Plaintiffs’ counsel reports that registration must open by November 1, with selectees notified by December 3. The State Department has not yet officially announced that entries are open, and a separate policy pauses diversity visa issuances.
For people waiting to enter the U.S. Green Card lottery, there is finally a clearer timeline to watch. But there is an important catch: the government has not yet announced that registration is open, and entering the lottery does not guarantee a visa.
Following court action over the delayed 2027 Diversity Visa program, the plaintiffs’ counsel reported a revised schedule requiring the State Department to announce the registration period by October 29, open it by November 1, and notify selectees by December 3, 2026.
The revised dates have also been reported by news coverage of the case. The schedule described below is based on those available reports; Parriva has not independently verified the signed modifying order against the court’s docket.
What are the new DV-2027 deadlines?
According to the revised schedule published by the plaintiffs’ counsel, the State Department faces an October 29 deadline to announce the registration period, a November 1 deadline to open registration, and a December 3 deadline to notify selectees. The reported order also requires registration to remain open for 30 days.
These dates are deadlines for government action—not confirmation that people can submit entries today.
The State Department’s official DV-2027 notice still says the department will announce the registration start date as soon as practicable. No official opening announcement was found in the sources reviewed for this article.
Anyone hoping to enter should check the government’s announcement before submitting information or paying someone to help with the process.
Why does this matter to people hoping to enter?
The Diversity Visa program makes a limited number of immigrant visas available each year to eligible applicants from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.
When registration is delayed, prospective applicants can be left waiting without knowing when they can enter or whether they will have an opportunity at all. The court action addresses the government’s handling of the delayed program, but it does not guarantee that any individual will be selected or qualify for a visa.
The case, Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio, is before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. The revised schedule has been reported by the plaintiffs’ counsel and corroborated by news coverage. Applicants should continue to watch for official State Department instructions and any further developments in the case.
Entering the lottery does not guarantee a visa
There is another issue prospective applicants need to understand before making plans.
The State Department’s August 31, 2026, guidance says it has paused all diversity visa issuances while reviewing screening and vetting procedures. Under that guidance, applicants may continue submitting visa applications and attending interviews, but no diversity visas will be issued, and the department lists no exceptions.
The department also explains that an earlier pause, imposed in December 2025, was no longer in effect as of August 28 under a court order in a separate case. Its August 31 guidance then announced an immediate pause on all diversity visa issuances.
That policy is separate from the court action involving DV-2027 registration. Even if registration opens on the reported schedule, that does not mean selected applicants will be able to receive visas while the issuance pause remains in place.
Read the State Department’s diversity visa issuance guidance before making decisions based on a possible selection.
What should prospective applicants do now?
While waiting for registration to open, prospective entrants can take a few practical steps:
- Check official announcements. Use the State Department’s website to confirm the opening date and application instructions.
- Review eligibility. The program has country-of-eligibility rules and education or qualifying-work-experience requirements. Check the applicable DV-2027 instructions when published.
- Watch out for guarantees. No intermediary can guarantee lottery selection or visa approval. Be cautious of anyone claiming special access to registration.
- Understand the difference. Being eligible to enter, being selected and receiving an immigrant visa are separate steps.
There are other immigration changes affecting people pursuing permanent residence, including changes affecting green-card applicants already living in the United States and federal court action involving work permits for certain immigrants. Those developments involve different rules and should not be confused with the Diversity Visa program.
October 29 is the next key date under the schedule reported by the plaintiffs’ counsel. The reported deadline to open registration follows on November 1.
Until the State Department publishes its official announcement, prospective applicants should not assume registration is open. They should also remember that the separate pause on diversity visa issuances could affect what happens after selection.
For now, the best approach is to follow official updates, prepare carefully and avoid making financial or travel plans based solely on the possibility of being selected.
Last checked: October 15, 2026, at 3:03 p.m. Pacific time.
Update: The plaintiffs’ counsel reported revised DV-2027 deadlines of October 29 for announcing the registration period, November 1 for opening registration and December 3 for notifying selectees. News coverage has also reported the revised schedule. The State Department’s official DV-2027 page had not announced an opening date in the sources reviewed. Separately, the department’s published guidance says diversity visa issuances remain paused.
