DS-260 REPLACING DS-230

The Department of State (DOS) is replacing the DS-230 with the new electronic DS-260.  Beneficiaries submitting new cases that arrive at the National Visa Center (NVC) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on or after September 1 will be instructed to complete the DS-260 instead of the DS-230.  Like the DS-230, the DS-260 is valid for one year from the date of the oath. After the oath expires, the DS-260 will automatically unlock and DOS officers will tell the applicant to update and resubmit the DS-260.  The DOS has published a FAQ on their webpage.

The DOS will not require DS-260s for beneficiaries of "pipeline" cases already in process at NVC on September 1 if:  1) the case has already been documentarily qualified and sent to scheduling, or 2) NVC receives a single submission of documents that makes a case documentarily qualified.

For all other pipeline cases where NVC has occasion to send a "checklist" of missing documents after September 1, NVC will instruct petitioners/agents/beneficiaries to submit the DS-260 along with those missing documents, even if a DS-230 was already on file.  Those filing petitions locally overseas (with either USCIS or a consular section) on or after September 1 must submit a DS-260 once the petition is approved.