A friend, Matina K, has suggested that some might benefit from a post about how to handle the situation when you have entered as single and want to get married at various points along the DV process.
Firstly, I should explain that the marital status question in the eDV entry is one of the critical questions on the form – a mistake on your marital status can (and typically does) cause disqualification – even if the mistake was innocuous/innocent. Some people, for instance, choose “legally separated” when they are in fact, married, but separated. Unless a separation is legally recorded (typically by a court) then you cannot claim to be separated. Similarly, if you enter married because you plan/expect to be married before the results are announced, that can also cause disqualification. It is essential that you take this question seriously and literally.
OK so what do you do if you are planning to get married before the results are announced OR you are selected and then realize that you want to take your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner. The process depends on the exact timing, between the original entry/registration (October), result announcement (May 1), your interview date (after October, according to when you are current) and the end of the DV year (September 30).
By the way, these comments relate to opposite sex, or same sex relationships. Since the repeal of DOMA the federal government has recognized same sex couples have the same rights for immigration benefit as opposite sex couples. US immigration law therefore respects marriage based on the laws and customs that govern in the place where the marriage was performed. If a marriage is considered legal in the place where it was performed then US immigration law treats the marriage as lawful. I will refer to your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner/fiancé all as partner from now on in this article.
Entry of an unmarried couple in DV lottery
First of all, if you are unmarried you cannot list your partner as a spouse. You can of course both enter the lottery and if either one wins then they have the option of marrying to confer the benefit of a visa (and then Green Card) on the other. Just be aware that each principal selectee (winner) has to meet the requirements in their own right (regarding). Whilst married couples can benefit from cross charging to a spouse’s country (if their own country is ineligible) that option is NOT available to single entrants that later marry. If you are unmarried but have children then both entries should include the children as derivatives.
Scenario 1: Marriage after registration, but before the results are announced.
This one is “easy”. Life happens, you don’t put your life on hold simply because you entered the DV lottery. So – you got married, then you found out you were selected so you simply fill in the DS260 as a married couple. There will be some “normal” scrutiny of the marriage – even people who have been married years have been lightly questioned about the marriage in DV interviews. Marriage prior to selection may get similar interest – and if you want to be extra prepared then take some proof of the marriage as I will describe below.
Scenario 2: Marriage after registration, and after the results are announced, but prior to interview.
OK – there is nothing wrong with this if the relationship is real. In fact it is absolutely the sensible thing to do in some cases as I will describe shortly. However, winning the DV lottery is a huge opportunity and there are plenty of people that have tried to manipulate the system to obtain two Green Cards based on a “sham” marriage. It is therefore up to the couple to demonstrate the genuine nature of the marriage and, especially in countries where fraud is more common, the couple should be prepared for extensive and deep scrutiny of the marriage. People have been prosecuted for immigration fraud based on sham marriages – so please don’t even consider that!
If you have plans to marry shortly after the announcement of the results, you may decide to hold back submission of your DS260 until you have married, so that you can include your spouse on the first submission of the forms. However, if you have already submitted your DS260 and marry while you are waiting for interview, you can request KCC to unlock your form (email is best) and then modify your DS260 to include your new spouse (including modifying your own entry to reflect your new marital status). In the email requesting the form unlocking, I would suggest including a scan of the marriage certificate which will be added to your KCC file (later sent to the embassy or Field office if doing adjustment of status).
If the marriage happens after the case has been passed to the embassy for a scheduled interview, you should still inform KCC as a precaution BUT your actual approach is to handle the change direct with the embassy. Some embassies are relaxed about who attends the interviews, others are very UNrelaxed – so in some cases you will have to contact the embassy or ask KCC to contact them on your behalf to get your spouse added to the interview schedule.
Scenario 3: Marriage after interview, before entry to the USA, and before the end of the year.
OK – you like to live on the edge don’t ya! This is still technically possible, but unwise. The process involves approaching the embassy that handled your case. However, this is a highly risky strategy as the embassy may not understand the rules, you might time out, visas may be exhausted and so on. The MUCH more preferable option is to bring forward the date of your marriage before the interview.
Scenario 4: Marriage after interview, after entry into the USA but before the end of the DV year (September 30th).
OK – this is rare, so rare that I am not even sure this would be technically possible/legal. If you have created this mess you may be able to process a derivative case but this would be highly risky since they would rightly wonder why you hadn’t handled this earlier (i.e. causing them severe doubt that the relationship is real).
Scenario 5: Marriage after the end of the year
This one no longer falls under DV lottery rules – a normal immigration process would need to be followed which is slower and more expensive.
Proof of relationship.
How can you prove your relationship is genuine and not just a sham to take advantage of a DV lottery win. Basically this is a matter of demonstrating your life together and the big events with documentary evidence. This can include the following suggestions.:
- Photos/Emails/Joint bills from the period of time before the marriage.
- Photos or other evidence from the wedding ceremony itself.
- Joint financial documents such as shared bank accounts.
- Knowledge of each other, your extended families and so on.
Get your thinking cap on – the burden is on you to prove the marriage is real. If there is doubt in the mind of the CO he/she is entitled to deny your visa with no appeal process (in consular processing cases).
Thank you to Matina for the suggestion on this topic – as usual, feel free to ask questions/comment on this article, check out my other posts and subscribe to my blog to be notified as I publish further articles.
DV lottery
May 20, 2022 at 15:49
Hie Brit. Thanks for everything. I submitted my DS 260 2023AF33xxx for myself (Principal Applicant) and family, however i think I used my date of birth on my spouse’s signature page. Is it a big deal? But I got the confirmation emails for all.
May 21, 2022 at 16:50
No problem
May 23, 2022 at 05:47
Thank you so much Brit
May 24, 2022 at 19:24
Hi Brit, my boyfriend just got selected for DV 2023. We’re planing to get married in Canada so he can add me on his DS260. We’ll also have our first child at the end of July. The process to get a certificate takes 3 months after the celebration. He has a pretty good case number EU6XXX. Would you recommend to wait for the certificate of mariage to proceed for the DS260 ou to send it right know as a single and then add me and our child to the DS260? What exactly are they waiting for as a proof of marriage ?
Moreover, do you know if the US Consulate in Montreal is currently interviewing for the DV program ? I heard that there services have been stucked for months.
Thanks a lot !
May 24, 2022 at 20:12
You could wait until married and have the baby, but I would personally get married sooner and then submit the DS260, adding the baby once born. The paperwork can be obtained later.
May 24, 2022 at 21:56
Thanks Brit ! When you say « paperwork can be obtained later », are you talking about the proof of marriage ? I think that we have to download it while we’re filling the DS260. But I’m not sure what they are expecting exactly…
Any recent news for the Consulate of Montreal ?
Thanks again for your help !
May 28, 2022 at 20:28
You do not generally upload documents with the DS260.
May 29, 2022 at 09:57
Hi Brit,
My boyfriend got selected the Green card lottery, earlier this year he had his interview and one month ago he came back after receiving his green card. We both know what is the most legal and fastest way so we can go together there.We want to get married, but if we do it before the end of Septmber does it still counts as part of the DV process and if it does what should we do now?? Could you show us the path and give us some hop, bcs both of us are supper stressed. We have been together for 3 year, but we didnt know it would be so difficult after his application for the Green card ( I didng got selected)
thank you!!!!
June 1, 2022 at 17:45
No he could have included you before, but it is too late now. So you will have to go through a family based case, which will take 2 to 3 years.
June 4, 2022 at 07:21
Hi Brit
In my original EDV entry, I stated married but did not have marriage certificate then. After DV 2023 results were announced, I went on getting marry in this June and it’s printed on the certificate June 4.
Will that post a problem for me?
Can I backdate the certificate prior to DV 2023 registration?
In my original entry of the DV 2023, the name given to son was Peter D Tokpah Jr. In his DS 260 I want to change his name to Peter G kollie jr.
Will that post a problem for me?
Should I just leave it as Peter D Tokpah jr?
Please I need your assistance
June 4, 2022 at 14:51
1. They could deny your case for claiming to be married.
2. The names in the DS260 should be correct legal names. If a name has changed you must have legal proof of the change.
June 7, 2022 at 22:56
Hi Brit,
I have one question please.
My girlfriend got selected Eu28xxx for Dv2023 and we are getting married somewhere between June 10-15th.
We are planning on her getting my Last Name.
How would that affect Ds260?
Question1: We suppose she should apply for the new passport, to fill Ds260 right? I mean because of the new last name.
Question 2: Would it be better for her to keep her last name so that we can fill the form sooner?
What is your advise please?
Thanks a lot!
June 9, 2022 at 22:31
1. Yes
2. No – you have a long wait anyway.
December 5, 2022 at 17:22
Hi Britt
Here is my case
I’m 2022 dv winner. Got my visa already in September. Still didn’t enter to US. I’m getting married this December. Is there any possibility to ask US embassy to change my marital status and take my spouse with me?
December 5, 2022 at 22:02
No. You will have to sponsor your spouse via an I-130 process, which will take some years.
May 13, 2023 at 21:27
Hello ,
I’m already a USA citizen and my girlfriend got selected on Dv24 . We’re playing to get married January ,2024 . If she fills DS260 as as single now and changed to married before her interview comes , is that will be a risk ? Thank you
May 13, 2023 at 22:28
No
May 16, 2023 at 02:54
Princewill is my name. My wife won the 2024 DV so my worry is, we have a new baby 4months before the DV was announced. What do we do? Do we fill the DS-260 and add him or we write to the KCC first?
Thank you
May 16, 2023 at 10:58
Just add him to your DS260s, and use the add applicant feature to create a DS260 for him. It’s no problem.