A federal judge orders the U.S. government to reopen the 2027 Diversity Visa “Green Card” lottery, allowing up to 55,000 applicants. The ruling comes after legal action challenging how and when the lottery registration is handled by the U.S. State Department, including a suit naming Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Judge Jinsook Ohta directs the government to publicly announce key details, including the registration dates and the website for submitting entries, along with the eligibility requirements. Sources report that registration must run for a set period—described as 30 days—and that specific timelines for approval and processing apply. The outlets also note that the case intersects with broader policy changes affecting some applicants’ processing steps, including returning to their home countries for processing.
While the coverage focuses on different aspects—such as the legal trigger, the scope of 55,000 slots, and the procedural steps for registration—all describe the same court-ordered reopening and the requirement for the government to provide transparent instructions for eligible applicants.
