Derivative applicant to travel at later date

[zollo 0]

Please help me with answers to these following questions. I have been selected for further processing for DV 2023 with case number 2023AF00022***. My spouse will not be immigrating with me at the same time but will be traveling at a later date to join me in the United States preferably within a year or less. Therefore:

1. Is my spouse required to submit a DS-260 to the KCC now at the same time I submit mine?
2. Can my spouse arrange for a separate visa interview since she is not traveling with me? If so, am I still required to add my spouse as an applicant at this time?
3. Is my spouse also required to complete her visa processing by September 30 2023?

I appreciate your response to these questions. Thank you.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

1. On your ds260, select “no” to the question of whether your spouse is immigrating with you now (I think there is a “later date” option). It should not generate a DS260 for your spouse if you choose this answer. She will need to do a ds260 at a later stage when she has her own visa interview.

2. See the answer above 

3. If you want her to immigrate as a “follow to join” derivative under the diversity visa program, yes. If you want to go the much longer, more expensive and significantly more complicated option of petitioning/sponsoring her as a spouse of a green card holder, no. 

[zollo 0]

Unfortunately, I had already completed my DS-260 and selected “Yes” to the question of whether my spouse will be immigrating with me. What options do I have now? So I need to contact KCC and ask to make the needed changes so we wouldn’t have to generate and fill out her DS-260 at this point?

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

Yes, you can email kcc to unlock it. Or you can just submit one for her anyway to keep your options open and if you still decide at interview time that she should come later, notify the embassy it will just be you and ask the CO in the interview to amend the DS so she can come later.
 

You do realize that depending on various factors beyond your control, especially embassy capacity and interview scheduling, the chances of her actually being able to get a DV derivative visa on a follow to join basis might end up being pretty low, right? Do you understand the timeline, costs & requirements for a spousal visa? It won’t be “within a year or less”, more like 2-3 years. One option you  might want to consider is you get your visas together, you move soon after that, she moves later closer to visa expiry (a little less than  6 months).