New Lawsuit Seeks Green Card Lottery Registration for 2027 and 2028: What Applicants Should Know

A new court case is asking a federal judge to make the State Department open the green card lottery again. The filing comes days after a federal appeals court paused an earlier order that would have reopened the 2027 registration. The Diversity Visa program, often called the green card lottery, is designed for people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Each year it can provide as many as 55,000 green cards. Applicants are chosen by a random lottery, and being chosen does not guarantee a visa. What happened in the earlier case: a federal judge in California ordered the State Department to reopen the 2027 lottery. Under that order, the agency had to announce details by October 29, open registration by November 1, and notify selected people by December 3. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals then paused that order while the government's appeal continues. The appeals court based its decision on a procedural issue. It found that the law firm that filed the case, Red Eagle Law, had not shown it had the right to sue, and it noted that the firm was the only plaintiff. The court also said its ruling did not decide whether the State Department was following the law, and it wrote that it does not endorse the department's failure to open registration. The new lawsuit was filed in federal court in the Central District of California. It asks the court to order the State Department to open registration for both the 2027 and 2028 lotteries, with registration periods of at least 30 days. This case names an individual, a Russian national who says he qualifies and plans to enter both lotteries if registration opens. Because the appeals court focused on the law firm being the only plaintiff, this difference may matter to the court. However, only a judge can decide that. As of today, registration for the 2027 lottery has not opened. The appeals court's pause means the government may keep the suspension in place until a court or the State Department decides otherwise. What this means for you: If you hoped to enter the 2027 lottery, you should know that no registration is open right now, and a new lawsuit does not guarantee one. Court cases can take a long time. Please check your country's eligibility first. People born in India, for example, are generally not eligible for the program. The only official website for entries is dvprogram.state.gov, and entry is free. Any website that charges a fee is not connected to the U.S. government, so be careful about scams that offer lottery help. If you have won a past lottery or have questions about your case, talk to an immigration attorney who can review your situation. This article is general information, not legal advice. Sources: Green Card Update: New Lawsuit Revives Diversity Visa Lottery Fight - Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/green-card-update-new-lawsuit-revives-diversity-visa-lottery-fight-12648458 Green Card Update: Judge Freezes Reopening of Diversity Visa Lottery - Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/green-card-update-judge-freezes-reopening-of-diversity-visa-lottery-12639675 Federal Appeals Court Allows Suspension of Immigration Visa Lottery Despite Congressional Mandate - Davis Vanguard: https://davisvanguard.org/2026/11/ninth-circuit-visa-lottery-stay/ Federal Appeals Court Blocks Judge's Order to Restart Diversity Visa Lottery - YourNews: https://yournews.com/2026/10/30/7245713/federal-appeals-court-blocks-judges-order-to-restart-diversity-visa/ Photo: Katerina Shkribey on Unsplash