DV-2027 registration delayed, not canceled, per official updates

People hoping to enter the United States 🇺🇸 through the diversity visa lottery woke up this month to another round of rumors that the program had been suspended and the DV‑2027 registration period scrapped. The U.S. Department of State says that is false. The department has delayed the opening of the online entry window while it makes “certain changes to the Diversity Visa (DV) entry process,” and it will publish a new start date “as soon as practicable,” according to an official notice on its website. Officials stressed that the pause affects only the entry start, not interviews or issuance.

What the State Department says and what it means for applicants

In the same notice, the department said the changes “will not affect the visa application period for individuals selected for DV‑2027,” language aimed at calming entrants who fear missing out if they cannot file on the first day.

The agency’s main DV pages repeat that the electronic entry portal opens only during the announced registration window and stays inactive until dates are posted. As of now, there is no open DV‑2027 registration period shown on the State Department’s DV information page at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry.html. That absence has fueled social-media claims of cancellation, but officials have not used that word at all.

The pause affects only the entry start, not interviews or issuance.

Embassy warnings and fraud concerns

U.S. embassies have echoed the warning, partly because delays often bring a spike in fraud. The U.S. Embassy in Samoa, in a public advisory, told readers bluntly, “DV‑2027 Has Not Started,” and urged them to ignore emails or websites that claim they can submit entries early for a fee.

State Department guidance also says that:

• Entry is free.
• Only the official E‑DV website should be used once registration opens.
• Applicants who pay third parties risk identity theft, fake confirmation numbers, or entries filed with wrong details.
• Even small errors can lead to disqualification at the interview.

The embassy warnings are blunt because fraud often starts with promises to “pre‑register” or “reserve” a slot—wording that has no meaning in the DV program. The portal is closed for now.

Timeline, delay impact, and community effects

Outside government, immigration practice advisories and government-oriented summaries published in November and December 2025 reached the same conclusion: the entry period that is usually announced in the fall was postponed in November 2025, and no notice of cancellation has followed.

Several lawyers said privately that clients were calling daily, worried that a missed window could end a family’s long-shot chance at a green card. Because the diversity visa lottery is run on strict deadlines, even a short delay feels risky to people arranging internet access, translations, and documents. For many, it is the only legal path they can afford today.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the lack of dates has also made it harder for community groups to schedule clinics that help people fill out the online form correctly, especially in places where a single cybercafé serves a whole neighborhood. Until a date appears, rumors will spread.

What the DV program is and why timing matters

The DV program, created by Congress, offers up to 55,000 immigrant visas each year to people from countries with low rates of recent immigration to the United States 🇺🇸. Winners are:

• Picked by computer at random, but selection is only the first step.
• Selectees still must meet education or work requirements.
• They must pass security checks and complete consular processing before visas run out.

That last part matters because DV visas expire at the end of the fiscal year, which can turn paperwork delays into lost opportunities even for people who “win” the lottery. That is why the start‑date uncertainty draws attention.

Possible rule changes and continued uncertainty

Part of the confusion stems from talk of rule changes. Recent Federal Register activity, cited in news summaries, has discussed:

• A possible $1 online entry fee
• Proposed passport or document requirements tied to entries

But the State Department’s notice about DV‑2027 registration does not spell out which ideas, if any, will be put in place for this round, nor when any rule would become legally binding. That gap leaves applicants guessing whether they should renew a passport now or wait, and it gives scammers more material to sound convincing.

Until details are posted, applicants can only follow official updates.

Practical entry instructions (what applicants should remember)

State Department officials have long said that legitimate DV entries are submitted only through the government’s website during the official window, and that no one can increase a person’s odds. When the DV‑2027 registration period finally opens, entrants will need to:

1. Complete the online form in one session.
2. Save the confirmation number as proof.

People who do not save the confirmation number may struggle later to check selection results.

Why timing is more than technical for many applicants

For people in eligible countries, timing is not just a technical detail. Many applicants:

• Share a computer
• Line up at internet cafés
• Ask friends abroad to help scan photos
• Plan around work shifts and school hours

Some families also try to time marriages or name changes before entering, because the entry must match later documents. The State Department has tried to reassure entrants that the pause “will not affect the visa application period for individuals selected for DV‑2027,” but that promise does little to ease worry while no calendar dates exist. Openings have come with notice suddenly.

Recommended approach while waiting

Until the department posts a new announcement, the safest course is patience and skepticism.

• Treat any site asking for money to file an entry as a red flag.
• Ignore emails claiming you have already been selected.
• Be wary of any “agent” offering early access.

The only reliable place to learn when DV‑2027 registration begins is the State Department’s official notices, which the agency says it will update “as soon as practicable.” State Department’s official notices

For now, the diversity visa lottery is not suspended, and officials have said the registration delay is part of planned process changes, not a shutdown. No date has followed.