US Federal Court Orders Trump Administration to Open 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery

A US federal court has ordered the Trump administration to open registration for the 2027 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery after the application process failed to begin as scheduled, potentially paving the way for prospective applicants to seek a US green card.

Under the court's order, the US Department of State must announce the registration schedule by October 29 and begin accepting applications by November 1.

US District Judge Jean-Suk Ohta issued the order on October 14 in a federal court in California. Under the directive, the registration period may remain open for 30 days.

However, applicants will need to wait for an official announcement from the State Department for details about the final registration dates, eligibility requirements and application procedures.

The lawsuit was filed by Red Eagle Law, a law firm that alleged the State Department had effectively stalled the programme by failing to open registration on time. The firm argued that the delay had caused financial losses both to prospective applicants and to businesses providing legal assistance related to the lottery.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the State Department were named in the case.

The government argued that opening registration after the prescribed deadline could create a conflict with the programme's rules. The judge, however, concluded that the programme, authorised by Congress, could not be suspended solely because the registration deadline had passed.

On that basis, the court ordered the administration to proceed with registration.

Commonly known as the green card lottery, the Diversity Visa programme makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available annually to eligible nationals of countries that have historically sent relatively low numbers of immigrants to the United States.

Selected applicants may qualify for permanent residence in the United States, provided they meet the programme's requirements and complete the necessary immigration procedures.

Unlike many employment-based immigration pathways, the DV lottery generally does not require applicants to have a job offer from a US employer or employer sponsorship.

However, selection in the lottery does not automatically guarantee a green card. Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria, submit the required documentation and pass the relevant immigration and security checks.

Who can apply?
Applicants generally need to have completed a high school education or its equivalent. Alternatively, qualifying work experience in an occupation that meets the programme's requirements may be accepted.

Eligibility also depends on the applicant's country of chargeability and other programme-specific conditions.

If registration opens as directed by the court, eligible applicants will have another opportunity to seek permanent residence in the United States through the programme.

Prospective applicants should check the State Department's official announcements before applying, particularly for confirmation of registration dates, eligible countries and updated application requirements.

Official information is available at the US Department of State's Diversity Visa website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry.html