If you follow the Diversity Visa Lottery as closely as we do, you may have noticed that there has been a delay in the Department of State’s announcement of registration dates for the Diversity Visa Lottery for Fiscal Year 2027 (“DV-2027”). However, DOS did share an announcement on November 5, 2025 that changes are coming to the 2027 DV lottery. One reassuring thing: if you’re eventually selected, nothing has changed about the application period. That window will still run from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027.
What has changed is a required $1 electronic registration fee; a first in the history of the DV Lottery. The fee is non-refundable, must be paid when you submit your entry, and officially went into effect in October 2025. DOS also included a gentle but important reminder via X warning would-be applicants to beware of scams. There are plenty of websites making bold claims that the lottery is already open; however, it is not.
As always, we’ll be keeping a close eye on these developments and share updates as soon as they’re released.
December 22, 2025: On Friday, December 19, 2025, The Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) announced that USCIS has paused the Diversity Visa Lottery program following an order from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, issued at the direction of President Trump. The announcement cited a recent fatal shooting at Brown University and noted that the individual involved reportedly entered the United States years earlier and later obtained permanent residency through the Diversity Visa lottery. According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the pause is intended to allow for a review of the program to “determine whether there’s something in the vetting of that program that’s insufficient.” DHS has not provided details on the duration of the pause or whether the review could result in permanent changes to the program.