US Court puts a hold on DV Lottery 2027 registration schedule

The application process for the 2027 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program has hit a new legal hurdle. On October 29, 2026, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals suspended a previous court order that had mandated the U.S. Department of State to open registrations by early November. This ruling follows an appeal filed by the federal government against an October 14 decision by Judge Jinsook Ohta. The appellate court found that the plaintiff, the law firm Red Eagle Law, failed to show a strong likelihood of success on the merits, noting that the firm's financial interests do not qualify for protection under the visa program's legislation. While this suspension halts the strict timeline previously imposed, the court clarified that it has not yet made a final ruling on the legality of the Department of State's delay. As a result, registration remains officially closed for all applicants, including those in Algeria. Candidates are encouraged to monitor the official program website for any further developments regarding the status of the lottery.