Judge Jinsook Ohta of the Southern District of California issued a preliminary injunction on Oct 14, 2025, compelling the State Department to open the 2027 Diversity Visa lottery registration by Nov 1. The order follows a lawsuit filed by the immigration firm Red Eagle Law, which argued that the administration’s delay would effectively cancel the program for the fiscal year.
Under the original schedule, the department had to announce the registration dates by Oct 15, open the entry window on Oct 18, and notify winners by Nov 19. The judge granted an extension, shifting the notification deadline to Dec 3 while preserving the 30‑day registration period.
All electronic applications received after Nov 1 will be processed under the existing DV procedures until either all 55,000 visas are allotted or the fiscal year ends on Sept 30, 2027. The court’s order requires the department to accept eligible entries and proceed with the lottery despite the earlier delay.
The State Department cited changes to the entry process announced in Nov 2025 but failed to open registration on the usual schedule, leaving thousands of hopefuls in limbo. The pause in 2026 after a shooting at Brown University and a subsequent judge’s order to resume cases only added to the confusion.
Applicants should monitor the State Department’s website for the Nov 1 launch; the next major milestone is the lottery draw scheduled for December, after which selected applicants will be notified by the new Dec 3 deadline.
The enforcement of this order signals a renewed commitment to the Diversity Visa program, but it also underscores the fragility of immigration timelines in the current political climate.