiple entries from the same person lead to disqualification. Those chosen must satisfy all legal eligibility criteria and complete mandatory consular processing before receiving a visa.
Impact on Visa Lottery Applicants
The court’s ruling provides an
additional opportunity for applicants to enter the 2027 Diversity Visa Program after the State Department had paused the registration period. While applications and interviews continued during the August 2026 pause in visa issuance, no visas were granted then.
Eligible applicants must adhere strictly to the electronic application requirements and deadlines now imposed by the court. Although selection in the lottery is necessary to advance, it does not assure final visa issuance as all statutory and consular screening requirements still apply.
