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DVcompass

DV-2027

DV-2027: registration dates, and what’s new this year

Registration for the DV-2027 lottery has been ordered to open by Nov 1, 2026 and run for 30 days. Here is what is known, what has changed, and what to do before it opens.

travel.state.gov

Key dates

Registration announced
By Oct 29, 2026
Registration opens
By Nov 1, 2026
Registration closes
Nov 30, 2026 — 30 days after it opens
Results
By Dec 3, 2026, on dvprogram.state.gov only
DV-2027 visa year
Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

These are a court's deadlines

They come from an order in Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio, not from a Department of State announcement. When the Department publishes its own dates, those are the ones that count — check them on the official instructionsOfficial · state.gov (opens in a new tab).

Why the dates are late this year

Registration usually opens in early October. For DV-2027 it didn’t. In Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio, a federal court in California ordered the Department of State to announce registration by October 29, 2026, open it by November 1 for 30 days, and notify selectees by December 3. The government may appeal, which could move the dates again.

What’s new for DV-2027

A $1 registration fee

Entering the lottery used to be free. From DV-2027, each entry costs $1, paid online in US dollars when you submit, and it isn’t refunded if you’re not selected. Anyone who charges more is charging for their own service, not the government’s. Paying in dollars without an international card is the hard part for many entrants; it’s one of the things DVcompass does for you.

Passport details

Effective April 10, 2026, DV entry regulations added passport-information and passport biographic-page requirements unless an exemption applies. Have your passport to hand before you start, and confirm the exact fields on the official instructions for DV-2027.

Photos: the same rules, still the most common mistake

Every person on your entry needs their own photo, and one that breaks the rules disqualifies the whole entry without telling you. Check each photo free before you submit.

Get ready now

  1. Check your photo, and one for your spouse and every unmarried child under 21.
  2. Find your passport, and your family’s.
  3. Prepare your entry — every answer is checked as you go.
  4. Keep your confirmation number when you submit. It’s shown once, and it’s the only way to check your result.
Fill your DV applicationCheck my photo

Only one official website

Entries are made, and results shown, only on dvprogram.state.govOfficial · state.gov (opens in a new tab). Nobody is told they were selected by email, letter or phone, and nobody can improve your chances: the draw is random.

Official sources