The U.S. Department of State has yet to open registration for the new season of the Diversity Visa (DV) program, also known as the Green Card lottery. Registration typically begins in early October, but as the fourth week of the month draws to a close, the official start has still not occurred.

Department representatives have only stated that registration will begin "soon," without providing reasons for the delay. No official comments have been made regarding specific dates yet.

Experts believe the delay might be due to the potential introduction of a registration fee of $1 for participation in the lottery. Previously, registration was free, and implementing a paid registration system requires setting up a reliable infrastructure for processing payments from millions of participants worldwide, which could explain the technical delays.

If the fee is introduced, participants will need an international payment card to register.