US to revamp Green Card lottery entry system; Diversity Visa-2027 application dates to be out soon

The U.S. Department of State has said it will implement changes to the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery entry process for the upcoming DV-2027 program, which offers a pathway to permanent residency for up to 55,000 immigrants each year.

In a notice released this week, the Department said the registration process is being updated, though it did not specify what changes are being introduced. Officials confirmed that details, including the opening date for DV-2027 applications and the date for result availability on the Entry Status Check (ESC) portal, will be announced soon.

Despite the procedural adjustments, the Department clarified that the visa issuance window remains unchanged. Individuals selected in the DV-2027 draw will be able to apply for their immigrant visas between October 1, 2026, and September 30, 2027 — the standard one-year period assigned for Diversity Visa processing.

The Diversity Visa program, often referred to as the Green Card Lottery, is designed to diversify U.S. immigration by offering permanent residency to nationals of countries with historically low immigration rates to the United States.

The State Department urged prospective applicants to monitor the official website, dvprogram.state.gov, for upcoming announcements regarding the new entry process and registration schedule.