Green Card Lottery 2027: New rules Kenyans need to know before applications open

Kenyans hoping to secure permanent residency in the United States have new immigration requirements to consider as the country prepares for the reopening of the 2027 Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery.

The programme’s registration process has been delayed, but a US federal judge has ordered the Department of State to reopen entries by November 1, 2026, following a legal challenge. The revised court-approved schedule provides for a 30-day registration period, although the timeline remains subject to further legal developments.

The development comes after months of uncertainty over the lottery, which gives eligible applicants an opportunity to apply for US permanent residency.

Applicants should prepare for changes to the entry process, including a passport requirement and a registration fee.

Rules published in March 2026 require applicants to provide details of a valid, unexpired passport and upload a scan of its biographical and signature page, subject to limited exemptions. A separate rule introduced a $1 (Ksh 130) registration fee. Applicants should confirm the final DV-2027 instructions before submitting their entries.

The Diversity Visa programme makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available annually to eligible applicants from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the US. However, being selected does not guarantee a visa, as applicants must still meet the programme’s eligibility and admissibility requirements.

Applicants must also meet specific education or work experience criteria to qualify. Beyond these entry requirements, new US immigration guidance could affect how some successful applicants already living in the country complete the process of obtaining permanent residency.

The guidance could affect international students, temporary workers and visitors already living in the US who hope to obtain green cards without leaving the country.

Adjustment of status allows eligible individuals already in the US to apply for permanent residency while remaining in the country. Consular processing, by contrast, involves completing the immigrant visa process through a US embassy or consulate abroad.

The new policy directs immigration officers to treat adjustment of status as an exceptional option, with applicants generally expected to use consular processing, subject to applicable exceptions.

However, the guidance does not itself change the initial lottery entry process for Kenyans applying from Kenya. Those already living in the US should seek qualified immigration advice to understand how the policy may affect their individual circumstances.

The immigration guidance comes as the lottery’s registration timeline remains uncertain following a court challenge.

US District Judge Jinsook Ohta issued a preliminary injunction requiring the Department of State to reopen registration after the entry period was delayed.

Under a revised schedule reported by immigration law firm Fragomen, the department is required to announce registration details by October 29, 2026, and open the entry period by November 1 for 30 days. The court order also sets a December 3 deadline for notifying selected entrants.

However, the US government has appealed the ruling and asked for the order to be put on hold while the appeal proceeds. This means applicants should not assume the registration dates are final until the latest official guidance is available.

The State Department had earlier announced that it was making changes to the DV-2027 entry process and would communicate the registration dates when they became available.

Prospective applicants should monitor the official US State Department website for updates and use the designated Electronic Diversity Visa portal when registration opens.

They should also review the final instructions, prepare the required documents and ensure that all personal and family information is accurate. The State Department allows only one entry per person during a registration period, and submitting multiple entries can lead to disqualification.

Kenyans should also be cautious of websites or agents promising guaranteed selection or claiming they can secure a place before official registration opens.

Separately, the State Department has announced a pause on issuing diversity immigrant visas, although applications and interviews may continue. This is distinct from the court case over DV-2027 registration and could affect the process for successful applicants.

With the registration timeline still subject to legal developments, prospective applicants should rely on official announcements and remember that selection in the lottery does not automatically guarantee permanent residency.

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