Sign in to the DS-260 through the State Department’s Consular Electronic Application Center, using the immigrant-visa application option and the credentials issued for your case. For an ordinary NVC case, keep the NVC case number and Invoice ID available. Diversity Visa applicants follow their program’s specific instructions. [1]
Use the right site and case
Confirm that the address is an official state.gov site before entering personal information. The DS-260 is an immigrant visa application; it is not the DS-160 used for most nonimmigrant visa applications. A USCIS receipt number is also not automatically the NVC case number.
The account summary can show fee, application, and document statuses. If the application option is unavailable, check whether the required fee has cleared and whether the applicant is assigned to the correct processing stage. A payment still being processed can prevent immediate access.
Save a draft instead of rushing
You do not need to complete the entire application in one sitting. Use the form’s save function, keep the login credentials secure, and return to the saved application. An inactive session can expire, so save before pausing on a lengthy address, employment, or family-history section. [2]
Prepare passports, prior addresses, work and education history, family information, and immigration records before entering answers. Each immigrating person needs the application required for that individual; one principal applicant’s submission does not automatically complete every family member’s form.
After submission
Save and print the confirmation page for the interview instructions. Submitted answers are not ordinarily editable through the same draft process. Contact the agency or consular post handling the case for the appropriate correction or reopening procedure rather than creating an unrelated new application. [2]
- Describe the problem precisely and include the correct case identifier.
- Keep screenshots of technical errors without publicly sharing sensitive information.
- Check whether NVC or the consulate currently has the case before sending an inquiry.
See why completed NVC documents do not guarantee an interview if the login works but scheduling has stalled. proof of domicile for NVC addresses a common financial-sponsorship issue that is separate from access to the DS-260 itself.
Primary sources
Sources checked: October 31, 2026.