A federal court in California ordered the U.S. administration to resume the Diversity Visa (green card) lottery for fiscal year 2027. The authorities attempted to effectively cancel the lottery by allowing the standard registration deadlines to pass, but the court ruled their actions unlawful.
The lawsuit against U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was filed by immigration law firm Red Eagle Law. In the fall of 2025, the State Department did not open registration for the DV-2027 lottery, and representatives of the Donald Trump administration later argued in court that it was too late to hold the lottery because the statutory deadlines had passed.
Judge Jinsook Ohta rejected the government's arguments and ruled that terminating the program was an “arbitrary and capricious” action. By law, the State Department is required to allocate up to 55,000 immigrant visas annually to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.
New Green Card DV-2027 Timeline
The court initially set a tight schedule, but at the parties' joint request, the deadlines were pushed back by two weeks to give the agency time to prepare the system and avoid technical issues.
According to the revised schedule:
- By October 29, 2026 The State Department is required to officially publish the guidelines and rules on its website.
- No later than November 1, 2026 online applications will open and remain available for 30 days.
- By December 3, 2026 the department will announce the results and provide access to verify applications.
- By September 30, 2027 winners must complete all procedures and obtain their visas.
What Will Change in the Green Card DV-2027 Rules
The eligibility requirements for this year's lottery will be significantly tightened:
- Submitting an application will require a fee for the first time — a fee is being introduced in the amount of 1 US dollar, which must be paid using a foreign bank card.
- A valid passport is required — applicants will need to enter the details of a valid passport and upload a scanned copy. The State Department says the new rules are intended to combat fraud.
Does winning the Green Card DV-2027 lottery guarantee a green card?
Winning the lottery does not mean that a visa will be issued automatically. Selected applicants must still prove that they meet the requirements and pass an interview.
Donald Trump has long advocated ending the program, and in December 2025 its launch was suspended over security concerns. A separate pause on the actual issuance of Diversity visas remains in effect in the US, so the court ruling reinstates the lottery itself, but whether winners will receive green cards remains an open question.
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