No. As of Tuesday 10 November 2026, registration for the DV-2027 Diversity Visa lottery — the programme most people call the green card lottery — is not open. The US State Department's official entry website, dvprogram.state.gov, still shows only the DV-2026 cycle, and no new entry dates have been announced. The reason is a court fight: a federal judge ordered the lottery to open by 1 November, but an appeals court paused that order on 29 October while the government's appeal continues.

That leaves millions of hopeful applicants in limbo. This guide explains what the Diversity Visa programme is, why DV-2027 missed its normal autumn window, what the courts have ordered, what has changed for this year's lottery, and how to avoid the scams that always appear when a lottery is in the news.

What is the Diversity Visa lottery?

The Diversity Visa (DV) programme, often called the green card lottery, makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available each year to people from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. It is run by the US Department of State, not by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Entries are selected at random by computer.

Winning the lottery does not guarantee a green card. Selected entrants must still pass an interview, meet the eligibility rules, and complete their cases before the end of the fiscal year. Each year the programme is known by the fiscal year in which its visas are issued, so DV-2027 covers visas issued between 1 October 2026 and 30 September 2027.

In a normal year, registration opens in early October and runs for about a month. DV-2027 has not followed that calendar at all.

Why DV-2027 did not open on time

The trouble began in the autumn of 2025, when the usual registration window never opened. On 5 November 2025, the State Department said it was changing the DV-2027 entry process and would announce the registration and results dates as soon as practicable. No dates followed.

The fiscal year for DV-2027 visas then began on 1 October 2026 with no selectees at all. That prompted a lawsuit, Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio, in the US District Court for the Southern District of California. On 14 October 2026, Judge Jinsook Ohta granted a preliminary injunction ordering the State Department to run the DV-2027 programme. An amended order on 21 October set a revised timetable: the Department had to announce the registration period, the entry website and the participation requirements by midnight Eastern time on 29 October 2026, open electronic registration by 1 November 2026, keep it open for 30 days, and notify selected entrants by 3 December 2026.

The government had already filed a notice of appeal on 19 October, and the case moved to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit as No. 26-6943. On 29 October 2026, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit granted the government's request for an emergency stay, pausing the lower court's order while the appeal continues. The October 29 announcement deadline, the November 1 opening date and the December 3 notification deadline no longer apply while the stay is in place.

As of 4 November 2026, the State Department had still not posted DV-2027 registration dates, and its notice on travel.state.gov had not changed since 5 November 2025. The entry website, dvprogram.state.gov, still showed DV-2026 only when checked on 9 November 2026. There is currently no replacement registration date.

• 5 November 2025 — State Department says it is changing the DV-2027 entry process; dates to be announced later
• 1 October 2026 — Fiscal year 2027 begins with no DV-2027 selectees
• 14 October 2026 — Judge Jinsook Ohta grants a preliminary injunction ordering the lottery to run (Red Eagle Law v. Rubio, No. 3:26-cv-04738)
• 19 October 2026 — Government files notice of appeal; Ninth Circuit case No. 26-6943 opened
• 21 October 2026 — Amended court order sets announce-by 29 October and open-by 1 November dates
• 29 October 2026 — Ninth Circuit grants an emergency stay; the court deadlines stop running
• 10 November 2026 — Registration still not open; no new dates announced
• 30 September 2027 — Last day DV-2027 visas can be issued

What has changed for DV-2027

DV-2027 is not the same lottery as previous years. Under the revised rules, it is the first Diversity Visa lottery to charge a $1 entry fee, paid by the principal entrant at registration, and the first to require a passport scan as part of the entry. The State Department has also shortened the whole cycle: because registration was delayed, selected entrants will have about 10 months, rather than the usual 17, to finish their cases before the 30 September 2027 cut-off.

There is a second, separate obstacle. Under State Department guidance dated 31 August 2026, the issuing of diversity immigrant visas is currently paused. That policy is separate from the court case about registration, and it means that even being selected in the lottery would not, on its own, lead to a visa while the pause stands. Anyone planning around DV-2027 should check the State Department's visa news page for the current position before relying on any date.

The court order covers DV-2027 only. It does not set dates for DV-2028, and it does not promise a green card to anyone who is selected.

Who can enter the Diversity Visa lottery?

When registration does open, the basic rules are the same ones that have applied in previous years, subject to the official DV-2027 instructions when they are published. First, you must have been born in a country that is eligible for the programme. The State Department publishes a list of ineligible countries with each year's instructions — countries with high rates of immigration to the United States are excluded. In some cases you may claim the country of birth of your spouse or a parent instead; the official instructions set out those rules.

Second, you must meet the education or work requirement: a high-school education or its equivalent, or two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience. Third, you may submit only one entry. Submitting more than one entry in the same year disqualifies you. Entries are submitted only through the official Electronic Diversity Visa website, dvprogram.state.gov, during the announced registration period. Keep your confirmation number: it is the only way to check whether you were selected.

How to avoid DV lottery scams

Every year, fake websites and agents charge people for "help" entering the lottery. The rules that protect you are simple. Enter only at dvprogram.state.gov — no other website is the official entry. The State Department never sends an email telling you that you have been selected; results are checked only through the Entrant Status Check on the official site. Nobody can improve your chances, and nobody can guarantee selection. Do not pay anyone who promises a visa, and do not hand over passport scans or payment details to a third-party site.

What happens next?

Everything now depends on the appeal in the Ninth Circuit. If the stay is lifted, the State Department would have to run the registration under the court-ordered timetable, or the court could set new dates. If the government wins the appeal, registration may not open at all. The Department could also announce dates voluntarily at any time. Until one of those things happens, there is no entry period to use, and nobody can submit a valid DV-2027 entry. Check travel.state.gov for announcements and dvprogram.state.gov for the live status of the entry site — those are the only official sources.

Frequently asked questions

Is the DV-2027 green card lottery open?

No. As of 10 November 2026, registration is not open. The official entry site still shows DV-2026 only, and the State Department has not announced DV-2027 dates.

When will DV-2027 registration open?

There is no confirmed date. A court ordered registration to open by 1 November 2026, but the Ninth Circuit paused that order on 29 October 2026 while the government's appeal continues.

How much does it cost to enter DV-2027?

Under the revised rules, DV-2027 carries a $1 entry fee, paid by the principal entrant at registration. It is the first Diversity Visa lottery to charge an entry fee.

Does being selected mean I will get a green card?

No. Selection only gives you the chance to apply. You must still meet the eligibility rules, attend an interview and complete your case by 30 September 2027. A separate State Department policy has also paused the issuing of diversity visas.

Where do I enter when registration opens?

Only at dvprogram.state.gov, the State Department's official Electronic Diversity Visa website. Do not enter through any other site.

This article is general information, not immigration advice. Check the official State Department pages linked below before you act, because the court dates and the Department's position can change quickly.