Court orders State Department to reopen the 2027 Green Card Lottery

A federal judge in San Diego ordered the U.S. State Department to reopen the 2027 Diversity Visa lottery (the Green Card Lottery). The order came on 14 October 2026.

The lottery had not opened on schedule. The court said the government must run it anyway. This is a news summary, not legal advice. A court order is not a visa.

The court order on DV-2027

• Up to 55,000 green cards. That is the usual yearly Diversity Visa cap named in the ruling report.
• Announce the dates. Judge Jinsook Ohta told Secretary of State Marco Rubio to post the opening and closing dates, the entry website, and the rules.
• Thirty days to enter. The registration window must last 30 days once it opens.
• Process winners through fiscal year 2027. Selected people keep the normal visa steps until visas run out or 30 September 2027.
• Deadlines may move. Courthouse News said the plaintiffs also asked for more time on the first announce date. Treat any date as provisional until State posts it.

Rules that still apply

• Entries only on the official Electronic Diversity Visa site: dvprogram.state.gov.
• One entry per person. Extra filings can get you thrown out.
• Free to register. Do not pay a “lottery agent” for a secret slot.
• Selection is a chance to apply. It is not a green card by itself.
• Country eligibility, education or work rules, and interview steps still apply under normal Diversity Visa law.

People watching this lottery

• Applicants from eligible countries who waited when DV-2027 did not open.
• Families planning one shared entry who need the official window dates first.
• People comparing Canada or other stay routes while the U.S. lottery sat idle.

Before you enter

1. Read the State Department’s Diversity Visa entry page for instructions and dates.
2. Use only dvprogram.state.gov when registration opens. Save your confirmation number.
3. Compare Canada vs United States if you are still choosing where to settle.

News summary only, not legal advice. Check the State Department visas news page before you enter.