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August 26, 2019 at 11:40
Advise or experiences of people who do not have friends or family in USA or know anyone,
1. Where do i get the address to fill in my DS260 where my GC will be mailed.
2. Can i add a hotel or rental address?
August 26, 2019 at 19:36
1. Family, Friend, friend of a friend.
2. No
September 5, 2019 at 18:30
1. Can a dv-lottery winner, once obtaining the green card, still own a company outside the U.S?
2. Can you still work outside the U.S once you are a permanent resident?
September 6, 2019 at 13:57
1. Yes
2. Yes
September 22, 2019 at 07:38
Thanks!
But basically that would mean that you could say to the CO that you’ll be keeping your job in your home country (as a main income..) and that can’t be right..?
1. So to be safe, just have an sponsor as proof at the interview and then just keep commuting/work on remote once settled in the US?
2. How would one do their taxes if the income comes from another country…?
We haven’t even been selected (yet!) but we are in the middle of starting a business (that is quite lucrative) and we’re planning a bit ahead.
September 22, 2019 at 19:21
1. You are supposed to live in the USA, but that doesn’t mean you can’t own a business elsewhere or travel for work outside the USA for short periods.
2. You have to report foreign income to the USA.
September 22, 2019 at 19:31
Thanks you! You are truly such a blessing for so many people out there.
October 21, 2019 at 13:14
I got married on 18 October 2019 and have my husband’s last name. I now want to apply for the dv lottery, however my passport has my previous last name. Do I apply on my old name even though I am now married with a new name?
October 22, 2019 at 03:16
New name.
September 22, 2020 at 05:55
Hi Simon,
My wife is in the same boat as the lady above, she has a passport in her maiden name, do we have to get a passport in her new name or can the green card visa be used in her maiden name passport?
September 22, 2020 at 22:24
Same boat, same answer.
December 25, 2019 at 07:55
Hello britsimon I changed my previous passport and I take for anew passpor since i completed Ds260 for the previus passpor so can i ask unlock my ds260 kcc as i change new previous passport thank you
December 26, 2019 at 19:05
Yes.
October 3, 2021 at 20:15
Please sir can a green card holder still apply for dv lottery and be a principal applicant for his family abroad.If yes will he be needed at the interview along with his family or only to he derivatives will go for the interview and meet him overs.Thanks
October 6, 2021 at 04:54
No a GC holder cannot be a principal selectee.
December 31, 2019 at 12:05
Please why is it necessary to continue checking your entrant status after checking it for the first time in may. Is it possible your entrant status may change?
December 31, 2019 at 17:40
You only need to check it twice – once in May and once again in October. The reason is that in some years more winners are added around September. That does not happen every year – and did not happen in DV2020.
March 21, 2020 at 03:07
Hi BritSimon,
I’m just wondering about criminal convictions. I have a drink driving conviction from 2009 and I know that this will be sent to the Embassy when I do a police check through the New Zealand Police. Obviously, I would raise it where asked also. I just haven’t seen anything on the forums or your FAQ about the likelihood of denial due to criminal convictions?
Thanks,
Kelly
March 21, 2020 at 05:20
One incident from over 10 years ago is unlikely to cause a problem.
March 21, 2020 at 19:28
I thought the same, thanks very much for confirming!
June 10, 2020 at 21:02
hello brit, really thanks a lot for your prompt reply and helpful information for my request about case numbers. it really helped me a lot to clear out the confusions i had. Earlier, i was just reviewing the printed copies of my DS 260 application and i suddenly found out about the error i made in the middle name section. In my passport, in the given name section, it says Samuel Dibabu. however, i just filled in Samuel in the given name section of the DS260. however i filled my sur name right. and fortunately, i filled in my given name correctly in my native language in the section where it asks “full name in native language”. so what is better for me to do? can i unlock my ds260 and edit it or is it not a big deal or anyother advice you could give me. i really don’t know what to do. thanks in advance for the helpful information you will offer!
June 11, 2020 at 01:02
Always quote the case number with year and region.
I assume 2021 – so there is time to unlock and correct. Do that, names are important.
June 10, 2020 at 21:14
to clarify my previous message,
XXXXXXXXXXXX DELETED for your privacy XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
THANKS!
June 10, 2020 at 21:32
Im Dosantos I have won the 2021 lottery but in 2018 I had a B1/B2 visa but I was denied entry and my visa was revoked in Chicago and I was deported back to kenya…will this bring any effect to my green card visa processing on the previous travel history?
June 11, 2020 at 01:06
Possibly – it depends why.
June 11, 2020 at 03:55
According to the charge sheet I had two visa denial in 2005 for an F1 student visa ..when I applied for the B1/B/2 I did no mention that I had visa denial since 10yrs were over from the date of denial..also they screened my phone and came out with some whatzup conversation that I made after getting the visa to friend of mine who asked me if I will return after my visit and I had replied….. ‘am not boarding’…a slogan that was common in Kenya when Miguna Miguna was deported from Kenya to Canada…will this situation affect my entry?
June 11, 2020 at 04:18
Possibly. Your record shows a continued lack of respect for the immigration laws of the USA, so it wouldn’t be a total shock if they now decide to show you how bad that thought process was.
The only way to know for sure is to go through the process, but for goodness sake tell the truth and take responsibility for your previous actions and demonstrate contrition.
June 11, 2020 at 05:28
From your experience advice briefly on how to go ahead about it.
June 11, 2020 at 17:51
This isn’t something you can fix. Your previous behavior creates a risk. The only way to find out for sure is to proceed. If you don’t want to take a risk, don’t proceed.
June 11, 2020 at 09:40
Hello Brit, thanks a lot for your helpful information. But I have some questions:
1- how would I unlock my DS260 and correct my mistake?
2- how long would it take to make my DS260 unlocked, to edit it and to complete the whole correction process?
3- As my CN is 2021AF65xxx would unlocking and correcting my mistake lags back my DS260 processing, the rate it should have been going, would it lag back the day I should have been asked to submit my documents and the day I should have been scheduled for an interview when my visa bulletin is current?
4- if it lags it up, then would it be possible to not unlock and correct the mistake and just inform the officer at the embassy about the mistake in the day of my interview?
5- I submitted my DS260 immediately like in less than a day after the DV lottery results were released officially. So if I unlock and correct it, will they start to process my DS260 starting from the day I corrected it so that all the peoples who had submitted their DS260 after I had submitted my first DS260 but before I corrected it will be asked to submit their documents and scheduled for an interview before me? Thanks in advance for the helpful information you will offer!!
June 11, 2020 at 22:19
1. In the FAQ.
2. Varies from a few days to a couple of weeks. Also covered in the FAQ.
3. You submitted far to early and have months to wait anyway. UNlocking will make no difference to that. Also covered in the FAQ.
4. see 3.
5. See 3 and the FAQ.
Please read the FAQ. Really.
June 12, 2020 at 12:27
Hello Brit ..
On filling the day 260 form there is this question..
Have you ever been removed from usa for the last five years on the security section?
How do I answer now that I was denied entry at the port of entry?
June 12, 2020 at 13:17
Removed implies you were in.
Denied entry implies you were not in.
June 12, 2020 at 19:54
On the same case on filling D’s 260 on previous us travel…
Q.Have you ever been to u.s?
Since I was denied entry at the airport at Chicago do answer yet or no?
June 12, 2020 at 22:00
Come on. What would you think?
June 12, 2020 at 19:58
My case number is 2021FA000007++
When is my probable time for interview after I sign and submit my ds 260?
June 12, 2020 at 22:01
I don’t know.
June 13, 2020 at 03:47
Yes will be okay since I landed in their territory?
June 13, 2020 at 03:53
DENIED, NO STAMP, IS NO ENTRY, SO NO.
June 12, 2020 at 22:00
What is the reason for a VB to become current? And if it becomes so does it mean high CNs whose DS260 is processed will be scheduled for an interview despite their high CN?
June 12, 2020 at 22:12
Current means there are enough visas to fill all remaining demand.
June 12, 2020 at 22:43
Ok thanks for the answer! Now I get it. But I have another question: I missed on my middle name on my DS260 and I sent an email to [email protected]. My email format was as follows:
Subject- CN-xxxxx(DS260 minor correction)
To whom it may concern,
CN-2021AFxxxxx(2021AF000xxxxxx)
Applicant name- my last name, my first name my middle name
Date of birth- month by letter, date by number, year
Body of letter- When I submitted my DS260 form, I forgot to include my middle name in the given name option. I would like to receive specific instruction on how to include that on my DS260.
Thank you
Sincerely
First name, middle name, last name
Is there anything wrong with my email? I wrote my correct name including my middle name under the applicant name, not the incorrect one which I filled in Ds 260.
June 12, 2020 at 23:58
All you need to do is complete the DS260 with accurate info.
June 13, 2020 at 03:45
Please sir I need a yes or no answer…
June 13, 2020 at 10:28
Ok Brit, I will do that once they unlock my DS260. But now it has been 2 days since I emailed them and they still didn’t reply except for a machine auto reply. Is that okay and if so, when should I expect their reply?
And one more question, why does some times a VB becomes current in one month it becomes a number in the next month?
June 13, 2020 at 17:35
1. Their times to respond vary.
2. Retrogression can happen when they realize there are more people that want the interview than they can accommodate by number of visas or by capacity of embassies.
June 13, 2020 at 03:59
Thanks Walt I appreciate your reply.
August 29, 2020 at 21:04
I am a spouse of A1 visa holder (my husband(diplomat)), living in the U.S. since June, 2016. My passport is a diplomatic passport with A-1 visa. I got selected in this June for the 2021 diversity visa program. My two kids have a US citizenship. When I applied for the lottery, I lived in New York. We moved to Washington DC and I am now in the process of getting a new A-1 visa (for my husband and me). While I was in New York, I had a A-1 visa too but my husband moved to the Embassy from the Consulate office, he and I have to geta new A-1 visa on the new diplomatic passport.
Now I am putting my info in DS-260. Several questions.
1) Interview Place: Should I go back to my country and take an interview at the US Embassy there? It seems that the adjustment of status applications do not anticipate A-1 visa holders.
2) When I applied for the Lottery, I put my old passport and my old A-1 visa Number. Now I am putting my info in DS-260 but I do not have my new A-1 visa yet. The State Department holds my old diplomatic passport with the old A-1 visa and they are issuing a new A-1 visa on my new diplomatic passport.
Having said that, to answer the question “have you been issued a visa from the US?”, should I wait until I get a new A-1 visa on my new diplomatic passport? I could write my old diplomatic passport number and old A-1 visa number but I thought I should write a updated info. What do you think?
3) When I applied for the Lottery, I put my husband and kids info even thought my kids are a US citizen. Now in the DS-260, I have to put their info too. Is it right that I put No in the area that my kids have no intention to getting a immigration visa because they are a US citizen?
My husband is also not seeking a permanent visa for the time being because he is a diplomat. Or can he get a green card even though he is a diplomat?
4) If my kids and my husband have no intention to get an immigration visa, is it right that I do not have to submit their related documents such as criminal records in my country for my DS-260? It is almost impossible for them to go back to my country to obtain those document because of this pandemic and becuase the elder one goes to college and the younger one goes to the boarding school.
Thank you!
August 30, 2020 at 13:53
Your A1 status is a special case. There are aspects of that status that cause special treatment, and there are some odd nuances for diplomats (such as children of diplomats NOT gaining citizenship through birth in the USA). So – I suggest you consult with a lawyer to make sure you don’t make a mistake.
October 10, 2020 at 06:43
Dear Mr Brit
Hi, my name is Yasamin, i am from Iran and i have been selected for dv2021 lottery.
I had complete the ds260 form and i had sign and submit it and also i had receive the letter for required documents and i sent them correctly.
But it has been 6 weeks from the time i sent the documents and i haven’t heard from kentuky center since . I had sent them an Email to inform them and confirm that i have sent all the required d document and i am ready to be scheduled for an interview, but they didn’t respond to my Email ether(i received an auto reply). I checked my draft and the Email dress and i am sure that i have done every thing right.
Please let me know if you know what should i do next and why don’t they answer me.
best Regards,
Yasamin
October 10, 2020 at 19:21
You should wait patiently. Nothing is going to happen for a while.
October 21, 2020 at 07:21
Hi Simon,
are there specific questions asked to a couple who applied as married but they are separated though not legally? If so how should one go about the whole situation during the interview?
October 21, 2020 at 15:46
Just answer questions honestly.
October 21, 2020 at 19:54
ok,thank for the reply
November 3, 2020 at 16:51
Hi Brit, I have an FAQ suggestion to do with activation.
1. Once the DV has been issued, can it be activated in any port of entry (i.e. does the port of entry have to be a state or can it be a territory, such as Guam)?
2. The Department of State website says the visa is “usually” activated at an airport. Does this mean it could be activated by driving over the border, say from Canada?
3. If intending to do an “activation trip” but not move to the US straight away (and having organised a friend’s address for GC and SSN to be posted to) how long do you have to stay in the country? Can you literally activate the visa at the port of entry, then turn around and get straight back on a plane, or is there a minimum period you’re expected to be in the country when activating the visa?
Thank you!
November 3, 2020 at 19:42
1. It can be any POE – you can google “Port of Entry”.
2. Yes
3. No minimum time.
November 9, 2020 at 08:32
Hi Simon please i would like to know about the case we need a police certificate. My wife has travelled during these 4 years in three country just for 2 or 3 days does she need à police certificate for those countries.Is there a duration we have to have done in a country before establishing à police certificate please.
November 9, 2020 at 14:37
You clear haven’t bothered reading the instructions at all. Do so.
May 11, 2021 at 18:16
Hi Dear Simon,
I appreciate your efforts to help people. All the videos and information in the FAQ are too valuable. I am a DV-2022 winner with 2022AF00045XXX and have two burning questions.
1. I am married and currently have one under-five child and expecting the second baby girl in the coming few weeks. During the initial application, we were three (Me, my wife and my son) whereas after a few weeks we will be four. How should I proceed with DS-260? Should I wait (for submission)until the baby is born and include her details? I am a little bit curious about how to approach such cases (pregnancy-related)?
2. I am living in Europe (for a PhD study, I am a principal applicant) and my families are in Africa. During the initial application form, I used my European address (not yet started filling DS-260). But, for a family reason, I want to attend the interview in Africa. My concern is while filling DS-260, should I enter the European address as previous and African as a present address or should I keep silent about the European address? Please say something here?
May 11, 2021 at 20:38
1. The approach depends on your case number somewhat. Your case won’t be current this year – it will be well into 2022 before you can be interviewed. So – knowing that, there is no harm in waiting until you are 4 and submitting then.
2. You should be honest on the DS260 – however, when you submit your DS260, select the embassy in your home country, and also email KCC explaining why you need the interview there, not your current country.
June 19, 2021 at 06:11
Hello Britsimon I’m here to ask that is there any number that the government USA planned to give every country eg. East Africa some countries had only less than 500 is that true?
June 19, 2021 at 20:29
Countries are not given set allocations. More entries = more selectees = more visas. Just that simple.
July 25, 2021 at 09:49
Hi Simom, The US troops are leaving Afghanistan and they are taking around 20,000 Afghans who have worked with them through (SIV). Do u think that affect the DV cases of Afghanistan?
July 25, 2021 at 22:15
No
August 19, 2021 at 06:05
Hello Mr. Simon, U might be aware of the recent government Takeover of Taliban in Afghanistan. The situation is bad. I was wondering if the KCC could prioritize the DV cases of Afghanistan.. US is already evacuating the half processed SIV cases… We need you voice as well in this regards.
2022AS22000
August 20, 2021 at 03:52
The embassy is closed, so no. That will not help.
August 19, 2021 at 10:28
Good morning Brit, i am DV2020 Winner from Africa Region that was affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic because i did received my 2NL from the Embassy and date was scheduled for my interview but it did not hold.So i kindly want to know the following informations mentioned below:
1. I have all the required documents for interview which are in 2019 except my police clearance which i have to renew and then fixed date for my medicals when the Embassy would have reschedule a date for my interview.
2. Do i need a new i-134 from my sponsor other than the previous one he had filled because a financial year had roll over ?
3.I have all the following years of 1040 forms (2017,2018 & 2019) from my sponsor, so do i need to ask him for 2020 or 2021 as the case may be?
4. I have several payment slips for various months from my sponsor but they are all in the year 2019, so do i need to ask him for some 2020 or 2021 payment slips?
5. The covering medical insurance and DS 5540 filled forms to be shown on the day of the interview are they still applicable as part of the required documents?
6. Finally when the court and the government would have agreed on the terms on how to issue the DV2020 Visas am i obliged to request my Embassy to get interview date from them?
August 20, 2021 at 04:00
1. No Question asked.
2. Get new one.
3. Up to date info, yes.
4. Same answer
5. Not applicable.
6. Wait a few days for more info.
September 2, 2021 at 05:29
Hello Mr. Simon, This is Important. U might have heard, the Afghanistan Government was entirely taken by taliban and all embassies including U.S embassy stoped their operations. What do u think will happened to the DV 2022 winners.
I have also gone through the “Reciprocity schedule” and I come across this message;
“Alert: Protracted wartime conditions and the intermittent absence of an established central authority have made document availability and reliability uncertain in Afghanistan. Procedures for obtaining government documents change with great frequency.”
What will happened if we were not able to provide some documents as the situation is not normal?
Thank you
Wahidi
2022AS22###
September 3, 2021 at 18:28
You should do the best you can with documents, but they will be aware of the difficulties and will make allowances.
September 8, 2021 at 07:18
Dear Simon,
First of all an immenseTHANK YOU for all that u do. May the almighty bless and guide you. We had our interview on Thursday and got our visas this week. I have been reading your blog since last June and was ‘over prepared’ for our interview in Doha. Although I took financials and work experience, the CO didn’t ask for them and just looked at only the qualifications.
Some advice for families:
* Collate all BC together, PCC together, etc (cause I had arranged documents under each person’s name and then had to rearrange)
It would be a great help Simon, if you could start a new section under FAQ on how to sell your house and transfer the proceeds to USA to purchase a house/apartment. Cause I remember you/other readers of your blog had commented to first sell the house before entering USA to avoid Capital Gains Tax.
I want to buy the house in my daughter’s name, who is a green card holder and already in the States.
1) Will there be any other tax involved?
2) How best to move the money to USA? I would be grateful for advice and helpful tips from anyone who has done this before.
Thanks a million!
September 9, 2021 at 03:58
1. I can’t speak to your particular scenario.
2. There is a FAQ regarding that.
September 14, 2021 at 02:37
Hi Mr. Simon, When sending documents to KCC what shall we write in the body of the Email?
I know the subject of the Email should be the Case Number with Zeros.
2022AS22xxx
September 17, 2021 at 04:18
Nothing needed.
September 17, 2021 at 01:16
Hello Mr Simon, In pre-interview check list from U.S embassy Kabul it is written:
“Surname for derivatives must have the same spelling in all their documents as the surname appears on the principal applicant’s passport.”
My wife and one of my daughter’s Surname is different from mine. Do u think that will affect my case?
September 17, 2021 at 05:34
I don’t know.
September 25, 2021 at 17:08
Hello Mr Simon, I am the DV lottery winner 2022 from Afghanistan, As the US Embassy Kabul is closed, Where shall we transfer our case..
1- Do u thing the US Embassy Islamabad will accept our cases?
2- Do we need to unlock our DS260 or we just Email KCC to transfer our cases?
Khalid
2022AS22***
September 26, 2021 at 00:13
You have MONTHS to wait before your case number is even close to current. Things will be more clear later. Wait.
October 18, 2021 at 16:38
Hi Simon, love your videos. Thanks for all your work. Quick question: I applied for DV2023. Now we are moving to another country. ow do I change my address that I entered?
Greetings from Marin County!
Mirko
October 19, 2021 at 02:13
No need to do anything. If you are selected you will process wherever you live.
December 19, 2021 at 06:53
Hi Mr Simon, This is Khalid From Afghanistan, We change our interview location to Islamabad but the KCC mentioned in Email that we need to unlock DS 260 and update our location…Since we will be staying in Hotel with no permanent address in Pakistan, than what is the use of unlocking DC 260?
December 22, 2021 at 04:57
As I have explained to others. You might decide to forget to unlock your DS260. I don’t think it will stop you being scheduled.