As of September 29, 2026, we have not found any DV-2028 registration dates on the official State Department pages, so registration has not opened. The State Department has also not yet announced the start of the DV-2027 registration period, which it said in November 2025 would be announced later. Here is what is confirmed, what is still unknown, and how to protect yourself from the scams that follow every lottery announcement.
The short version
Status: No DV-2028 registration dates found on official State Department pages as of September 29, 2026
Only official entry site: dvprogram.state.gov
Cost to enter: Nothing. The State Department says the online entry is free.
What to do now: Gather your documents and check only official sources for dates.
What does not change: Entering the lottery does not guarantee selection, and selection does not guarantee a visa.
Key Takeaways
- We could not find DV-2028 registration dates on the State Department’s official pages, so any website or message giving you an exact DV-2028 opening date is not coming from an official announcement.
- The only official place to enter is dvprogram.state.gov, and entering is free. Anyone charging you to “register” or “guarantee” a win is not the U.S. government.
- Use the wait to gather documents and check your eligibility, but do not pay anyone for a place in a lottery that has not opened.
Has DV-2028 registration opened yet?
No official dates have been announced that we could find. The State Department’s Diversity Visa instructions page and the official entry website still show information about earlier program years, not a DV-2028 entry period. The State Department has said it publishes detailed instructions for each program year, including the registration dates, and the entry website does not become active until the date and time it specifies.
That matters because the program year names can confuse people. The DV-2027 program is the one whose entry period has been delayed, and the DV-2028 lottery would come after it. Our post on the Diversity Visa lottery for 2027 explains that program and how the lottery works in general.
What happened with the DV-2027 timeline?
On November 5, 2025, the State Department posted a notice titled Changes to Entry Period for 2027 Diversity Visa (DV) Program. It said the start date of the DV-2027 registration period, and the date DV-2027 selection results may become available, would be announced later. The notice also said the visa application period for people selected for DV-2027 would remain October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027.
We have not found a later official notice setting a DV-2027 start date. Since DV-2028 follows DV-2027, it would be a guess to say when DV-2028 will open. Anyone who gives you an exact date is speculating.
What is known and what is unknown?
Known:
- The official entry site is dvprogram.state.gov, and the State Department says the online entry application is free.
- Submitting more than one entry for the same person during a registration period disqualifies all of that person’s entries, according to the State Department.
- The State Department announced on November 5, 2025 that the DV-2027 registration start date would be announced later.
Unknown:
- When DV-2027 registration will open, and when DV-2028 registration will open.
- Whether entry requirements, such as what information or documents the online form asks for, will change for the next entry period.
- How the State Department’s review of screening and vetting procedures, and the court cases challenging visa pauses, will affect future program years.
On that last point, published reports say the State Department paused diversity visa issuance in December 2025 for a review of screening and vetting, and that a federal court in Medani et al. v. Trump et al. ordered issuance to resume as of August 28, 2026. Those cases concern people already selected in earlier years, and the orders can be appealed or change, so we do not treat them as a forecast for a future lottery. Check the State Department’s Diversity Visa Program page for the current position.
Where is the only official place to enter, and how do I avoid scams?
The only official entry site is dvprogram.state.gov. The State Department warns that some websites and emails try to mislead people by posing as providers of official U.S. government information, and it says the online entry is easy and free. A few practical rules:
- Do not pay anyone to “register you early,” “reserve your spot,” or “increase your chances.” Nothing opens until the State Department announces it.
- Be careful with websites that look official but have a different web address, such as ones that add extra words to “dvprogram” or end in something other than .gov.
- Treat any email or text saying you “won” with suspicion, and check results only through the official State Department site.
- Never send your passport scans, bank details or confirmation number to someone who contacted you first.
If you already paid a website for a DV-2028 entry and are worried, call us at (407) 917-2087 so we can look at what you received.
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Who can enter the Diversity Visa lottery?
Eligibility is set each year in the State Department’s instructions, so read the instructions for the program year you plan to enter when they are published. In general, the program is for people born in countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States, and some dependent areas overseas count toward a parent country for eligibility purposes. The State Department’s page explains how country of eligibility works for people born in a dependency or overseas territory. Selected applicants must also meet education or work experience requirements later in the process, and the instructions describe them.
Being eligible to enter is different from being eligible to receive a green card. Selected applicants still face screening for inadmissibility, and people who plan to apply from inside the United States need to be able to adjust status. Our guide on how long a green card takes in 2026 shows how the later steps fit together.
What should I prepare before registration opens?
You cannot enter yet, but you can get organized so you are ready when the official instructions come out:
- Passport. Check that your passport is valid and has your correct name, date of birth and country of birth. Confirm in the official instructions, once published, whether passport details are required to enter.
- Photo. Photo rules are set by the State Department, so wait for the current specifications instead of using a template from another website.
- Family information. Gather the names, dates of birth and countries of birth for your spouse and unmarried children under 21, because the entry form asks about them.
- A safe email address. Use an address you control and will check for years. Keep your confirmation number in a safe place after you enter.
- One entry only. Plan for a single entry per person. The State Department says multiple entries for one person disqualify all of that person’s entries.
Some later steps also use documents you can find now. If you are selected, you will need civil documents and, in many cases, proof of education or work experience. Our post on the visa number and other numbers on your notices can help you understand the paperwork you may receive.
What should I do now?
- Bookmark the State Department’s Diversity Visa pages and check them directly, instead of relying on social media posts or messages from strangers.
- Ignore any site or message that gives an exact DV-2028 date or asks for money.
- Review your own situation. If you are already in the United States, tell us about your entry and status history, because they matter if you are ever selected. Our green card and permanent residency page outlines other paths to consider, since the lottery is never a guaranteed route.
- Do not stop pursuing another option because you plan to enter the lottery. A win is a matter of chance.
What this does not change
Nothing in the delay changes your rights under any other immigration process. The lottery is one of many ways to seek a green card, and a delay in its schedule does not affect a petition or application you already have pending. Court orders about visa pauses can be appealed, and we do not know how they will end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DV-2028 registration open right now?
As of September 29, 2026, we could not find DV-2028 registration dates on the official State Department pages. Check dvprogram.state.gov and the State Department’s Diversity Visa page for the current status.
Does it cost money to enter the green card lottery?
No. The State Department says the online entry application is free. Anyone charging a fee to enter for you is not the government, and paying does not improve your chances.
Can I enter DV-2027 and DV-2028 both?
Each program year has its own registration period, and the State Department says multiple entries by the same person during one registration period disqualify all of that person’s entries. Follow the official instructions for each period.
Can a lawyer improve my chances of winning?
No. Selection is random. A lawyer can help you understand eligibility and what comes after selection, but no one can increase your odds of being chosen.
How We Can Help
We help people understand their green card options, check for issues that could matter later, and avoid scams. If you want to talk through your situation, call us at (407) 917-2087 or start with a free pre-evaluation. We review the facts to see whether we can help, and if it is a fit, we will invite you to a paid consultation with a written flat-fee quote.
If you live in the Orlando area and need help after a lottery selection, see how we work with immigrant families in Orlando.
Our founding attorney Denisse Ilabaca is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by The Florida Bar, a distinction held by fewer than two percent of Florida attorneys.
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship with Ilabaca Law, PLLC. Immigration rules and program dates change often, so talk with a licensed attorney about your situation before you act.