I came to the US through the DV lottery, so I've been following this closely. Right now, people waiting to enter don't have an opening date. They have court orders, an appeal and another lawsuit.
As of November 6, 2026, DV-2027 registration is still closed. I found no announced DV-2028 opening date either. The official entry website says entries are not being accepted.
Can I enter now? No.
Was November 1 the opening date? It was a court deadline. That order was put on hold.
Is December 11 the new opening date? No. That's a reported hearing date.
Why people thought DV-2027 was about to open
On October 14, a federal judge ordered the State Department to open DV-2027 registration by November 1 and notify selected entrants by December 3. The judge's written order followed on October 19.
Then, on October 29, the Ninth Circuit put that order on hold while the government's appeal continues. Those opening and selection deadlines are not an active schedule people can rely on now.
The problem was who brought the case. Red Eagle Law sued as a law firm losing potential business. The appeals court said that commercial interest fell outside the interests protected by the DV law. It did not approve the State Department's failure to open registration.
A new lawsuit now covers DV-2027 and DV-2028
On November 1, Red Eagle Law announced a new lawsuit in Los Angeles challenging the lack of entry periods for both years. This case, Ivannikov v. Rubio, has an individual plaintiff rather than just the law firm.
That addresses a problem with the earlier case. It doesn't guarantee a win.
The firm says a hearing on its request for a preliminary injunction is set for December 11 at 10 am. That's the lawyers' announced hearing date, not a State Department registration announcement. Filing a lawsuit doesn't open the entry form.
Watch: what the new case is trying to do
BritSimon's video covers the new DV-2027 and DV-2028 lawsuit. This is independent commentary. The court documents and official notices linked here are the sources for the status above.
Watch on YouTube if the player doesn't load.
The old visa pause is a separate story
Don't mix up entering the lottery with getting a visa after selection.
The State Department's August 31 update says the December 2025 pause on DV visa issuance ended on August 28, 2026, following the court order in Medani v. Trump.
That page still has the old pause language below the update. Read the dated update at the top. Ending that pause did not open DV-2027 registration or give every older case a new deadline.
What to do while registration is closed
- Check the official sites. Use dvprogram.state.gov for entries and the State Department's DV-2027 notice for its announcement. A social media date isn't enough.
- Have your passport ready. The current entry rules require a valid, unexpired passport's details and scans of its biographic and signature page, with limited exemptions. Check the final instructions when entries open.
- Expect a $1 registration fee. That's in the current federal fee schedule. It doesn't mean registration is open or that you should pay a random agent now.
What bothers me about this
The State Department still lists October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027 as DV-2027's visa application period. That clock has started, but people haven't even been able to enter.
Whatever you think of the lottery, people deserve an actual schedule and a clear explanation. A program can stay on the books while delays make it harder to use. I'll judge the next announcement by whether people can actually submit an entry, not by another promised date.
Checked November 6, 2026, Pacific time. Registration dates and court schedules can change.
