The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery typically opens during the first week of October. However, this year’s launch has already been delayed by more than a month, and the U.S. Department of State has yet to announce the start of the DV-2027 program.
The delay has fueled growing uncertainty and concern among millions of potential applicants worldwide. On Wednesday, NepYork contacted the Department of State regarding the ongoing delay and the expected timeline for releasing information about the DV-2027 registration period.
A Department official responded: “The Diversity Visa (DV) Program is established by statute, and the Department of State will continue to implement the program as required by law. There will be changes to the DV entry process this year. We will announce registration dates and other details when available.”
The Diversity Visa Lottery, a long-awaited opportunity for individuals around the world to obtain U.S. permanent residency, continues to generate speculation about when DV-2027 entries will open. Recent regulatory changes and unforeseen delays have prompted many to seek clarity on the timeline.
For reference, the DV-2026 program accepted entries from October 2 to November 7, 2024. The DV-2025 period ran from October 4 to November 7, 2023, and the DV-2024 program was open from October 5 to November 8, 2022.
Delays in the DV program are not unprecedented. In 2017, a technical problem forced the Department to reset the DV-2019 registration period after entries submitted between October 3 and October 10 were lost due to a system glitch. A new entry window opened on October 18 of that year.
The Department of State has not provided an official reason for this year’s delay. NepYork reached out three times seeking clarification, but the Department declined to comment or confirm the cause. Officials neither confirmed nor denied whether the introduction of a new $1 electronic registration fee or recent government shutdowns contributed to the postponement.
In mid-October, the Bureau of Consular Affairs reiterated its earlier statement: “Dates for the DV-2027 program registration period will be widely publicized in the coming months.” The same language appeared in the latest November Visa Bulletin, leaving observers uncertain whether this indicates an imminent announcement or standard phrasing reused from prior bulletins.
A major confirmed change to the program is the new $1 electronic registration fee, which must be paid at the time of submission. The final rule establishing this fee was published in the Federal Register on September 16, 2025, and took effect immediately. The Department explained that the fee is intended to fairly allocate the costs of managing the random selection process and to reduce speculative or fraudulent entries.
Previously, the operational costs of the lottery were included in the $330 Diversity Visa application fee, payable only by those selected. Under the new system, the $1 registration fee helps balance costs among all entrants. The Department estimates the new fee will generate about $25 million in annual revenue. Although operational costs have been separated from the main application fee, the $330 charge for successful applicants will remain unchanged for now, pending a future fee review.
Some immigration attorneys believe the delay may be tied to the global implementation of the new payment system. “Rolling out an electronic payment platform across all qualifying regions could be the technical reason for this prolonged wait,” said Keshab Seadie, a New York–based immigration lawyer.
A passport will not be required for DV-2027 registration. Although President Trump’s administration proposed a rule in August 2025 mandating passports for DV applicants, officials say it is unlikely to take effect in time for this lottery cycle due to procedural timelines.
This proposal follows a 2019 interim rule—introduced under the same administration—that was struck down by U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who ruled that the policy was enacted without proper procedures. In 2022, the Department formally removed the passport requirement following that decision.
The current administration is now seeking to reinstate the measure with proper legal procedures. The proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on August 5, 2025, remains under public review. If implemented in the future, applicants will be required to provide their passport number, issuing country, expiration date, and a digital copy of the passport’s biographical and signature pages.
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Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
