Court Orders Green Card Lottery for 2027 To Reopen

A federal judge in California has ordered the U.S. State Department to reopen the Diversity Visa lottery for fiscal year 2027. Many people know this program as the green card lottery. The order came on October 14, 2026, from U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta in San Diego. It is a preliminary injunction, which means it is a court order that stays in place while the case continues. Why was the lottery closed? In December 2025, the government paused the program after a shooting at Brown University. Officials said the suspect had entered the United States through the lottery. The State Department then did not open registration for the 2027 lottery on its normal schedule. The government argued in court that it was now too late to run the program on time. Red Eagle Law, a Southern California immigration firm that helps people apply, sued the Secretary of State. The judge found that the department's inaction was likely unlawful under federal law. She also said that following the usual timetable would stop the 2027 lottery from happening at all. What the order requires: The State Department must publicly announce the registration period and keep it open for at least 30 days. After entries close, the department must process selected entries under its usual procedures. It must do this until all 55,000 visas are used or until September 30, 2027, whichever comes first. The dates have moved. The first order set an October 18 opening and a November 19 date for notifying selected people. Both sides later asked for more time, and the judge approved a joint request. Under the new schedule, registration is due to open on November 1, 2026, and selected applicants are to be notified by December 3, 2026. Reports differ on the deadline for the State Department's public announcement, so please do not rely on one news story for exact dates. A court order is not the same as an open registration. One report notes that the decision sets deadlines but does not, by itself, mean registration has already started. Until the State Department posts the official dates and entry website, nobody can enter. What this means for you: If you hope to enter, watch for the official announcement on the State Department's travel.state.gov website. Do not trust anyone who asks for a fee to guarantee your entry. Entering the lottery is free, and you should read every rule before you apply. Being selected does not guarantee a green card. You must still qualify, finish every required step, and pass all security checks. Travel restrictions on some countries also remain in effect, and they may affect people who are selected. A separate government pause on visa issuance has been reported too, so a delay is possible even after selection. Keep in mind that lottery entries are handled by the State Department, not USCIS. Once you are in the process, USCIS may be involved in certain steps, so keep your personal details and contact information up to date. If you have questions about your own eligibility or how this court order affects your family, please talk to an immigration attorney. This article is general information, not legal advice. Sources: Trump admin ordered to reinstate 2027 Green Card Lottery - Courthouse News: https://www.courthousenews.com/trump-admin-ordered-to-reinstate-2027-green-card-lottery/ Green Card Lottery Must Be Reinstated, California Judge Says - Bloomberg Law: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/green-card-lottery-must-be-reinstated-california-judge-says Judge Orders Trump Admin to Reopen 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery - NTD: https://www.ntd.com/judge-orders-trump-admin-to-reopen-2027-diversity-visa-lottery_1179040.html Green card lottery 2027: US judge orders registration to open - Qazinform: https://qazinform.com/news/green-card-lottery-2027-us-judge-orders-registration-to-open-1cd2e6 Photo: Katerina Shkribey on Unsplash