Green Card Lottery 2027: Who Can Apply?

A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration must resume accepting applications for its Green Card Lottery 2027, allowing applicants another chance to get to the United States as permanent residents via the Diversity Visa Lottery 2027. The application window for DV-2027 has now opened till November 01, and notifications of the selected candidates will be sent by December 03. If you’ve been suspended from registering, you should know the following.

NEW: Judge Jinsook Ohta ordered Secretary Rubio to open registration for the 2027 Diversity Visa lottery by November 1, following a lawsuit alleging that the State Department's failure to do so violated federal law. pic.twitter.com/A2C2HrqjaX
— SCOTUS Wire (@scotus_wire) October 14, 2026

Quick Facts: DV Lottery 2027 Key Dates

Detail	Info
Registration Opens	November 1, 2026
Selectee Notification	December 3, 2026
Visas Available	Up to 55,000 per year
Who Was Sued	Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Statutory Deadline Missed	September 30, 2026

Why Was the DV Lottery 2027 Delayed?

The date of the Green Card Lottery application is linked to the fiscal year of the United States — it was legally mandated that the Green Card Lottery application process run before September 30, 2026. The Trump administration did not take advantage of this period, and a lawsuit claimed that the administration has essentially barred Green Card Lottery applicants from the US immigration lottery 2027 altogether.

The court disagreed that it was too late to act, and ruled in favour of a preliminary injunction that the State Department must take action, with new deadlines. This Diversity Visa court decision directly stems from the administration’s failure to follow federal law.

Who Is Eligible for the Diversity Visa Lottery 2027?

The eligibility criteria for DV Lottery 2027 are the same as the eligibility for other US Diversity Visa programs:

Must be from a qualifying country for DV Lottery 2027 (excluding high immigration countries such as India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines)
Possess a minimum of a high school diploma or 2 years of relevant work experience
All normal immigration policy requirements would apply when the visa is issued in the United States.

Once the extension is announced, registering for the Green Card Lottery does not alter the requirements for Diversity Visa eligibility or country of origin.

New Deadlines and How to Apply

Based on the Green Card Lottery 2027 updates, the new court-mandated timeline is:

Registration opens: November 1, 2026
Selectee notifications: December 3, 2026

This is done through the official US government submission website (dvlottery.state.gov). Submit one entry, use one photo that meets the requirements and keep a copy of your confirmation number to monitor the status of your DV Lottery application. There is no third-party service required; entry is 100% free.

FAQs

Why did the Trump administration delay the DV-2027 application reopening?

Registration did not start prior to the statutory deadline. An order from the court reversed the policy changes to immigration in the United States.

Who is eligible for a US visa lottery?

Individuals who meet the education and/or work experience requirements and were born in an eligible country. Before applying, make sure to check eligible countries for DV Lottery 2027 on the official website.

What if I don’t get in before November 1?

The DIVERSITY Program window for applying for visas takes up to 30 days. So, if they miss the shot, then they have to wait for the next one, and a date has yet to be announced for the DV-2028 lottery registration.