A federal district court in California has ordered the U.S. State Department to reopen registration for the fiscal year 2027 Diversity Visa (DV) program by midnight Eastern Time on November 1, 2026. The program’s registration period must remain open for 30 days, reversing the prior closure of the entry process.
According to the court injunction, the State Department must publicly announce by midnight ET on October 29, 2026, all registration details for the FY 2027 DV program. This announcement is required to specify the registration opening and closing dates, the official website for electronic entry submission, and the eligibility requirements
participants must meet. Selected applicants are to be notified by midnight ET on December 3, 2026. Following notifications, visa application processing for the program must proceed on the usual schedule until either the Department’s allotted immigrant visas for FY 2027 are exhausted or September 20, 2027, whichever date occurs first.
The Diversity Visa program was suspended by the State Department in December 2025 after announcing upcoming changes in November of that year. The pause also affected ongoing immigrant visa processing under the FY 2026 program. The lawsuit leading to this injunction, Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio (Docket No. 3:26-cv-04738),
was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California on August 19, 2026, with orders issued on October 14, 2026. The court initially set earlier compliance deadlines, later modifying them to grant additional time for the Department’s adherence.
Applicants aiming to enter the FY 2027 Diversity Visa lottery now have a renewed 30-day window starting no later than November 1, 2026, to submit electronic entries. New program requirements include payment of a $1 registration fee and possession of a valid passport, additions officially instituted in recent program revisions. Applicants selected in the lottery remain subject to
consular screening and must meet all eligibility criteria before visa issuance.
The State Department must fulfill mandated procedural duties, including advance public notification and timely visa processing. However, it retains the right to appeal the court’s injunction, which could lead to a stay or reversal of the reopening order on short notice.
The Diversity Visa program annually offers up to 55,000 immigrant visas to nationals of countries with historically low rates of U.S. immigration. Selection in the lottery does not guarantee a visa, as candidates must satisfy legal standards and pass consular interviews and eligibility verification.
