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.