WORLD · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
US Court Orders Reopening of 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery for 55,000 Applicants
WHY IT MATTERS
The ruling expands immigration opportunities for 55,000 individuals and sets clearer procedural rules, directly influencing U.S. diversity visa policy and applicant expectations.
What happened
A federal judge, Jinsook Ohta, has ordered the U. S. Department of State to reopen the diversity visa lottery for the 2027 cycle, allowing 55,000 new applicants to apply.
The ruling followed a lawsuit filed against Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the lottery’s registration process. Judge Ohta required a 30‑day registration window and strict eligibility checks for all submissions.
In addition, the court’s decision introduces a new policy that may require some applicants to return to their home countries for Green Card processing. The order restores the lottery’s operation and clarifies the procedural steps applicants must follow, potentially affecting thousands of hopeful immigrants.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Court tells US to process Green Card applications for up to 55k people
The Times of India · TOI TECH DESK · Discovery only; publisher copyright terms apply
CORRECTIONS & UPDATES
- Revision 1 · Initial ingestion · Oct 16, 2026, 3:46 PM
- Revision 2 · Source update detected · Oct 16, 2026, 3:46 PM