The U.S Department of State has reportedly modified the 2027 green card entry process.
Morgan Bailey, a partner at Mayer Brown and a former senior official at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said the delay, combined with regulatory updates, suggests the State Department is modifying the registration process.
The State Department said in a November 5 bulletin that the start date will be announced “as soon as practicable.”
The Diversity Visa (DV) program, commonly known as the green card lottery, offers thousands of individuals from countries with historically low U.S. immigration rates a chance to obtain permanent residency. Changes to the DV-2027 entry process could affect how and when applicants register, potentially impacting eligibility or access. Understanding the updated entry rules is critical for prospective applicants seeking one of the limited green cards available through a highly competitive program.
The State Department stated that it is implementing modifications to the DV entry process for 2027, but has not yet released details about the changes.
Department officials stated on social media that the registration period for DV-2027 is not currently open, warning the public about fraudulent claims and services that falsely assert registration is available or that selection chances can be increased.
The visa application period for those selected will remain unchanged, running from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027.
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program was established by Congress in 1990 and signed into law by former President George H.W. Bush. It is limited to 55,000 visas annually. Applicants must meet statutory eligibility requirements, including a high school education or two years of qualifying work experience, among other criteria.
The program operates under a defined statutory framework that sets regional allocations, country limits, and the total visa cap.
The DV Program’s 2026 cycle excluded applicants from the following countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland and Hong Kong), Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela and Vietnam.
On August 5, 2025, the State Department proposed a rule to enhance vetting and combat fraud in the Diversity Visa process. The proposal requires applicants to submit valid, unexpired passport information and scans of the biographic pages, unless exempt. It also introduces a $1 electronic registration fee as a cost-recovery measure and updates terminology in regulations for clarity, replacing “gender” with “sex” and “age” with “date of birth.”
Applicants are advised to monitor the official State Department website for updates regarding registration dates and instructions. The DV Program is highly competitive, and only those selected through the lottery are eligible to apply for a visa.
