US Judge Orders Trump Administration to Reopen Green Card Lottery 2027

Judge Orders Reopening Of Green Card Lottery 2027

A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to reopen registration for the 2027 Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery. The order requires the US State Department to provide eligible applicants with a 30-day window to submit their entries after registration was delayed. However, the reopening of registration does not guarantee that selected applicants will receive a Green Card, as the State Department has separately paused the issuance of diversity visas.

What Is the Latest Update on the Green Card Lottery 2027?

US District Judge Jinsook Ohta, of the Southern District of California, issued a preliminary injunction directing the State Department to announce the registration period and open the entry window.

Key developments include:

• 30-day registration window: The department must reopen electronic registration for DV-2027.
• Selection and processing: The order also directs the government to notify selected applicants and process their cases under programme rules.
• Delayed schedule: The State Department had announced changes to the entry process in November 2025 but had not opened registration.
• Separate visa pause: The department’s August 2026 guidance says diversity visas remain paused while screening and vetting procedures are reviewed. 

Will the Green Card Lottery 2027 Reopen After the Judge's Order?

The court has ordered the government to reopen registration, but applicants should wait for the official opening and closing dates, entry website and instructions.

The DV-2027 visa year runs from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027. The delayed registration leaves less time for selection, interviews and visa processing.

Importantly, the State Department’s separate issuance pause means applicants may be able to submit applications and attend interviews under its guidance, but diversity visas will not be issued while that pause remains in effect. 

Who Can Apply for the Green Card Lottery 2027?

The Diversity Visa programme makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available annually to eligible applicants from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the US.

Applicants generally must meet these requirements:

• Eligible country: Eligibility is generally based on country of birth, subject to specific exceptions.
• Education or work experience: Applicants must meet the programme’s high-school education or qualifying work-experience requirement.
• Further screening: Selection does not guarantee a visa; applicants must complete the required application, interview and eligibility checks.

People born in India are generally ineligible because India does not qualify under the programme’s country-of-origin rules, although limited exceptions may apply. The lottery is therefore not a route available to every person researching America visa requirements for Indian citizens. 

The court order could restore an opportunity to register for eligible applicants seeking US permanent residency and a United States Green Card. However, applicants should monitor official announcements rather than assume registration or visa issuance has resumed. The lottery is separate from other routes explaining how to get a Green Card in USA, and it does not affect employment-based Green Card processing time or EB-1A eligibility.

For official updates, visit the US Department of State’s Diversity Visa page.

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