US Green Card Lottery 2027 is set to reopen by November 1, following a federal court order directing the Trump administration to restart registration for the Diversity Visa programme.
The ruling gives eligible applicants another opportunity to enter the lottery after delays prevented the usual registration process from starting on schedule.
The programme offers a route to permanent residence in the United States for eligible applicants from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the country.
However, the court’s decision to reopen registration does not guarantee that an applicant will be selected or receive a Green Card.
US Green Card Lottery 2027: What Did the Court Order?
US District Judge Jinsook Ohta directed the US State Department to announce the registration schedule by October 29, 2026, and open the entry process by November 1.
The revised court timeline also requires the registration window to remain open for 30 days.
The order followed legal action challenging the delay in launching the 2027 Diversity Visa lottery. The lawsuit argued that the failure to open registration had prevented eligible people from accessing the programme.
The court’s directions require the State Department to publish the opening and closing dates, the official website for submitting entries and the applicable participation requirements.
Selected applicants must be notified by December 3, 2026, under the revised timeline.
Prospective applicants should wait for the official government announcement before submitting an entry.
Registration dates, required documents and other instructions should be checked through the US State Department’s official channels.
Who Can Apply for the 2027 Green Card Lottery?
The Diversity Visa programme makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available annually to eligible applicants from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States.
Applicants must meet the programme’s education or work-experience requirements and satisfy the applicable country eligibility rules.
For Indian readers, one important restriction applies: people born in India are generally not eligible to enter through India’s country category because of the country’s high level of immigration to the US.
Eligibility is ordinarily based on country of birth rather than citizenship or current residence.
There are limited exceptions. Some applicants may qualify through a spouse’s country of birth or, in certain circumstances, a parent’s country of birth, provided they meet the relevant requirements.
Indian citizens should therefore check the official eligibility rules before assuming they can participate.
 Does Entering the Lottery Guarantee a Green Card?
No. Submitting an entry does not guarantee selection, and selection itself does not guarantee permanent residence.
Those selected must complete the required immigration process, meet eligibility conditions and pass the necessary checks before a visa can be issued.
There is also an important distinction between reopening lottery registration and issuing visas.
The US State Department announced in August 2026 that diversity visa issuances had been paused while it reviewed screening and vetting procedures.
Applicants should check the latest official guidance because the court-ordered registration process does not, by itself, confirm that visa issuance has resumed.
Eligible applicants should monitor the State Department’s announcements for the final registration instructions and use only the official government entry website.
They should be cautious of agents promising guaranteed selection or Green Cards in exchange for money.
The court order restores a scheduled opportunity to enter the 2027 lottery, but applicants must still meet all eligibility requirements and follow any updated government instructions.
Anyone considering other US immigration routes should assess those options separately rather than relying solely on the lottery.
