Court Orders State Department to Open DV-2027 Registration

A federal court has directed the State Department to launch Diversity Visa registration for the 2027 program year after months of closure.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Immigration

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a stone government building facade with a long staircase, rendered in deep red, cream, and navy. — A federal court has issued conflicting orders on whether the State Department must reopen Diversity Visa registration, which provides up to 55,000 visas yearly and has remained closed since late 2025. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should the State Department open the Diversity Visa lottery registration as scheduled?

The Ninth Circuit stayed a preliminary injunction that had required the State Department to open DV-2027 registration. A separate October 14, 2026, order in Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio directed the department to launch the program, and registration remains closed with no confirmed opening date.

Why it matters

The Diversity Visa program makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available each year, and the closure has left applicants without a clear path to entry. The conflicting court actions show how litigation is shaping when and whether the program operates.

The October 14, 2026, order required the State Department to announce entry dates by October 29 and open registration for thirty days by November 1. Registration remained closed as of the latest available information, with no confirmed opening date.

The players

U.S. Department of State

The federal agency that administers the Diversity Visa lottery and sets its entry rules, fees and registration schedule.

Red Eagle Law, L.C.

The law firm that sued on August 19, 2026, to require the State Department to open DV-2027 registration.

The details

The State Department adopted a $1 lottery entry fee and delayed DV-2027 registration in late 2025, then paused DV visa issuance in December 2025. A passport-details rule took effect April 10, 2026, while registration stayed closed, and Red Eagle Law, L.C. sued on August 19, 2026, to force the department to open the program.

September-November 2025: State Department adopted the $1 fee and delayed DV-2027 registration.
December 2025: State Department paused DV visa issuance.
April 10, 2026: Passport-details rule took effect.
August 19, 2026: Red Eagle Law sued to open DV-2027 registration.
October 14, 2026: Court ordered the State Department to launch DV-2027.

Political Context

The Diversity Visa program has run as an annual lottery offering up to 55,000 visas, and the 2027 cycle's closure has become a matter of federal court orders rather than routine administration. Advocates for applicants argue that the department must follow the program's statutory schedule, while the State Department has defended its delays and new requirements.

Prospective applicants cannot register for DV-2027 while the window stays closed, and the court-set timeline leaves little room for delay if the order is followed. Those planning to apply should watch for official State Department announcements on entry dates and passport requirements.

The takeaway

Applicants hoping to enter through the Diversity Visa program should monitor State Department announcements, since court-ordered deadlines are the clearest guide to when registration may open.

What happens next

The October 14, 2026, order required the State Department to announce entry dates and requirements by October 29, 2026, open a thirty-day registration window by November 1, 2026, and notify selected entrants by December 3, 2026.