Is the DV-2027 green card lottery open? No: an appeals court paused the order
What changed
On October 29, 2026, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit granted the government's request for a stay pending appeal in Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio. The stay suspends the October 14 preliminary injunction from the federal court in San Diego.
That injunction had required the State Department to announce DV-2027 registration by October 29, open it by November 1 and notify selectees by December 3. No court deadline applies while the stay is in place.
- Why the panel acted: it said the law firm that sued is likely outside the group of people the Diversity Visa statute protects, so the firm likely has no right to bring this claim.
- What it did not decide: whether the State Department may leave registration closed. The panel wrote, "We do not endorse the Department's failure to open the lottery registration period."
- A separate opinion: Judge N. Randy Smith concurred separately and said the firm also lacks constitutional standing.
Who is affected
- Anyone hoping to enter DV-2027. There is no entry period to use right now.
- DV-2028 hopefuls. We have found no announced dates.
- Anyone being told they won. DV-2027 has had no registration, so no one has been selected.
What to do now
- Do not pay anyone to enter you. No entry period is open. Sites that say otherwise are unofficial.
- Watch official sources only: travel.state.gov for announcements and dvprogram.state.gov for entries.
- Keep your passport current. A rule effective April 10, 2026 requires valid passport details and a scan. There is also a $1 electronic fee on the official site.
- Look at other paths if you were counting on the lottery. Our immigration options guide compares them.
The State Department does not email or call winners. Read our scam guide and use our list of official visa sites.
Key dates
- November 5, 2025: The State Department said it was changing the DV-2027 entry process and would announce dates later.
- October 1, 2026: The DV-2027 visa year began with no selectees.
- October 14, 2026: A federal judge ordered registration to open.
- October 29, 2026: The Ninth Circuit stayed that order.
- September 30, 2027: The DV-2027 visa year ends.
Common questions
Is DV-2027 cancelled?
Not officially, as far as we can find. The stay removes the court's deadline. It does not end the program or decide whether the delay is lawful.
Could registration still open?
Yes. The appeal continues, the law firm says it plans further litigation, and the State Department could announce dates on its own. As of November 2, 2026, we had not found any such announcement.
Does the bill to end the lottery change anything?
No. H.R. 10896 was introduced in the House on October 22, 2026 and is only a proposal.
What's next
The court's clerk will set a briefing schedule for the appeal. Our green card lottery guide explains eligibility and how to enter, and our policy tracker will note any change.
Official sources
General information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change and every case is different; talk to a qualified immigration attorney about your situation. USVisa.com is not a government website. Spot an error? Tell us.
