DS-260 Sign In: Access CEAC, Save Progress, and Troubleshoot

To sign in to the DS-260, go to ceac.state.gov, choose the DS-260 Immigrant Visa application option, and log in with your NVC case number and Invoice ID number.¹ Both come from the message the National Visa Center sent you. If you cannot get past the login or you see no “Start Now” button after signing in, the usual reason is that your fees have not finished processing yet. NVC needs up to 10 calendar days after online payment before the form unlocks on your dashboard.²

Where to Sign In and What You Need

The DS-260, formally the Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application, lives inside the U.S. Department of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center. Open ceac.state.gov in your browser and select the DS-260 Immigrant Visa application option from the landing page.¹

You will be asked for two pieces of information, both issued by NVC:

NVC case number — the unique identifier for your immigration case.
Invoice ID number — a secondary credential that confirms you are authorized to access the application.

Both numbers appear on the NVC correspondence (letter or email) that notified you your case was ready for the next step. Keep that message somewhere you can find it, because you will need the same credentials to sign back in every time.

Once you are in, CEAC shows a summary page listing the status of your fees, your DS-260, and any document submissions. Below “IV Application,” a “Start Now” button opens the form. Every family member immigrating with you files a separate DS-260 under the same case, so expect to sign in more than once if you are handling multiple applicants.³

Why the DS-260 Might Not Appear After You Log In

If you can sign in but no “Start Now” button appears under IV Application, the form is still locked. The DS-260 does not unlock until your processing fees show a status of “PAID” on the CEAC dashboard.³ Give NVC the full 10 calendar days after you paid before assuming something is wrong.²

The application processing fee is per person and non-refundable:

Family-based cases (immediate relative and family preference): $325
Employment-based cases: $345
Other immigrant visa categories, excluding the Diversity Visa: $205
Certain Iraqi and Afghan special immigrant visas: no fee

An additional $120 applies if your Affidavit of Support is reviewed domestically.⁴ Until every required fee reads “PAID,” the DS-260 stays inaccessible even though the sign-in itself works.

What to Have Ready Before You Sign In

Signing in is only useful if you can move through the form once you are inside. The DS-260 spans roughly 20 pages and most fields are mandatory; the system will not let you submit until every required field is answered or marked “Does Not Apply.”⁵

Pull the following together before your first sign-in:

Passport number, issuance date, and expiration date for every applicant
Every address you have lived at since age 16, with approximate dates
Employer names, addresses, job titles, and dates for current and previous positions
Full legal names, dates of birth, and cities of birth for your parents, spouse, and any former spouses
Dates and purposes of any previous visits to the United States
Military service branch, dates, and rank, if applicable
School names, addresses, and dates attended

Every answer on the form must be written in English using English characters. Answers submitted in another language can be rejected, meaning you sign back in and redo them.⁵

Saving Progress Between Sign-Ins

You do not have to finish in one session. Each page has a “Save” button at the bottom. Click it before stepping away, then use the sign-out link in the upper right corner. Everything saved to that point stays stored until you sign in again.⁵

CEAC also logs you out automatically after a period of inactivity. This protects your personal data, but anything unsaved on the current page disappears with the session. On longer sections like address or work history, save often. When you return, sign in at ceac.state.gov with the same NVC case number and Invoice ID, and CEAC will pick up where you left off.

If You Cannot Sign In

Common sign-in problems fall into a few patterns. If the credentials are rejected, double-check that you are entering the NVC case number and Invoice ID exactly as they appear in your NVC message; typos in either field are the usual culprit. If you are locked out of CEAC, try resetting your password first. Persistent lockouts that survive a password reset usually point to a technical issue on the system’s end.

For anything the reset does not fix, submit a request through NVC’s Public Inquiry Form on the State Department website. NVC does not accept inquiries sent directly by email, and messages sent to the response address on NVC correspondence will not reach them.⁶

Error messages inside the form itself usually mean a mandatory field is blank, the data you entered does not match the expected format, or your session timed out. The prompts describe the specific problem and point to the field that needs attention. If a mandatory field truly does not apply to your situation, use the “Does Not Apply” checkbox instead of leaving it empty or entering placeholder text.⁵

Signing Back In After Submitting

Once you click “Sign and Submit Application,” the DS-260 locks. You can still sign in to CEAC and see your case, but you cannot access or edit the submitted form without help.⁵ To unlock it for edits, contact:

The National Visa Center, for immigrant visa applicants
The Kentucky Consular Center, for Diversity Visa selectees
The U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you plan to interview, in either category

NVC inquiries must go through the Public Inquiry Form.⁶ Once the form is unlocked, you sign back in at ceac.state.gov with the same credentials, correct the entries, and resubmit.

Signing in remains useful after submission for one more reason: your CEAC dashboard is where you upload civil documents and financial evidence, and where you track case status. The field labeled “Your case is currently at” shows whether NVC still holds your case or whether it has been forwarded to an embassy or consulate. If everything on the dashboard reads “Paid,” “Complete,” “In Process,” or “Submitted,” NVC is actively reviewing your case.⁷ Keep your NVC case number and Invoice ID somewhere secure. You will use them every time you check in.

1
U.S. Department of State. Consular Electronic Application Center Home
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U.S. Department of State. Step 3: Pay Fees
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U.S. Department of State. Step 6: Complete Online Visa Application (DS-260)
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U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services
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U.S. Department of State. DS-260 Immigrant Visa Electronic Application – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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U.S. Department of State. Public Inquiry Form
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U.S. Department of State. CEAC FAQs