Help with DS-260 Please

[Hank1 1]

Hi all,

I am a new comer to this forum. Had a look at previous answers, but couldn't see these questions being answered, so your help would really be appreciated.

I have won the 2015 DV lottery, and have been filling the DS-260 form. There are some minor details that I can't remember, could someone please let me know if the following are important? Thanks

In the Previous Addresses since age of 16. How accurate do I need to be? Don’t know the precise addresses in some of the very old cases( i.e. the house number), or what if I miss one? I'm now 50, and going back 35 years is a while. No issue with the last 20 or so years, its just the really old ones from when I was a young man.

Same thing about date of birth. I was married once before when I was 20, and foolish. I have the original certificates and the divorce papers from a British court, but I can't remember my ex wife's exact date of birth. Only the year. Does that matter?

In the Education & Training section, do I give the name of the university as it is now or as it was when my degree was issued?

I've lived in the UK for most of my life, (since the age of 17) and as most UK residents have had various vaccinations when travelling abroad to Egypt and such like, but was never asked to have a vaccination to travel to US, which I have done a number of times, so what do I say to the question about having documentations proving that I have vaccination according to US law? Yes or No?

Thanks again.

Hank.

[EmilyW 1,434]

Unless you have documentation proving you have the vaccinations, the correct answer is 'no' and you can provide an explanation along the lines of 'In the process of obtaining vaccinations'.

I'm sorry I don't the answers to your other questions but there are plenty of smart people on here who probably do know.

[zuroma999 12]

I am in the same boat for previous addresses. I put them down as best as I could remember them.

On some of them I even put things like: APT: CAN'T REMEMBER for the second address line or CAN'T REMEMBER STREET for the first line. For move-in & out dates I estimated for some of the really old places I've lived.

And then if they ask during the interview or ask if everything on the form is correct, I will just casually mention that I put previous addresses as I best remembered them. It is not a big issue as long as you don't omit a country you lived in.

For the university name, if there is enough room you can put something like: UNIVERSITY NAME (FORMERLY OLD NAME). If not enough room, you can put the old name since if you are bringing your university degree or transcripts, that's the name that will be on it.

[EmilyW 1,434]

Zuroma, I'd appreciate your opinion.

I've lived in two apartments where I know the street address but not the apartment number. So you think it's worth putting in 'can't remember' for apartment numbers? I was kinda hoping that knowing the street number and name would be sufficient.

[Hank1 1]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I suppose the same applies to the date of birth of the ex! If I don't know it, how they will find out?

[EmilyW 1,434]

Is there any way you can find this out Hank?

I ask because I've been able to dig out information that I thought would be impossible to get (like when school terms started in 1987, which was the first year of secondary education), but it ended up being super easy.

Do you know any of her relatives / friends / colleagues? Is she on Facebook? Perhaps search through sites like 123 People. If nothing else, I'd try as hard as you can to find the date of birth and then, if that fails, at least you can explain to the KCC or CO that you made all attempts to find out the accurate date.

From what I know (and, admittedly, it's not much as I've just started on this journey myself), make all best efforts to be truthful. My husband thinks I'm overcooking our preparation but I want this to go as smoothly as possible. The more effort I make now, the more confident I can be when I'm sitting at that consulate.

[zuroma999 12]

Zuroma, I'd appreciate your opinion.

I've lived in two apartments where I know the street address but not the apartment number. So you think it's worth putting in 'can't remember' for apartment numbers? I was kinda hoping that knowing the street number and name would be sufficient.

If you've already submitted the form, then I wouldn't worry about it. If you haven't submitted, the putting 'can't remember' shows good intentions of full disclosure. But ultimately it's a minor point and probably won't affect your case either way.

[zuroma999 12]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I suppose the same applies to the date of birth of the ex! If I don't know it, how they will find out?

True, if you can't find the date after exhausting all avenues, then put your best guess. The attitude of course shouldn't be 'how will they find out?' But more like: I'm putting down my best estimates for anything I don't know exactly, and looking for an invitation during the interview to let them know so they don't assume I've purposely withheld or altered data.

[EmilyW 1,434]

If you've already submitted the form, then I wouldn't worry about it. If you haven't submitted, the putting 'can't remember' shows good intentions of full disclosure. But ultimately it's a minor point and probably won't affect your case either way.

I haven't submitted the DS260 as yet. But you're right, the 'can't remember' shows a positive intent to be honest. I'd hate for them to check on the address and realise it's an apartment block and my integrity comes into question. Better to put 'Can't remember apartment number' than to have a question mark.

Thanks Z.

Edited June 4, 2014 by EmilyW

[Hank1 1]

I appreciate all the replies. But how do you put down "I don't remember" for dates? It's not a free text field. Its a drop down of numbers for dd/mm. and the year only accepts 4 digits and that bit I do know anyway. I'll use the Can't remember for address.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Hank1

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Just estimate the dates. When you go for interview explain it. COs are human and know that applicants are too!!

Does the marriage certificate not have the dates of birth of each spouse?? Or the divorce certificate?

[Hank1 1]

Just estimate the dates. When you go for interview explain it. COs are human and know that applicants are too!!

Does the marriage certificate not have the dates of birth of each spouse?? Or the divorce certificate?

Thanks for the advice, but not sure about explaining it!. They may be human, but I've seen enough job's worth civil servants in my time not to trust any of them. They have issued 125000 winners for 50000 green cards. The only way to whittle it down is by sticking to absolute black and white. So No I'm not going to explain anything, and take my chances. Worst nightmare would be is refusal because of self admitted "incorrect data". And the form only says "To the best of your knowledge". and this is the best, can't do any more.

The British marriage certificates don't show dates of birth, only age at the time of marriage, and the divorce papers only show the dates of marriage and divorce, not the applicant's dates of birth. Also as these days the date of birth is one of security items and a particular target for identity thief, it's not so easy to get it, say from on-line searches etc.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Thanks for the advice, but not sure about explaining it!. They may be human, but I've seen enough job's worth civil servants in my time not to trust any of them. They have issued 125000 winners for 50000 green cards. The only way to whittle it down is by sticking to absolute black and white. So No I'm not going to explain anything, and take my chances. Worst nightmare would be is refusal because of self admitted "incorrect data". And the form only says "To the best of your knowledge". and this is the best, can't do any more.

The British marriage certificates don't show dates of birth, only age at the time of marriage, and the divorce papers only show the dates of marriage and divorce, not the applicant's dates of birth. Also as these days the date of birth is one of security items and a particular target for identity thief, it's not so easy to get it, say from on-line searches etc.

Having been through the process, I have to disagree that that is how they whittle down the process. They are not that petty to disqualify people for immaterial things. Lie about your marital status or criminal record or educational qualifications - yes, you're out. Make an honest mistake on something immaterial - you don't need to worry about it. The forums are full of people who had minor errors and it wasn't an issue. Heck, when I found my degree certificate eventually I saw my official graduation for my bachelors was the year after I had put down on the DS form... it wasn't a problem. In fact the DS form itself says something about disqualification being for material facts.

Also bear in mind a good part of the selectees whittle themselves out. A huge % do not send forms back, and plenty do not show up for interview once they realise that the didn't read properly and don't qualify, or that the process can be quite costly, or just decide not to move, etc. The past 6 or 7 years there have been visas for everyone who wanted except a couple of countries who hit the 7% country limit. And that is mainly because of people not following up - the refusal rate is pretty low. This year (DV2014) may be different, they may run out of visas, but they had 140k selectees, and it is back down to 125k for DV2015.

[Hank1 1]

Thanks Susie. I hope you are right. I feel these things are always on the luck of the draw. You get a good guy, he will let it slide, you get one who doesn't like the cut of your jip, and he will nail you to the cross for the fun of it. If these things were so unimportant and trivial, then why ask them in the first place? Most people are lucky if they remember their current wife's date of birth, let alone one from 30 years ago.

In my opinion, these things are there because that's how civil service around the world works. Not unique to US, or visa process, you just have to dance the tune, and hope for the best.My wife is Russian and their Civil service is in a league of its own, but still all these guys and gals, British, Russia, American or Martian, are all cut off the same cloth. Petty minded bureaucrats who would refuse their own mother a visa because she had a bad hair day on the day.

I can understand dates of divorce to see if the marriage is correctly terminated etc., but not some of these trivial data. I can also understand if they ask for the countries where one resided, but why ask for precise address?. It's not as if they are doing the criminal checks! That is done separate.

Anyway, I shouldn't perhaps be too cynical and I think I will get it as I meet all the big criteria stuff and as you say, these trivial facts are not the deciding factors, but I still think I'm going to pay for an hour of an immigration lawyer just to check my submission.

[zuroma999 12]

Thanks Susie. I hope you are right. I feel these things are always on the luck of the draw. You get a good guy, he will let it slide, you get one who doesn't like the cut of your jip, and he will nail you to the cross for the fun of it. If these things were so unimportant and trivial, then why ask them in the first place? Most people are lucky if they remember their current wife's date of birth, let alone one from 30 years ago.

In my opinion, these things are there because that's how civil service around the world works. Not unique to US, or visa process, you just have to dance the tune, and hope for the best.My wife is Russian and their Civil service is in a league of its own, but still all these guys and gals, British, Russia, American or Martian, are all cut off the same cloth. Petty minded bureaucrats who would refuse their own mother a visa because she had a bad hair day on the day.

I can understand dates of divorce to see if the marriage is correctly terminated etc., but not some of these trivial data. I can also understand if they ask for the countries where one resided, but why ask for precise address?. It's not as if they are doing the criminal checks! That is done separate.

Anyway, I shouldn't perhaps be too cynical and I think I will get it as I meet all the big criteria stuff and as you say, these trivial facts are not the deciding factors, but I still think I'm going to pay for an hour of an immigration lawyer just to check my submission.

You should search these forums for others' experiences at the consulates. Click on 'Embassy Info' at the top of this site and find the embassy or consulate you'll be interviewing at.

About a month ago, when I first got selected, I was excited, nervous, panicked, confident, doubtful, pretty much everything under the sun. I called a lawyer and he himself said I didn't need him. I read through the forums, got answers and reassurances from the amazing people here, and also after reading interview experiences, realize that the interview is the simplest, least worrisome part of the whole process.

In everything I read I don't think there's anyone who said the CO during the interview was petty or nitpicking. People get declined for legitimate reasons. They probably won't care about previous addresses being exact if nothing else suspicious pops up. Date of birth of an ex-spouse is probably slightly more important, since its used to search records for someone, but its still minor.

I think the most important thing, after you get all your forms filled, is the attitude you bring to the interview.