DS260 filing deadline

[NevadaLily 7]

I found out that I was selected in the 2019 lottery, but I don't have enough money right now for the fees. What is the latest deadline i can submit my DS260 by? is it Sept of 2018 or Sept of 2019? Thanks!

[Jojo92122 1,924]

DV 2019 ends September 30, 2019, the end of the 2019 Federal fiscal year.  All visas must be issued by that date, so your DS-260 should be submitted well in advance so 1) your interview and visa can be issued before 30/9/2019, and 2) visas have not run out.

The sooner you can file, the better.  You don't want to be late when they start running out of visas.

Edited May 22, 2018 by Jojo92122

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

There’s no official deadline as such, it needs to be a couple of months before you might be scheduled for interview. Judging from your question I’m going to infer that you’re not really aware of how the process works after selection, and I’d suggest you visit the britsimonsays website where there are some good, practical guides.  

 

Now... do you have anyone who can sign an affidavit of support for you? Because if the money for the fee is a problem, you’re unlikely to satisfy the interviewing officer on public charge grounds. 

Edited May 22, 2018 by SusieQQQ

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

1 hour ago, Jojo92122 said:

DV 2019 ends September 30, 2019, the end of the 2019 Federal fiscal year.  All visas must be issued by that date, so your DS-260 should be submitted well in advance so 1) your interview and visa can be issued before 30/9/2019, and 2) visas have not run out.

The sooner you can file, the better.  You don't want to be late when they start running out of visas.

Well, if they run out of visas it will be during September 2019 (because they spread issuance over the FY), but that’s been very rare, usually they just cut off case numbers. If your case number is too high and cut off, it doesn’t make any difference at all when you sent in your DS, you lose out. Interviews are scheduled on case number rank, not when the DS was submitted. As long as it is in time for your case number to be scheduled for interview, it makes no difference if it was just in time or months earlier. 

[NevadaLily 7]

Thank you all!

 

@SusieQQQ due to a completely unrelated reason I've actually sold my house this month. The sale will close on October 23, 2018. That's the earliest day I'll be able to pull (and FX convert) the right amount of money for the DV filing (but after the sale goes through I'll have more than enough for self sponsoring and I fully intend to work in the US). From your experience, do you think I really am impeding my chances significantly if I file in late October (my number is very low, under 2000)?

I appreciate the referrals to the Simonsays blog and the State Dept website, but it really helps to hear from real people, if possible... Thank you!

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

2 hours ago, NevadaLily said:

Thank you all!

 

@SusieQQQ due to a completely unrelated reason I've actually sold my house this month. The sale will close on October 23, 2018. That's the earliest day I'll be able to pull (and FX convert) the right amount of money for the DV filing (but after the sale goes through I'll have more than enough for self sponsoring and I fully intend to work in the US). From your experience, do you think I really am impeding my chances significantly if I file in late October (my number is very low, under 2000)?

I appreciate the referrals to the Simonsays blog and the State Dept website, but it really helps to hear from real people, if possible... Thank you!

Britsimon is a real person too

No problems, you may delay the interview by a couple of months but you'll be fine. You only need to pay fees and assets at the interview (and pay for the medical a week or two before that), not when you file , so if you are in a country that gives you proper certainty over when you'll receive the funds you may want to go ahead and submit the DS a bit ahead of that anyway. 

 

Also you don't need to do any FX conversion ahead of the interview, btw. You can pay the fees in local currency.