Completing the DS260 for DV lottery entrants
Completing the DS260 for DV lottery entrants
*** Note***
Upon submission, some people are getting an error message that the confirmation number doesn’t match. In that case – the solution is here:
https://britsimonsays.com/faq/ds260-case-number-doesnt-match-case-number/
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OK – so the main task to process your DV lottery win is to complete a form online that is your “application” for immigration benefit. That form is the DS260.
The form itself might seem daunting, and it may take about 2 hours to complete. It is important that you prepare your information, and enter the details as accurately as possible. You will be able to make changes later on, but it makes sense to spend a few extra minutes early on to get this right.
You will some documents to complete the process and mostly you will need those now so gather them now and create a special file to start creating your DV lottery paperwork:-
- Passport information for you and your family members.
- Birth certificates for you and your family members.
- Your education history
- Your work history
- Your address history
- An address in the USA of a friend or family member. This is where your Green Card will be sent.
Ready? OK now let me guide you through completing the form:-
Enter the form for the first time.
You need your case number which will be in the format of YEAR-REGION-CASENUMBER. For example 2016AS00001234. This is the FULL case number including the “leading zeroes” in this case before the 1234. (In online forums we suggest hiding the last 2 or 3 digigits and dropping the leading zeroes – so when quoting your case on a forum you would state this number as 2016AS1XXX or 2016AS12XX. This protects your identity.)
The form will expect your date of birth in day/month/year order. This is odd because Americans write date in month/day/year order.
Once in the form you will go through a number of sections where you will enter your details. Most of the information is self explanatory – but here are screenshots for each section of how the forms will look for a simple case – and some comments about some of the questions. Please remember it is important to make sure your answers are YOUR answers. Don’t just copy what I am suggesting if the answer does not agree with your circumstances.
1. Summary.
Here you will see a list of applicants attached to the case (based on the eDV entry). Click the link under “IV application” to complete the details for each applicant.
You can also add applicants from this page (if you have married since the original entry or had a child). Once you have added an applicant you cannot remove that applicant or change their name. So – please be careful about name spelling etc. It is also important to note that if you are adding a spouse or child that you already had prior to the original eDV entry but failed to mention in the original entry you will most probably be disqualified, as that is a critical error.
If you do have to add a child or spouse because of a birth or marriage while you are waiting to be interviewed, remember you will need to add an applicant AND in addition your own form will need to be unlocked so that you can add the new family relationship to your form.
2. Personal Information 1.
This is where you will enter your name information. It is a useful page to capture your name in English, but also in Native alphabet.
The names entered on this page should be as listed on your passport – but also use the “other names used” section to make sure you have covered combinations that appear in your documents. For example, if you have an education certificate that includes an additional family name, use the alias section to include that name. Also, use the alias section if you entered your name differently on the eDV entry. Entering your other names used here means USCIS have early notice to perform name checks on your various names used and therefore you can make sure your background check is comprehensive – which is exactly what you want to reduce the chances of being placed on AP or even refused for incomplete name information.
Complete the other details such as date of birth. If you somehow made a mistake on the eDV about your date of birth (for example during conversion from a different calendar) THIS is your opportunity to correct that mistake – please pay attention to that. This would normally agree with the date of birth on your birth certificate, but if that is not known, then use the date shown on your passport.
About city/state/country of birth. ON the eDV entry (where you entered the lottery) you will have entered something for your city of birth. The three levels are related to each other – so a CITY is sometimes denoted as being in a STATE (or province) and that STATE is within a COUNTRY. People sometimes are not sure what to enter so let me gives some examples.
You could have been born in Richmond which is a city/town in London, United Kingdom. So an acceptable answer (which should agree with the information on your birth certificate) would be:
CITY: Richmond
State/Province: London
Country: United Kingdom
Your passport should be valid for 6 months beyond the point of entry, but if your passport will expire during the DV process, you might be better submitting now with the current passport and updating later once you have the replacement passport. This is especially true if you have a low case number, and are therefore expecting an early interview. If you do need to renew your passport during the DV process, in many cases people have taken old and new passports to the interview without unlocking the form, but the preference would be to add the new passport details if time allows.
OK – hope that makes sense. Check what it says on your birth certificate. It is important that this information agrees to the birth certificate and the passport. By the way – your country of birth may not be the same as your nationality (which is on the next page). But your country of birth is what should have driven your entry into the lottery (eligibility is based on your country of birth, NOT your nationality).
The finished result should look something like this:-
3. Personal information 2
This page is about your travel documents (passport). Make sure you have the passport in front of you when you complete this page – accuracy is important as this will enable background checks.
Note, if you do not have a passport at this time you can complete the entry using another state issued ID, and then later unlock your forms to add the passport details. You WILL need a passport prior to interview as will any derivative (family member) of yours.
4. Present and previous address information
Try and complete this as accurately as possible. Provide all the address that you have LIVED at since the age of 16. If you stayed at a holiday home for a month or two, that does not need to be entered, but if you LIVED at an address for a few months then you should enter that address. You enter past address in reverse date order – meaning going backwards in time, one address at a time. Be as accurate as possible with the date you started living at each address (you can guess the dates within a month or two).
5. Mailing and Permanent Address Information
This is information about where you expect to stay in the USA OR the address of someone you can trust to receive your Green Card on your behalf. Most people can think of someone within their family or friends that could receive the GC for them. You should also know that you can change this address during the process – right up to the day your arrive in the USA for the first time.
6. Family information: Parents
OK – self explanatory information. I only show the top of the page in the screenshot below but you add your parents details and their addresses. THe data here should be accurate, but if you don’t know their birthdates etc. it is not a huge problem. Do the best you can.
7. Family information: Spouse and Previous Spouse
Enter the details as appropriate to your case. Remember, the information should be correct on the day you enter it. So, if you plan to marry in a month but want to submit your form today then you are SINGLE today. YOu can either delay submission of your form until you are married, or submit now as single and unlock your form later after the marriage. There is some information about marriage during the DV process here.
A previous spouse is entered when you divorced of a spouse passed away. You will be required to produce a divorce certificate or death certificate during the interview to tally with what you enter here.
8. Family information: Children
Fairly obviously you will need to enter information about each child you have, making sure their information ties with birth certificates and passports.
If your child is nearly 21 there may be special considerations for you. Please read this article on children aging out and their status under the CSPA.
If you are expecting a child to be born during the DV lottery processing period there are also procedures in place to obtain a Green Card for that child. I will address that with a new article.
One thing I would say, it is ESSENTIAL that you listed all your children in the eDV according to the instructions. If you made a mistake about that you may have caused yourself a problem. If you have a concern, contact me and explain your situation.
In the case shown in the screenshot below the applicant did not have any children.
9. Present work/education/training information
OK so this is important as education OR work experience are requirements of the DV lottery. Please read this article for more information about meeting the requirement. I cannot stress enough. You are only required to meet the education OR work experience – you do not have to prove BOTH. Of the two routes, education is the simplest and most reliable method, but some people cannot meet the education requirement – and although this may surprise you that includes me. I have had a very successful career in the IT field and have demonstrated my skills to earn a H1 visa (which is category of visa for highly educated or highly skilled workers), BUT I could not have met the DV lottery requirement on education! So – think carefully whether you do or not – and act accordingly.
Enter the information about work and education based on what you are doing at present. If you are entering work experience and hope to qualify through work experience you should consider carefully the question about “does this job require 2 years of training or experience”. Again, read the article above to understand that better.
10. Previous work/education/training information
OK – so this will vary depending on what you did before your present occupation. Maybe you had a different job, maybe you studied. Whichever is true you must enter that information here and create a complete history of your work, education and training. Try and get the dates to be accurate and make sure that those dates make sense with the address information you gave previously.
This page can end up being quite long and for the screenshots I have had to break it into two pieces. Just take your time and make it make sense. You can add another occupation (work or edication). Again, you enter going “backwards” in time.
11. Additional work/education/training information.
Answer the questions truthfully on this page. If you answer Yes and a box opens for further details there will be instructions of what further detail they want.
12. Security and Background: Medical and Health information
Answer these questions carefully and truthfully.
The second question (about vaccinations) causes some debate. Truthfully it WILL NOT MATTER whether you choose Yes or NO for that particular question. The right answer for 99% of people is NO, because you do not have “documentation to establish…”, even if you do have records of vaccinations. So, it is a subtle point but whether you answer yes or no it will not matter. The vaccinations you actually need will be decided by the panel physician at the time of your medical. So by all means gather whatever vaccination documentation you have.
13. Security and Background: Criminal
Answer these questions truthfully. Most criminal convictions will not cause disqualification, and you will have a chance to explain at the interview. The crimes that can cause disqualification are called “crimes of moral turpitude”. It is a vague term and perhaps one that I will write about to clarify but most people by far will not have a problem even if they have a criminal conviction. Previous immigration fraud is not surprisingly one of the crimes that can cause an issue which is why it is essential you always tell the truth on these applications.
14. Security and Background: Security 1
Again – answer these truthfully.
15. Security and Background: Security 2
Again – answer the questions truthfully.
16. Security and Background: Immigration law violations
As I mentioned earlier – they take immigration law violations seriously!
17. Security and Background: Miscellaneous 1
Again answer truthfully.
The skilled or unskilled labor question has sparked some debate. In reality if you intend to work in the USA then the answer to this is Yes – but this is another question that will not cause a problem no matter which response your choose.
18. Security and Background: Miscellaneous 2
Again these just need truthful answers.
The healthcare professional one is another question that really doesn’t matter how you answer it. If you are a healthcare worker don’t be afraid to admit that.
The public charge question should be answered NO. Public charge means financial assistance from the government. You must realize that the Green Card lottery winners should not be claiming “public assistance”. There are some exceptions to that statement, but in general you are expected to support yourself. The USA is a land of opportunity, not free gifts.
19. Social security number
Answer these three questions as shown below unless you already have a SSN from a previous period in the USA. USCIS will (in theory) forward your details to the social security administration (SSA) to apply for your SSN. In practice many people find this does not happen correctly and delays are caused in getting the SSN after you enter the USA. Since the SSN is so important for many purposes here in the USA that is a nuisance, so I always suggest people visit the SSA office after a couple of weeks to make sure your SSN is “in the system”. You should receive the SSN card itself about 2 to 3 weeks after entering the USA.
Submitting the form.
OK so you have completed your form. You do the same for each derivative (family member). Check all the forms carefully, take screenshots if you like and when you are ready, submit the form. You should then print the confirmation page. You will be able to review the form later in review mode and can also take screenshots at that point.
You may also be prompted to fill out a form for “selected service”. Any us resident male under 26 years old is required to register for selective service. This does not not mean you will need to serve in the military, but if there was some crisis that required additional military men under 26 years old will be picked by a lottery to be inducted into the military.
The form will become “locked” so that you will not be able to edit it although you will be able to review the information after you submitted it. If you need at any time prior to your interview to unlock the form you can do so by emailing KCC who generally respond within a few days. Once unlocked you can make changes.
Once KCC have your form they will “process” it. They conduct background checks based on the information you have told them and access to official records. The processing period in DV2015 took around 4 to 5 months because of the volume of forms submitted around the same time. So, if you have a very low case number and you delay the submission of your DS260 there is a chance you could delay the interview date – BUT don’t worry, you will simply be interviewed later. Interviews are conducted based on case number order but only from a pool of cases that have completed their DS260 processing.
June 2, 2025 at 09:00
Hi Simon
I keep getting this “(You have encountered an application error. Please try again later)”
Whenever I try to confirm my email address after72 hours I still didn’t get the welcome email address after I submitted the ds260 form
June 2, 2025 at 12:18
Getting the email confirmation isn’t important.
June 1, 2025 at 00:00
Hi Simon,
I am OC9XX for dv2026
DS260 QUESTION
1. for the previous employment do I only need to put full time positions? for context I currently work full time but prior to that have been a student for the last 7 years. I have had casual employment during that time and then also seasonal work as a ski instructor during my breaks. At the moment, I only have my seasonal work (as this was in the USA and Japan) and my longer running casual job (which is the same employer I am now with full time). Should I add in my additional casual jobs I had during university (eg. hospitality job 2-3 days per week)?
GENERAL QUESTIONS
2. how easy is it to reschedule an interview once it is scheduled?
3. with my case number and location, how long generally does it take to schedule an interview. If I submit my DS260 in say July/September of this year when (roughly) would I expect an interview in the Sydney consulate?
4. if I am trying to delay my interview (as I am not ready to move on the shortest possible timeline), is it best to submit my DS260 now and then try to reschedule the interview if it is too early?
5. can you explain how the interview rescheduling process works and whether it is a good/bad thing to do?
thank you for your guidance!
June 1, 2025 at 10:18
1. Just FT jobs.
2. It varies. I would prefer people don’t reschedule as that will usually mean a delay.
3. March/April 2026
4. You can do that, but delaying the DS260 submission is probably better.
5. You send an email to the embassy once scheduled, but see 4.
May 27, 2025 at 05:22
Hello! 🙂
Lucky draw eu19xxx
I am filling out DS260, as I have already found out I have to enter my data as an “assistant” when filling out my daughter’s application. However, at the end when signing, entering the KCC case number, passport number (child) a KCC number error pops up. (red arrow indicating the place of the error, however, the website does not show any information why this error is there..)
I wonder if sometimes this is not the place to enter the number without the “0”. But I would rather make sure.
To log in to DS260 I normally used the full KCC CN.
May 27, 2025 at 10:31
Take out the leading zeros. That is usually the problem. The other things are reading the FGM or SSS info if they pop up.
May 27, 2025 at 03:01
Hey, Ds260 form is look little different.
I have a problem with sign and submit..
They want to KCC case number – and tells its wrong, should i put number without “000” ? While log into the Ds260 form i use full kcc with “0”.
How to sign form for my child? I can indicate that someone helped me complete the form and enter my own information, but I need to sign it using her passport number?
May 27, 2025 at 10:21
Take out the leading zeros.
For the child, no need to worry – it isn’t important.
May 26, 2025 at 07:45
Hello brit
The information you provide are helpful, i have two questions following my winning of the DV 2026.
1. i have both education and well work experience that is i have a degree in electrical engineering before 10 years and have different related work experience which is 8 years plus, so can i use both or should i select one?
2. i have filled my birth city at eDV first time and the one on the passport are birth place not birth city, and on my birth certificate both are available the birth city and birth place, so on filling DS260 how i am gonna do it should i use the passport way or the one on my birth certificate? please note that in both cases the country are the same.
kindly looking forward dear
May 26, 2025 at 10:53
1. List all your education and work experience. They will first ask for education proof. If that meets the requirement they won’t go into work history.
2. Match the birth cert.
May 18, 2025 at 16:03
Hi @britsimon,
We are DV 2026 Selectee with a case number of OC7XX. We moved to NZ about 1 year ago. We are charged to Fiji.
For interview you suggest doing it in Fiji or NZ?
May 18, 2025 at 19:43
Either will be fine.
May 18, 2025 at 09:56
Hello Simon,
In case I do not know any one trusted in USA to put his/her Address what can I do to answer the question?
If I have a freelance job is it ok to write it in work experience?
If I have a low case number and I submit DS-260 in late of May that could affect my interview date? when should I submit for the DS-260 in order to get the best chance to get the visa?
thanks a lot
May 18, 2025 at 10:08
Number questions please.
1. Find a friend or a friend of a friend. You can change the address later.
2. That is self employed, so yes.
3. Early numbers have a high chance of being delayed because of late submission, but it is simply delay. End of May is OK.
May 19, 2025 at 20:48
I have been selected as a Diversity Visa (DV) winner for this year and am currently in the U.S. on an F-1 visa. What steps should I take to apply for Adjustment of Status (AOS)? Can I complete the DS-260 form now in May 2025? Also, how can I get in touch with S1smon
May 19, 2025 at 21:53
Use the link below. STUDY the information linked from the first post BEFORE you ask questions of Sm1smom.
https://forums.immigration.com/threads/dv-2026-aos-adjustment-of-status-process-only.352867/
May 14, 2025 at 08:24
Hey Simon,
Apologies in advance if you have answered this already. If we have been selected in the lottery as a male under 25 years old, when is the deadline to submit our DS-1810? Should we submit it as soon as we submit our DS-260?
Thanks!
May 14, 2025 at 10:25
You register for selective service when you arrive in the USA as an LPR. In the DS260 you have to read the SS policy.
May 13, 2025 at 13:13
Hi
I did self study before writing my secondary and high school certificate, I don’t know what to fill the educational questions in the ds260 form
May 13, 2025 at 20:35
Just go through the form step by step – all will be clear.
May 11, 2025 at 06:41
Hi dear Simon my case number is around sixteen thousand AS16### from Afghanistan asia for DV 2026 will I schedule for interview and which embassy is better Islamabad or Tajikistan Dushanbe because us embassy is closed in Afghanistan.
Thanks for paying attention.
May 11, 2025 at 09:23
You are asking which embassy will be working better a year from now. My crystal ball is broken unfortunately.
May 11, 2025 at 06:19
Hi Brits,
Thanks for the great job you doing and I do appreciate. Please there’s something that is bothering me. I play the dv2026 as a family, I don’t have a marriage certificate yet can i obtain the marriage certificate now and submit the DS-260. I mention in EDv lottery marry and I mention all my kids .
May 11, 2025 at 09:22
Are you saying you were married already but simply missing the certificate, or are you saying you were not married and lied on the entry? Big difference between the two situations.
May 13, 2025 at 10:15
We were married already but simply missing the certificate.
May 9, 2025 at 21:54
Hi Brit,
I am DV-2026 my passport expires on Oct/2025, I am little worried if I unlock my DS-260 would delay my interview. I can only get a new passport 3 months before the current one expires and it will take like a month to get a new one after I submit the process .
Have your heard similar cases to mine? , I haver heard that when this happens you should bring both passaports.
What would you do?
*Note: my case number is SA-2xxx
May 10, 2025 at 10:25
Unlocking doesn’t cause delay, but in the case of the passport there is no need to unlock anyway, you just take the new passport, and if possible the old one.
May 25, 2025 at 19:40
Hi Brit, I sent the DS-260 two weaks ago, my application changed to COMPLETED, but when I tried to get an email confirmation, It shows an “Application Error”. I don’t know if I should contact to KCC, I am afriad that I would not receive the confirmation email for the interview next year.
May 25, 2025 at 22:25
You don’t need the email. RELAX.
May 9, 2025 at 08:23
Hi Brit,
thank you for your great job. it’s truly helpful. however, as a foreign medical doctor with 10 years experience, I wondered if I should answer “yes” to these two specific questions or not?( considering that I have not passed the USMLEs yet)
“Q: Are you a health care worker seeking to perform such work in the United States but have not yet received certification from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools or from an equivalent approved independent credentialing organization?
Q: Are you a graduate of a foreign medical school seeking to perform medical services in the United States but have not yet passed the National Board of Medical Examiners examination or its equivalent?”
thanks
May 9, 2025 at 10:05
You can safely answer yes to both questions. It has no impact on a DV case, but of course the form serves other visa types also.
May 7, 2025 at 11:57
Hello,
Thank you for your web. I have a question: I’m at the end of my DS-260 application. And when I have to enter my KCC case number, I keep getting an error. I’ve tried several combinations and it still doesn’t work. Do you know what’s going on?
I’m entering my number like this: 2026EUXXXXXXXX (the Xs are numbers)
Thank you so much for your time, and I look forward to your response! By the way, you’re a huge fan of your videos. Thanks!
May 7, 2025 at 12:18
Remove the leading zeros. (I have a video that explains that)
May 7, 2025 at 01:12
Hello Brit,
First of all thank you for your effort and work have done, I followed your steps and everything was clear and super easy. I have 2 questions.
1. when I applied for dv lottery in November, my wife and I were not in official marriage, so we applied as separate applicants. also, for reference we are living together already more than 1 year, traveled together in several countries and also we worked at the same company for 3 years. What do you think, is it good idea making our marriage official now and applying ds-260 together as family, or winner continues separately and after obtaining visa then reuniting family?
2. After submitting applicants information, where can we follow up statuses? for example, (maybe) someone started reviewing the application, rejected, approved or scheduled interview in the embassy? (The reason I ask this is because in 2021 my parents won, but after we submitted ds-260 it is still having status “at NVC”, I have feeling we missed some steps needed to do after submission, so now I do not want to misunderstood something again)
Thank you again and wish great things to you and wish every green card winners receive their visas on time!
p.s. our case number is 2026EU36***, what are approximate chances getting our number current?
May 7, 2025 at 09:32
1. Yes marry now and file as a couple.
2. There are some status stages that can be determined by email KCC and recognizing their answer as being in certain stages.
3. Your case number appears to be high, so look at my latest blog article/video to understand what that means and when we will know more.
May 4, 2025 at 07:31
Hi Simon,
With respect to previous travel history question, which is mention all countries travelled in the last five year:
1. Is it requrired to mention country of origion and country of residence?
2. If I travelled to country for less than 6 month shall I inculde that country ?
3. If I transit in country without passing through immigrtation, should that country ?
4. with respect to police certificate i know it is needed for 6 month country stay, Also required for origion country and country of residence as well, the question is it required for other (less than 6 month stay countries) and if not how to prove that to embassy by passport stamps or shall i bring document for travel history in the past 5 years from police ?
thanks and sorry for long question.
May 4, 2025 at 09:25
1. The question makes that clear.
2. Yes
3. No
4. Read the instructions more carefully. For previous countries it can be required for 12 months an up.
April 25, 2025 at 05:48
Hi Simon, I’ve applied for the DV Lottery and am preparing for the DS260 for the 3rd of May. I was going over your blog for filling out the DS260 form and I had a question about the Eduction / Work field. I’m from the Netherlands and I meet the requirements for Education. I did 8 years of elementary school from 4 to 12 years of age (8 years total), then high school for 6 years and then HBO in film art. HBO is not quite university in the Netherlands, but it is not vocational either from what i’ve read. It should fall under university internationally. Which would total 8+6+4=18 years of education.
However…. I am not currently working in this field. I just started working as a lifeguard and aqua aerobics instructor and am following a 2 month + 5 month or so course for that.
So what should I fill in under ‘Present work/education/training information’?
I am planning to get a job working at a swimming pool in the U.S.A. My wife and I are planning to move back into the arts and entertainment field but have nothing concrete in that area yet. I worked for myself after my HBO school in film, but my own business in that field lasted for about 6 years and was not very substantial. The first 2-3 years brought in enough money for us to live. But after that in terms of income it was not substantial, (eventhough I did work extremely hard and learned a lot about art and business).
Will I hurt my qualifications based on education if I fill in lifeguard as present occupation? Since I dont think being a lifeguard, or pool worker quite covers the 2 years of experience? What else could I fill in as present school or occupation?
Thank you so much in advance!!❤️
April 25, 2025 at 14:19
Your chance of being selected in the lottery is 1 in 100 years. You are doing a lot of thinking, planning and reading for something that is just a lottery.
If you win, these questions might be worthwhile, but win first.
November 8, 2024 at 03:27
Hello.I have a quick question.Im didn’t finish my highschool education but been running my own business for 5 years.Im thinking to do my G.E.D online if I win.
Thank you
November 9, 2024 at 08:24
The GED wouldn’t help, so you can only qualify if your business is a legitimate, substantial business where you are performing some senior role.
October 26, 2024 at 15:30
Hello brit! I’m just preparing for worst case scenarios, but:
1. If I graduated in a field with good job prospects but couldn’t find a job before filling ds-260 and put unemployed there, will I be asked to bring i-134 to the interview even though I have enough money to support myself long enough to find a job in the US?
2. If I don’t bring i-134 and instead bring bank statements and the embassy is satisfied, would they drop the i-134 requirement at the interview?
October 26, 2024 at 16:40
1. Possibly.
2. Possibly.
September 21, 2024 at 06:45
Hello Britsimon, I won the dv 2025 and I got married this year and I have included my new spouse (we have been dating since 2015) in the application process, however she travelled to Laos during Covid times for a job which she was scammed to. So her passport is stamped “Prohibited employment” .. will this be a problem for me and her during the interview?
September 22, 2024 at 09:39
I can’t be certain. Just be honest in the interview.
August 24, 2024 at 17:43
Good evening and thank you for the information.
I have some doubts regarding the DS-260 and the interview.
– Should I write the name of the school and university in English or in the original language, given that the actual name is not in English?
– It asks me for past jobs, but do I have to enter EVERYTHING, including short-term jobs and occasional performance contracts?
– Will the interview be in English? Do I have to translate all documents?
– Finally, DO THE INTERVIEW REQUIRE SPECIFIC ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OR ARE THEY OPEN TO EVERYONE?
Thank you
August 25, 2024 at 10:43
1. English is best
2. No – the main jobs that were your primary occupation
3. Yes it will be in English – but there may be translators available. Read the instructions about when documents should be translated.
4. Yes there is a public charge concern. You should be able to show personal savings, or get an I-134
August 21, 2024 at 01:17
Hi Brit,
First: thank you for all your efforts in guiding us through this process!
I am filling in the DS260 for DV2025.
In “primary phone number” it only accepts the “+1” international code, so I figure it wants a US phone number. But: if I do not type in the international code, it would accept my national phone number.
(I should tell you: I am not in the US right now, I live in Europe)
Question for you:
1. Could I just fill in this field with my national phone number, without international code? Do you know / think this would be a bad idea?
2. If you suggest me to get a US phone number for this, do you know how I could get one from abroad?
Thank you in advance!
August 21, 2024 at 08:55
Just fill in the number as is. No one will be calling you, but if they did, they will be local to you.
August 15, 2024 at 20:08
Hey Brit,
I was selected for the DV2025. Just a quick one. I’m filling out the DS-260 with my wife and on the personal information 2 page, my wife has two passports, does it matter in which order the passports are entered? Should the first passport be where she was born, or should it be which passport she wants the visa stamped in?
She was born in Paraguay and lived there most of her life but also has a Swiss passport. We’d like to use her Swiss passport for the visa as her Paraguayan one expires soon as getting a new one is a huge ordeal as there’s no consulates near us at all. She used her Swiss passport for her current L2 visa.
Thanks Brit.
Regards,
Dave
August 15, 2024 at 22:16
The order doesn’t matter
August 16, 2024 at 09:12
Thanks Brit.
Another quick question. When filling out the info on the form, I also said that my son was immigrating with me. But now I’ve found out from contacting the KCC that this was wrong because he is a U.S citizen already and he is not immigrating with us.
They have not been clear on how to fix this though. Right now when I login to the CEAC website I see me, my wife and my son. My wife and my DS260 are marked as “complete” and my son’s is marked as “incomplete” and it says his status for immigration is “accompany”. I’m guessing that this is because of my answer that he is immigrating with us. Is there a way to fix this?
Regards,
Dave
August 16, 2024 at 10:14
That’s fine, just leave his form incomplete No need to change anything
July 29, 2024 at 11:26
Hi Brit,
I have selected for DV 2025. Case no 9*** Asia. My wife is pregnant and expected date of delivery is Oct 23, 2024. I have submitted the DV 260. What should I do now? Waiting for interview or is there any authority that I should inform prior to the interview to include the new born?
July 29, 2024 at 13:47
Once the baby is born, unlock to correct the DS260 for each parent, and also create a DS260 for the baby.
July 30, 2024 at 03:51
Thank you brit I will unlock and add the baby’s details. Also will it affect the interview scheduling process by unlocking DS260 in October or November. Will it be sort of disadvantage in overall. Kindly explain
July 30, 2024 at 09:55
It won’t cause delay, but even if there was a risk of that, you have no choice.
July 30, 2024 at 21:22
Thank you so much for your valuable advices.
July 6, 2024 at 07:50
Hello britsimon,
I’m dv2019 and I live now in US.
After ds260 do they still require sending your civil documents online before medical and then interview?
Thanks.
July 6, 2024 at 08:54
No
June 21, 2024 at 11:09
Hi Brit,
Reference to the education part, during my masters, I have physically attended classes and exams from 2014-2017, however I defended my master thesis in June 2021, and got my masters diploma in July 2021. In the date of attendance from I will put 2014, however which date to put in “attendance to”?
2017, June 2021 or July 2021?
Thanks in advance.
June 21, 2024 at 12:12
You can use your judgement about what “attended” means.
June 12, 2024 at 20:47
Hi Simon!
I am currently nearing the end of my STEM OPT and will start my 60 day grace period from the end of this July. I was selected for the DV2024 and will go current anyday now. I was reviewing my DS260 and realized I had put my interview location as USCIS. Am I allowed to interview at one of the local USCIS office in US while on my grace period? Should I need to exit the country prior to this? Do I need to submit a I-485? Questions I acknowledge I should have asked months ago but alas. Always appreciate your experience and clarity.
Thank you for your time
SRP
June 13, 2024 at 09:14
I defer all AOS questions to “Sm1smom” at the thread below.
https://forums.immigration.com/threads/dv-2024-aos-adjustment-of-status-process-only.346971/
May 29, 2024 at 12:50
Hey Simon,
Thanks for supporting the applicants.
My question is, on the DS260, I put my high school name as “AAA High School” (AAA is example, not real name), but its actual name is “AAA Turkish Private High School”. But I have the high school diploma with the full name. Do you recommend me to have my form unlocked so I can change it? Is this a big mistake?
May 29, 2024 at 19:43
If you are DV2025 – you have time, so correct it.
May 27, 2024 at 08:34
Hello sir I’m from Algeria I have 02 baccalauréat should I mention one or two in ds260
I forget to mention my some social media account should I have to mention all of them?!
Best regards
May 27, 2024 at 08:44
Complete the DS260 as accurately as possible.
May 23, 2024 at 14:54
Hi Simon,
Thank you for all the information.
I just want ask is my chances is good for DV2025.
My case is 2025AS148**
Thank you.
May 23, 2024 at 15:27
Probably. We will know better later.
May 19, 2024 at 02:38
Thank you very much
1, If I don’t have proof of vaccination, should I say no or yes?
2, I am not married, can I add a sister or cousin to the family?
3,, what is petitioner information?
May 19, 2024 at 08:29
1. No is the better answer, neither answer will cause a problem.
2. No
3. For DV you are self petitioned.
May 17, 2024 at 03:40
Hola Brit Simon,
Una pregunta: En el eDV inicial me registre como Cubano y que vivía en Cuba pero en realidad estoy viviendo en España, ha sido problema de traducción porque no manejo el Ingles y talvez de interpretación tambien, porque mi nacionalidad y elegibilidad es por Cuba.
Cree usted que eso es un gran problema o podré solucionarlo con un buen llenado de DS260? Gracias!
May 17, 2024 at 08:23
https://britsimonsays.com/ask-questions/comment-page-793/#comment-353004
May 14, 2024 at 09:21
Hey Britsimon, I hope all is well. I’m deciding between the Beirut and Abu Dhabi embassies. It seems the Beirut embassy’s performance isn’t up to par – they’ve only conducted one interview for DV2024 since October 2023, while Abu Dhabi has a long queue to handle. Any thoughts on which one might be a better choice? 2025AS12xxx
May 14, 2024 at 10:12
Yep – not BRT for now.
May 13, 2024 at 23:06
Hi Simon,
I went to login to finish my DS260 and it and it came up with ‘Your request cannot be processed at this time’ – does this mean the portal is closed? Is there a time limit from when you get selected in the lottery to when you can do the DS260?
Thank you, much appreciated!
May 14, 2024 at 09:05
No there is no time limit. Try again with a different browser.
May 11, 2024 at 11:10
Hi Simon,
I am the main applicant and my spouse’s passport is still pending.
1. Can I fill DS260 without her passport number?
2. Can I add her passport number later?
3. Is it safe to wait one month to get her passport and then fill DS260?
4. Is there a deadline to submit DS260?
Thank you.
May 11, 2024 at 11:13
1. Yes
2. Yes (or just take it to the interview)
3. Yes
4. No
May 11, 2024 at 05:05
Hello Simon,
I have a case number in 75,000.
Do I stand a chance?
Another thing Simon, my high school certificate has a middle name m. Will my father’s name, on my wedding certificate, my middle name is spelled out. But I played with my first name my father’s initial in the middle and my husband surme name. Example. Lorpu G. Daikur but I have Lorpu G. Quaqua on my high school certificate, and I Lorpu Gorpu on my wedding certificate. What should I do when filling out the Ds260? Thank you
May 11, 2024 at 09:18
1. Too early to know.
2. Your name on the DS260 should match the birth cert/passport. If you have used other names, use the other names section.
May 11, 2024 at 02:19
Thank you for this information. I made a mistake in my husband’s date of birth, instead of 27, I said 21 in the entrants. And 27 is what is on his birthday certificate. Another mistake is my baby middle name is not spelled out on the birth certificate, but I spelled it out in the entrantry. Can I correct that in the Ds260 form? Please reply to this question.
May 11, 2024 at 09:10
1. Correct it on the DS260.
1. Correct it on the DS260.
May 7, 2024 at 09:37
hello Simon,
i am selected for DV 2025
i wanted to ask you about filling in DS 260, is it important to fill it as soon as possible? what if i fill it a month or two later?
the second and an important question: i don’t have a birth certificate, how important is it to upload, is it optional or manditory, it will take a long time for to make one because of the logistics and the situation i am in right now? again if i wait for making a birth certificate i will have to fill the DS 260 probably months later? what should i do?
May 7, 2024 at 11:44
You can complete the DS260 now, or delay a bit. But if you delay, you might end up waiting for processing, depending on your case number.
You will need a birth cert, not to file the DS260 but at the interview. So get on that now.
May 6, 2024 at 08:27
Hello Brit! Hope you’re doing ok!
I was a winner in the DV 2021 and got to submit the DS260, and the set of documents at that time, but because of the Trump measures combined with Covid aftershock, I didn’t get till the interview, since the time expired. I’m part of the GOODLUCK lawsuit, but also that is progressing quite slowly.
After checking today, I found out that I am a winner again in the DV 2025, and with a pretty low case number too.
My questions are as below:
1 – Will me being a part of the GOODLUCK lawsuit create any problems with my DV 2025 application?
2 – Since I haven’t saved the exact information filled in the first DS260 which I did submit on 2020, and now I have to submit everything again for the DV2025, would it be ok if there will be some small discrepancy between the data submitted in 2020 and now?
I mean not discrepancies on the important stuff, but maybe between the exact dates of travel or between the exact dates of residence to some place.
May 6, 2024 at 11:55
1. No.
2. No – but you can still access your DV2020 DS260 – right?
May 5, 2024 at 18:04
Hi Brit hope you are fine! I don’t know for filling DS260 for DV2025 is it necessary digital photo for upload? Thank you Ann
May 5, 2024 at 21:59
No
May 5, 2024 at 08:40
Hello sir,
I have some questions regarding of my DS-260 application form for DV 2025.
1. i am 20 years old and after graduation from high school i did not go to university for two years, and for the year that is coming i have applied for university and probably i will get accepted, my question is about the fact that what should i put for the Primary Occupation? i mean right now i do not work officially anywhere and i am not a student either but i will be a student in the time of interview.
2. about work experience, i taught English for one year to two student individually in their house and online and also i worked as a designer not in a company, just if someone need it, i would helped them to design their logo, menu and these kind of stuff, and also i have an online shop which i sell my crocheted stuff, do i need to mention any of these?
3. the important one, i was born in Tajikistan but my parents were born in Afghanistan, therefore we have residency permit card instead of Tajik passport, and for international travel i have a stateless passport, first, is my situation makes any problem for getting the visa? and second what should i put for the nationality which basically i do not possess any?
4. in the time of writing the name for the lottery, my name and my surname which each has two parts were written together base on the suggestion that the person who filled the application did, cause he said, it will make things missy, now should i separate them right?
Thank you so much for you greatness.
May 5, 2024 at 09:56
1. You can put “unofficial” work, or student.
2. You can, but none of that will impact your case.
3. Not a problem. Just enter the truth.
4. Yes
May 5, 2024 at 13:38
Thank you so so much,
one more question sir,
if i go to university it will be in another city which basically i would stay in its dormitory. for the “present address” section, with that being said, what should i write for the present address? it should be the address that i am living right now, right?
May 5, 2024 at 14:50
Write the address that you treat as your actual home.
May 6, 2024 at 06:35
thank you so much
November 28, 2023 at 01:15
Hello Brit,
I watched your most recent ‘LIVE’ session on YouTube this past Sunday where a lady mentioned that she was handed a ds5535 after her interview. She even asked if it was a good thing.
I will be interviewing in Canada, and would want to know if I can fill out and notorize a ds5535 form and carry it along with my just in case I’m asked or handed one(I’ll then give the one I’ve already filled out to avoid being on 221g).
Would this be okay to do?
November 28, 2023 at 07:24
I don’t think that would cause any harm.
November 17, 2023 at 23:33
Hi Simon,
1. For previous address, if I used to stay in a foreign country (for study),
a. There’s a period about 1-2 months in between, I returned to my home country. So should I fill in as 3 periods as below:
m1.yyyy-m2.yyyy: x country
m2.yyyy-m3.yyyy: home country
m3.yyyy-m4.yyyy: x country
b. During the stay in that foreign country, I changed address many times, but some are just short period 1-3 months. Should I fill all the addresses or I can ignore the address of the short period by including it to the other address?
2. Currently I’m living in a different house from my parents, but my residence book, ID card, passport mentioned my address at my parents house. I also used my parents address as current address for the DV entry. What is the correct way to fill for current address?
Thanks
November 18, 2023 at 10:52
A. Ignore the visit home.
B. If there was a maim address, use that.
2. Either would be ok.
November 5, 2023 at 06:56
Hello sir, when should I fill out the DS-260 to participate in the DV lottery? I have already registered for the DV lottery. Thanks in advance!
November 5, 2023 at 09:38
If you are selected, you receive instructions. If you only just entered for the lottery in the last few weeks you have to wait until May to see if you were selected.
August 19, 2023 at 07:27
Hi Simon
I am a DV23 delectee with dual citizenship with both countries valid passports. In my DV application I was chargeable to Iran and on the DS-260 it shows the other country (both countries information yet submitted of DS-260 form).
My spouse is from that country and according to the instructions I can claim that chargeability of that country.
Would this present a reason for disaulification?
August 19, 2023 at 09:30
This is all about the entry.
You could have charged to your own country of birth or your wife’s country of birth. As long as you did that, your current nationalities are unimportant.
August 9, 2023 at 09:01
Hi Simon, thanks for all your help. How do we change the Permanent Address that we submitted on the DS 260 form? I know we can do it right up to the day of arrival but now sure how we do it? Thanks
August 9, 2023 at 11:17
You can do that before the interview by unlocking, then you can change at the interview by asking the CO, and your last chance is at the POE.
July 26, 2023 at 06:28
Good morning sir
Please I was part of 2020 lotteries and I submitted all my particulars and after COVID-19 becomes serious so all the Ghana/USA embassy was closed
So please I request to know if is over with me or there’s a way please
July 26, 2023 at 18:40
In most years the chance is over at the end of the fiscal year. However, DV2020 had a lawsuit which is currently being appealed. The outcome of that lawsuit may give you a chance.
July 24, 2023 at 17:04
Hello, i win dv2024 i need some help to complete my case
July 25, 2023 at 06:18
You have to be more clear/specific.
July 17, 2023 at 18:56
Hi Simon,
Thanks for providing all this information on your website, I am from Peru (South America) and I have been selected for the DV2024 program, I am now in the process of filling out the DS260 form, but I have some questions which I hope with your vast experience you can help me clarify:
The interview would be taken at the Peru Embassy in Lima, Peru.
1. In my country Peru the native language is spanish, so the physical addresses are in spanish for example
Calle Salazar Bondy 588 Urbanizacion Razuri
In english a possible translation would be 588 Salazar Bondy Street,
My question is do I need to translate all the physical addresses into English? because if I put my address in google maps in english probably it will not found.
2. Regarding education and work experience, do I need to translate any degree I may have into English? let’s say I have a Master in Computer Science, Spanish the correct name is MAESTRÍA EN DIRECCIÓN DE SISTEMAS Y TECNOLOGÍAS DE LA INFORMACIÓN, so would I need to translate this into English even if the certificate expedited by the university is in Spanish?
3. In phone number, the form asks if I have used another telephone number in the past 5 years.
If I have some telephone numbers under my name meaning I am the owner of the mobile lines, but that are been used by other persons like my family. Do I need to list these numbers just because they are in my name? or only if I currently using or used them?
4. Regarding email, the same question asks if I use other emails in the past 5 years.
If I have used other emails from work, like corporate emails apart from my personal Gmail email, do I need to list those corporate emails as well?
I would be really thankful for your response to this questions
July 18, 2023 at 00:59
1. No
2. No
3. Just the main one(s)
4. Again, main ones.
July 9, 2023 at 04:27
Hi Simon,
Upon reviewing I noticed that my ‘previous empoloyment’ lines are missing from the form. Is that normal?
Thanks.
July 9, 2023 at 11:38
The form changes based on your data entry, so you might have made a selection that affected that.
July 29, 2024 at 16:23
Hi Brit, thank you for the great job.
I am a selectee for the dv2025. I did the initial entry when as single but was in a relationship and now we are married.
My husband however had a child before we met and we have both been living as family ever after.
Right now, I intend to fill my ds260 with my current status,
1) will there be any problem if I fill my husband as dependent for both of us to travel?
2) In this case, how do I fill in the section of family information: Children? Should I say “yes, I have a child”?…
I really wish to go with my husband and child if possible.
Thank you…
July 29, 2024 at 17:10
1. No problem. Getting married is normal, but you might be asked to show that the relationship existed before the selection.
2. Yes you have a step child. You can create a DS260 for the child too, but the birth mother may not agree, so the question of who has custody might come up.