- Thousands of Kenyans dreaming of building a life in the US have a fresh reason to pay attention
- A federal judge has issued a major ruling on the delayed 2027 Green Card Lottery, setting a deadline that could change everything
- Successful applicants can pursue permanent resident status, which allows them to live and work permanently in the US
Kenyans hoping to relocate to the United States have received a major boost after a federal judge ordered the US government to reopen registration for the 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery, popularly known as the Green Card Lottery.
Source: UGC
US District Judge Jinsook Ohta issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday, October 14, directing the Department of State to announce the registration period for the programme, which offers eligible applicants an opportunity to obtain permanent residence in the United States.
The ruling could revive the hopes of thousands of Kenyans who had been waiting for the annual immigration programme after the Trump administration failed to open the registration window on schedule.
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The Diversity Visa Lottery makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available to eligible people from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the US.
However, the court's decision does not mean applications are already open. Prospective applicants must wait for the US Department of State to publish the official registration dates, application website and eligibility requirements.
Deadline for Green Card Lottery Announcement
Judge Ohta ordered US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to publicly announce the registration period no later than midnight on Thursday, October 15.
The announcement must specify the opening and closing dates, the website where applicants can submit their entries electronically and the requirements for participating in the programme.
The judge further directed the department to publish the information through its usual public communication channels, including the Federal Register.
According to the ruling, the registration window must remain open for at least 30 days, giving eligible applicants an opportunity to submit their entries.
The court also ordered the State Department to notify individuals selected through the lottery and process their applications under the usual procedures until all available visas have been issued or the 2027 fiscal year ends on September 30, 2027, whichever comes first.
The ruling comes after months of uncertainty over the programme, which the US government had failed to open on time.
Why the 2027 Green Card Lottery Was Delayed
The Trump administration had previously announced that changes were being made to the Diversity Visa entry process and that registration dates would be communicated later.
However, the registration period never opened, prompting Red Eagle Law, a Southern California immigration law firm, to take legal action against Rubio in August.
The firm argued that the government's failure to announce an opening date had effectively cancelled a programme established under US immigration law.
The government, on the other hand, argued that it was too late to conduct the lottery within the required timeline.
Red Eagle Law founder Curtis Morrison welcomed the court's decision, describing it as a victory for the firm and prospective applicants.
“We won,” Morrison said in a video shared on social media following the ruling.
He also argued that the administration could not simply disregard legislation because it opposed the programme.
The Diversity Visa programme was established under the Immigration and Nationality Act and became law in 1990 during the administration of President George H. W. Bush.
President Donald Trump has opposed the programme since his first term in office.
What Ruling Means for Kenyans Hoping to Move to US
For Kenyans interested in living and working in the United States, the ruling restores the possibility of entering the 2027 Green Card Lottery once the official registration window is announced.
Successful applicants can pursue permanent resident status, commonly known as a Green Card, which allows them to live and work permanently in the US, subject to the applicable immigration rules.
However, being selected in the lottery does not automatically guarantee a visa. Applicants must still meet the eligibility requirements, submit the necessary documentation and complete the required immigration procedures before a visa can be issued.
Kenyans should therefore be cautious about individuals or agencies claiming that registration is already open or promising guaranteed selection.
The safest approach is to monitor announcements from the US Department of State and use the official government website once the registration period is confirmed.
The latest court decision is a significant development for prospective applicants, but the next critical step is the publication of the official dates and instructions.
Source: TUKO.co.ke