Washington: A US federal court has ordered the Trump administration to reopen registration for the 2027 Green Card lottery by November 1, reviving an immigration programme that offers thousands of foreigners a chance to obtain permanent residency in the United States.
US District Judge Jinsook Ohta issued the order on October 14 after the State Department failed to open registration for the Diversity Visa (DV-2027) programme on schedule.
Under the revised timetable, the department must announce registration details by October 29, open applications by November 1 and notify selected applicants by December 3. The registration window must remain open for 30 days.
The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by immigration law firm Red Eagle Law against Secretary of State Marco Rubio, challenging the administration’s failure to conduct the annual lottery.
The government had argued that it was too late to hold the lottery within the prescribed period. The court, however, directed authorities to proceed with the programme.
The Diversity Visa programme offers up to 55,000 immigrant visas annually, subject to statutory reductions, to people from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the US. Applicants are selected randomly but must meet eligibility requirements before receiving visas.
People born in India are generally ineligible for the lottery because of the country’s high immigration numbers, though limited exceptions apply.
The ruling comes amid uncertainty over the programme following restrictions imposed by the Trump administration. The State Department’s existing guidance also includes a separate suspension of Diversity Visa issuance.
The court-directed process must be completed within the 2027 financial year, ending September 30, 2027. Selection in the lottery does not guarantee a Green Card.
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