US Green Card lottery 2027: Court blocks reopening of Diversity Visa programme; what applicants should know

The US Diversity Visa lottery programme for 2027 remains on hold after a federal appeals court temporarily blocked an earlier order that had directed the government to reopen registrations.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on October 29 issued an emergency stay of a lower court order that had asked the US State Department to open the FY 2027 Diversity Visa registration period by November 1.

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This means that the State Department is not required to reopen the lottery registration process for now. The programme will remain suspended while the legal battle over its future continues.

The appeals court said its decision did not mean it supported the State Department's decision to halt the programme. However, it found that the law firm, Red Eagle Law, that filed the case had not established sufficient legal grounds to demand that the government reopen registrations.

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2027 Diversity Visa lottery

The US State Department had announced in November 2025 that changes were being planned for the FY 2027 Diversity Visa programme. However, it paused the programme entirely in December 2025.

The suspension left prospective applicants uncertain about when they would be able to register for the annual lottery.

In August 2026, Red Eagle Law filed a lawsuit seeking the reopening of the programme. On October 14, a California district court directed the State Department to begin FY 2027 registrations by November 1 and keep the registration window open for 30 days.

The court also asked the department to publish registration details by October 29 and notify selected applicants by December 3.

However, the State Department challenged this order before the Ninth Circuit, which has now temporarily put it on hold.

US Diversity Visa lottery programme

The Diversity Visa programme, popularly known as the Green Card lottery, is an annual US government initiative that offers people from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the US an opportunity to apply for permanent residency.

Under the programme, the US makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available each year through a random selection process.

Those selected in the lottery are not automatically granted a Green Card. They must still meet eligibility requirements, complete the required documentation and clear background checks and interviews before a visa can be issued.

Who is affected?

The suspension affects prospective applicants from countries eligible for the Diversity Visa programme who were waiting for the FY 2027 registration window to open.

With the appeals court putting the lower court's order on hold, applicants cannot rely on the earlier November 1 registration date. The State Department has not been directed to open registrations under the latest court decision.

For Indian nationals, it is important to note that eligibility for the Diversity Visa lottery is generally determined by a person's country of birth, rather than their citizenship or current country of residence. India has generally been among the countries excluded from the programme because of its high levels of immigration to the US.

However, certain applicants may qualify through their spouse's or parents' country of birth, subject to the programme's rules.

The FY 2027 Diversity Visa programme remains inactive for now. The law firm that challenged the suspension may seek further legal review of the appeals court's decision.

Prospective applicants will have to wait for further developments in the case and any announcement from the US State Department regarding the programme's registration schedule.