US Court Halts Registration for DV-2027 Green Card Lottery

Registration for the DV-2027 Diversity Visa Program remains indefinitely delayed following a decision by the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on October 29, 2026. The appellate court issued a stay on a previous judicial order that would have compelled the State Department to reopen the application process.

The legal standoff follows an October 14 ruling by a California federal court requiring the State Department to announce registration dates by October 29 and launch the portal no later than November 1. However, the Trump administration successfully appealed the order, securing a temporary halt from the appellate court.

The lawsuit was originally filed in August 2026 by law firm Red Eagle Law to enforce the continuation of the program. While the appellate panel concluded that the firm lacked sufficient legal standing for its mandate, the judges explicitly noted that their procedural ruling does not constitute an endorsement of the State Department's decision to pause the lottery.

The DV-2027 lottery has not been formally canceled, but official application dates remain unassigned. The annual program allocates up to 55,000 immigrant visas to nationals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States.