Interviews are scheduled in month batches based on case numbers becoming current according to the visa bulletin. However, regardless of the case number being current or not, no case can be scheduled for interview if the DS260 is not processed.
Initial DS260 processing in DV2015 took around 3 months (May submissions) and as the volume increased (June & July submissions) the processing time increased (more waiting time). So – we saw delays of up to 4 or 5 months in DV2015. By the spring of 2015, that 4 or 5 month delay started to reduce – presumably as the volume of submissions decreased.
DV2016 seems to have started the same way as DV2015 – with most October interviews going to people who submitted in May. Not all cases take the same time to process, so there may be two low case number cases submitted on May 30th for example, one got in to October, one didn’t.
Now – if people need to unlock and make changes to their DS260, some changes are going to cause a delay, some won’t. The differences are pretty much common sense – but let me give some examples:-
- Adding a spouse due to marriage – probably WILL take some reprocessing for background checks on the spouse.
- Adding a newborn child – probably WON’T take some reprocessing since newborn children could not have got into trouble yet!
- Changing the address you plan to move to in the USA – probably WON’T take some reprocessing since you have no history at the US address anyway.
- Adding an address in a country that was not previously listed on your form – probably WILL take some reprocessing for background checks on you in that new country (especially true if that country is some country such as Iran where background checks are not easy).
See what I mean – pretty much common sense – right?
Now – will the reprocessing delay your case? Well if your case is not going to be current for 4 months from now anyway, then there is more than enough time for the changes (even impactful changes) to be processed. So – in that case there will be no delay at all. The reprocessing is done during a period that was a waiting period for you anyway.
If on the other hand you are about to be current and need to add a spouse, that could well cause a delay. However, as I always say, a delay for an accurate DS260 is much better than a denial for an inaccurate DS260.
July 25, 2024 at 07:24
Hi! Im a US citizen petitioning my parents and filled out the ds260 as truthful as possible. I realized after submitting that i said “yes” to the question ” have you been the subject of removal or deportation hearing” in my moms application. My mom was detained in a center for a couple of days in 2009 but was granted a release on recognizance. This document says ” you have been arrested and placed in removal proceedings “. She decided to leave the US voluntarily and the officer said she could. She showed him departure ticket and took off her electronic device. The important part here is that i selected yes but now realized it says removal or deportation hearing. There was never a notice to appear or any hearings scheduled as she left pior to any of this happening. When i submitted the civil documents, it asked for criminal or court records plus deportation document. I submitted the order of recognizance document and explained what happened to her. Should i unlock the form and say no in this question? My documents have been submitted for almost a week. No documentarily qualified yet. Thank you so much ! Your page is a Godsend.
July 25, 2024 at 09:27
I only answer DV lottery questions.
May 30, 2024 at 09:39
Hello Brit Simon,
Thank you very much for your informative post. I am a DV2024 winner. My case number is large AF 95K. I have submitted my DS-260 form in June, 2023. Last time I checked the status of my case I received (Records indicate you have submitted a complete and valid DS-260 application for each family member to the Kentucky Consular Center. Interviews are scheduled numerically).
Here is my question, I am getting married in a week from now and we are concerned that getting married at this time might require unlocking the DS-260 form to make changes and add my spouse so that might cause delay in the processing of my application (especially it will be early June and the year ends in September). The alternative option will be delaying our wedding until the visa is granted and then apply for my spouse to come to the US.
May 30, 2024 at 11:23
The ONLY smart idea would be to marry ASAP and add the spouse.
However, your number is very high and you might not get an interview.
May 11, 2024 at 07:18
Hey Brit, I recently submitted my ds260 in may 4th but realised I didn’t put my full social media history and decided to unlock it so that I’d state precisely my accounts, my question is was it a good idea to unlock and other question is if they unlock it how will I know that it is unlocked? Thanks
May 11, 2024 at 09:24
You rushed to complete the DS260 before you knew what you were doing. So yes unlocking was the next best idea (1st best idea was doing it right in the first place).
They may email you, but you can also just check the DS260 (“completed” means locked)
March 20, 2024 at 10:12
Hello BritSimon
first of all, thank you for your great content. I really appreciate it. I just watched the video about unlocking the DS-260 but am still unsure.
I started a business and created a homepage for it, set up an Instagram and TikTok account a couple months ago. Should I unlock my DS-260. My case number is EU18.4XX
Thank you very much, Daniela
March 20, 2024 at 11:54
No.
November 7, 2023 at 03:51
Hello Simon : I am the winner of 2024 and have about 2900 case number
At first, I sent my DS260 forms on May 13th 2023, and later I opened my DS260 form twice, once in June and lastly on July 20th, and I addd my social media address.
We have appointed our interview location at the Embassy of Islamabad, Pakistan, although my case number be come current on December 2023 in visa bulletin, but we have not received the 2NL email until now.
Do you think my interview was delayed by unlocking the DS260 or how?
Thankful
November 7, 2023 at 09:45
No – ISL is probably restricting the number of interviews they are taking so far. You can confirm with KCC if your DS260 is processed.
November 7, 2023 at 23:39
The last time After my case number was currened on visa bulliten , I requested information from KCC about the status of our case, on October 11, 2023, they wrote me the following answer:
( Thank you for your inquiry.
Records indicate you have submitted a complete and valid DS-260 application for each family member to the Kentucky Consular Center. Interviews are scheduled numerically based on case numbers that have completed processing. Please refer to the visa bulletin at https://travel.state…. to locate the current numbers being processed. This bulletin is updated after the 15th day of each month. Once an interview date has been scheduled, you will receive notification via email to check dvprogram…..)
Considering the email received from KCC, in your opinion, at which stage is my case in terms of procedures, have our forms been processed and completed or not?
Thanks
November 8, 2023 at 09:52
That reply is saying your DS260 was fully processed. So, unlocking did not delay you at all. That isn’t a surprise since unlocking DOES NOT normally cause any delay.
So, you are current, and processed. Now your expectation of when you will get an interview depends on how your embassy is working.
November 8, 2023 at 22:02
it is very kind of you
Thanks for your useful information
December 1, 2021 at 19:53
Hi Brit, I am DV22 winner. Armenian national. I submitted DS260 in May 2021. At that time I was UK resident and mentioned London embassy in the form for interview. In August 2021 I relocated from UK to Armenia with my family. Now I don’t know MUST I unlock DS and change embassy from London to Yerevan or I COULD do it. Main question is it is MANDATORY or it is just a POSSIBILITY.
I would prefer do not change for these reasons:
1. I believe London embassy works better than Yerevan embassy
2. I think unlocking DS could delay my case
I emailed re this issue to KCC and London Embassy and got confusing answers. Your advise is highly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
December 2, 2021 at 04:38
Just forget to unlock.
BUT you run a risk if the borders close due to Covid.
July 25, 2021 at 16:13
Hi Brit, please my case number is 2022AF49###, I submitted my ds 260 and later discovered that the machine auto filled the. Names of towns and cities. Can this cause me a denial or I should send an unlock message to KCC
July 25, 2021 at 22:23
Unlock and correct.
May 6, 2021 at 03:16
I am legally in the US but I submitted my DS260 mentioning I’ll be going thru consular processing. Due to COVID, I want to do adjustment of status now. Emailed KCC to unlock but they told me that they won’t be able to unlock DS260 cuz the interview is ready to be scheduled. Don’t think consular processing will be done in time cuz of COVID and embassy closing indefinitely around India. What’s your suggestion to this? My only chance is to do adjustment of status and I want to use this option.
May 7, 2021 at 14:00
You don’t really need to unlock the DS260 – so you could explain your situation to KCC. However you have to pay the DV fee for the AOS case, and if you then get a CP interview, you will pay again if you decide that is faster.
May 8, 2021 at 03:29
So if I want to do AOS, DS260 doesn’t matter and I can just pay DV fees to KCC and file for i485?
May 8, 2021 at 03:56
Technically, yes. Some people never file their DS260. I recommend doing it at some point, but don’t lose time on it.
May 8, 2021 at 04:09
Thanks, was worried if me filing DS260 where I mentioned that I want to be interviewed in my home country would create any confusion and then USCIS deny my AOS application cuz of this reason.
April 8, 2021 at 14:08
Dear Mr Simon, I hope you are fine. My case number is 2021AS29XXX. Actually, my spouse’s passport will be expired on Feb 2022 and we decided to renew it because it has less than 6 months from Sep 2021. At the moment, she has a new passport with the old one. Could you please guide me whether it is necessary to unlock my DS260 for changing my spouse’s passport number or not? if it does not need to be changed in the DS 260, is it alright that her new passport number is written on the police certificate while her old passport number is written on the DS 260 and not fixed?
Regards.
April 8, 2021 at 17:30
If you have not yet sent the documents (or received confirmation of ready for scheduling) then yes you can update the DS260 then send all documents again with old and new passports.
November 30, 2020 at 17:39
Hi Brit, I have got a problem..
After submitting the ds260, I realized that I have forgotten to add some phone numbers and email addresses which I used within last 5 years time. What can I do for this? Can I tell this to KCC via an email or should I request the ds260 to be unlocked? What is the ideal solution?
Adeen
November 30, 2020 at 17:55
You can ask KCC to unlock your DS260.
July 18, 2020 at 21:36
Hi Brit Simon, my case number for 2021 is 34.554….do i have a chance to win the diversity visa? Btw, i unlocked the ds260 two times, one time because i had to change the location of interview and second time because i had to change the sponsor. Will those actions Delay my ds260 process?
July 18, 2020 at 21:43
You should always list the year and region with the number range.
July 18, 2020 at 22:00
Hi Brit Simon, sorry, i will correct myself: Year 2021. Region: Europe, Kosovo. My case number for 2021 is 34.554….do i have a chance to win the diversity visa 2021? Btw, i unlocked the ds260 two times, one time because i had to change the location of interview from Skopje to Pristina and second time because i had to change the sponsor. Will those actions Delay my ds260 process?
July 18, 2020 at 23:00
No delay. But no predictions yet. Patience.