I understand that upon payment of $100 at any authorized bank, the DS 157 form should be validated. My question is, should both copies of the DS 157 be validated since we are supposed to submit 2 copies of the said form? Thanks! Hear from you.

I need help. I read articles that say, it is the DS 157 that needs to be validated by the bank, yet there are other articles that say, it is the DS 156. Which is which?

BPI will stamp the back of the 157.

Technically you are paying the $100 to file form DS-156 which is the Non-immigrant Visa application, the bank is not validating the form, they are stamping visa fee paid on one of them, and are just using the form as a receipt to show fee paid.

I can be either one, they are just using the blank side of the form as a receipt.

I finally paid the application fee at BPI West Avenue yesterday, July 11, 2007. They gave me a blank DS 157 form with a stamp that says "PAID". Since I already downloaded and filled up a DS 157, I offered to have my own form stamped. So everything went well. But please be ready to pay in PESO, yes, they required me to pay in PESO. At first I though it was okay to pay in DOLLARS. I brought with me some dollars. Fortunately I have an account with BPI. I was able to have my dollars changed to peso. I did not have to go to a nearby money changer. FYI,you will also be given a receipt which they will staple at the back of the DS 157.

I also attended the counselling seminar at ST. MARY EUPHRASIA yesterday afternoon. It took me only a few hours. Only,i will have to go back upon issuance of my visa (god willing) because they will have to put the sticker on my passport. I paid, 250 for the counselling seminar and 400 for the cfo registration. Please xerox your passport, birth certificate and ID.