The Ninth Circuit has paused a court order requiring the State Department to reopen the DV-2027 green card lottery, leaving prospective entrants without an active registration period or a confirmed opening date. As of November 2, 2026, the Diversity Visa entry portal is not accepting DV-2027 applications, and the government’s appeal remains pending.
The dispute began after the U.S. Department of State failed to open registration for the fiscal year 2027 Diversity Visa Program. In November 2025, the department said it was changing the entry process and would announce registration and selection-result dates later.
Red Eagle Law, L.C., an immigration firm that represents Diversity Visa selectees, sued Secretary of State Marco Rubio in August 2026. On October 14, 2026, a federal district court issued a preliminary injunction directing the department to run the delayed lottery.
Under the revised court schedule, the department was supposed to announce registration by October 29, open the lottery by November 1 and notify selectees by December 3, 2026. The government appealed before those deadlines took effect.
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. The November 1 opening requirement is therefore no longer in effect.
The panel focused on whether Red Eagle Law was legally entitled to bring the case. It concluded that the firm’s interest in earning revenue from potential clients was not closely connected to the purpose of the Diversity Visa statute, which is intended to encourage immigration from countries with historically low admission rates.
However, the appeals court expressly said it was not endorsing the State Department’s failure to open registration. The ruling temporarily blocks the lower court’s injunction; it does not finally decide whether the department acted lawfully or repeal the broader Diversity Visa Program.
There is currently no replacement registration date. The appeal will continue under a briefing schedule to be issued by the Ninth Circuit, while future court orders or State Department action could change the program’s status.
Prospective entrants should monitor only official State Department websites. The government says Diversity Visa entries may be submitted solely through its electronic portal during an announced registration period. Private websites cannot submit an official DV-2027 entry while registration is closed.
If DV-2027 proceeds, the State Department previously identified October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, as the visa application period for selected entrants. Selection itself would not guarantee a visa; applicants would still have to meet the program’s requirements and complete processing before the fiscal-year deadline.
For international students and professionals in the United States, this case concerns only the Diversity Visa lottery. It does not itself change F-1, CPT, OPT or H-1B rules. Anyone maintaining another immigration status should continue following the requirements and deadlines that apply to that status rather than relying on an uncertain lottery timeline.
This article provides general information and does not constitute individualized immigration or legal advice.