filling in forms

[Steve and Amara 0]

I have read on the guides and then on the US Consulate/Embassy Websites in Australia conflicting information.

Firstly, the guides suggest that the beneficiary will recieve notification in the mail that the Sydnesy US Embassy has recieved the VISA.

The guide suggests that the US Australian Embassy will send out further instructions (checklists etc).

HOWEVER the US Australian Website does not quote this, they suggest that all the further paperwork docs (DS 230/ DS 156 etc) should be completed online.

from the http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/fiance.html

This office has received a petition entitling you to K-1 nonimmigrant visa classification as an alien proceeding to the United States to marry an American citizen. To prepare for your interview appointment with a consular officer, please read and follow carefully the instructions below:

1.

Complete and return immediately to this office the form DS-230, Immigrant Visa Application Part I, Biographic Data. We cannot process your case until this form is received.

....etc etc...

Please help

[Ban Hammer 12,863]

mbc

[Steve and Amara 0]

mbc

MBC? sorry I dont know what that means.

[aliya 0]

I have read on the guides and then on the US Consulate/Embassy Websites in Australia conflicting information.

Firstly, the guides suggest that the beneficiary will recieve notification in the mail that the Sydnesy US Embassy has recieved the VISA.

The guide suggests that the US Australian Embassy will send out further instructions (checklists etc).

HOWEVER the US Australian Website does not quote this, they suggest that all the further paperwork docs (DS 230/ DS 156 etc) should be completed online.

from the http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/fiance.html

This office has received a petition entitling you to K-1 nonimmigrant visa classification as an alien proceeding to the United States to marry an American citizen. To prepare for your interview appointment with a consular officer, please read and follow carefully the instructions below:

1.

Complete and return immediately to this office the form DS-230, Immigrant Visa Application Part I, Biographic Data. We cannot process your case until this form is received.

....etc etc...

Please help

Our Packet 3 arrived via email to Joe (USC) - I had been checking my snail mailbox everyday! I didn't receive a hard copy...here's what the email states:

The Consulate has received your approved petition. You may now download the initial set of instructions, known as “Packet 3”, from the following website:

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/fiance.html.

Forms required:

Form DS-156 — Nonimmigrant Visa Application (2 copies)

Form DS-156K — Nonimmigrant Fiancé(e) Visa Application (1 copy)

Form DS-230 Part I— Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration

Form DSL-1076 — Applicant’s Statement of Readiness to be Interviewed

Form I-134 — Affidavit of Support

A medical examination is required. For further information please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/medical.html.

To obtain a list of the Panel Physicians, please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/doctors.html. Medical forms are only obtained from the Panel Physician.

If you need to obtain a police certificate for Australia, please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/pol...ertificate.html.

If you need to obtain a police certificate for another country, please visit the State Department website:

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/reci...ocity_3272.html.

The visa applicant should complete and return form DS-230 (Part I only) as soon as possible to the U.S. Consulate General, Sydney. We only accept original forms, not faxed or scanned copies.

Please note that you must be interviewed and have your visa issued within the four-month validity of your petition.

When you have obtained all of the documents required for your case, complete and mail all of the documents(do not fax or scan) with Form DSL-1076 to advise the U.S. Consulate General in Sydney that you are ready for your final visa interview.

K-1 visa processing times vary. There may be unexpected ineligibilities that become apparent only at the time of your interview which require additional time and processing. For this reason, you should not make any irrevocable arrangements, such as purchasing non-refundable tickets, selling your home, or quitting your job, until after your visa is actually approved and issued to you.

Sincerely,

Immigrant Visa Unit

U.S. Consulate General, Sydney

It's funny how confusing the Consulate part of the process seems to be - as you can see, my Packet 3 email requested that I mail in all the forms/documents prior to the interview, but this contradicts the website instructions (which they point you to via a link in Packet 3) - it states that you must bring them with you to the interview! I emailed them about this and they stated "Our website is in the process of being updated with the new requirements. Please follow the instructions in Packet 3 and obtain all the required documents and forward them to our office." There is one form - DS-156 - that has to be filled out online and then printed out (2 copies) and mailed to them with the other documents. Make sure you save a copy of this to disk as it has a bar code on it and I read on VJ that some people have had to go and reprint this at their interview because the bar code wouldn't scan. I'm going to take a copy on USB stick with me to my interview just in case!

My suggestion is that if you have any queries just email the Consulate. They are usually pretty fast with responding (especially when they have made mistakes with things! See posts on our homepage)

Hope this helps - all the best

[Steve and Amara 0]

I have read on the guides and then on the US Consulate/Embassy Websites in Australia conflicting information.

Firstly, the guides suggest that the beneficiary will recieve notification in the mail that the Sydnesy US Embassy has recieved the VISA.

The guide suggests that the US Australian Embassy will send out further instructions (checklists etc).

HOWEVER the US Australian Website does not quote this, they suggest that all the further paperwork docs (DS 230/ DS 156 etc) should be completed online.

from the http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/fiance.html

This office has received a petition entitling you to K-1 nonimmigrant visa classification as an alien proceeding to the United States to marry an American citizen. To prepare for your interview appointment with a consular officer, please read and follow carefully the instructions below:

1.

Complete and return immediately to this office the form DS-230, Immigrant Visa Application Part I, Biographic Data. We cannot process your case until this form is received.

....etc etc...

Please help

Our Packet 3 arrived via email to Joe (USC) - I had been checking my snail mailbox everyday! I didn't receive a hard copy...here's what the email states:

The Consulate has received your approved petition. You may now download the initial set of instructions, known as “Packet 3”, from the following website:

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/fiance.html.

Forms required:

Form DS-156 — Nonimmigrant Visa Application (2 copies)

Form DS-156K — Nonimmigrant Fiancé(e) Visa Application (1 copy)

Form DS-230 Part I— Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration

Form DSL-1076 — Applicant’s Statement of Readiness to be Interviewed

Form I-134 — Affidavit of Support

A medical examination is required. For further information please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/medical.html.

To obtain a list of the Panel Physicians, please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/doctors.html. Medical forms are only obtained from the Panel Physician.

If you need to obtain a police certificate for Australia, please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/pol...ertificate.html.

If you need to obtain a police certificate for another country, please visit the State Department website:

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/reci...ocity_3272.html.

The visa applicant should complete and return form DS-230 (Part I only) as soon as possible to the U.S. Consulate General, Sydney. We only accept original forms, not faxed or scanned copies.

Please note that you must be interviewed and have your visa issued within the four-month validity of your petition.

When you have obtained all of the documents required for your case, complete and mail all of the documents(do not fax or scan) with Form DSL-1076 to advise the U.S. Consulate General in Sydney that you are ready for your final visa interview.

K-1 visa processing times vary. There may be unexpected ineligibilities that become apparent only at the time of your interview which require additional time and processing. For this reason, you should not make any irrevocable arrangements, such as purchasing non-refundable tickets, selling your home, or quitting your job, until after your visa is actually approved and issued to you.

Sincerely,

Immigrant Visa Unit

U.S. Consulate General, Sydney

It's funny how confusing the Consulate part of the process seems to be - as you can see, my Packet 3 email requested that I mail in all the forms/documents prior to the interview, but this contradicts the website instructions (which they point you to via a link in Packet 3) - it states that you must bring them with you to the interview! I emailed them about this and they stated "Our website is in the process of being updated with the new requirements. Please follow the instructions in Packet 3 and obtain all the required documents and forward them to our office." There is one form - DS-156 - that has to be filled out online and then printed out (2 copies) and mailed to them with the other documents. Make sure you save a copy of this to disk as it has a bar code on it and I read on VJ that some people have had to go and reprint this at their interview because the bar code wouldn't scan. I'm going to take a copy on USB stick with me to my interview just in case!

My suggestion is that if you have any queries just email the Consulate. They are usually pretty fast with responding (especially when they have made mistakes with things! See posts on our homepage)

Hope this helps - all the best

Your an angel, thank you so much. I really appreciated the information.

I just received a reply from the Consulate in Sydney (next day reply!! ) advising us all the information we needed to know.

again thanks so much! :dance:

I have read on the guides and then on the US Consulate/Embassy Websites in Australia conflicting information.

Firstly, the guides suggest that the beneficiary will recieve notification in the mail that the Sydnesy US Embassy has recieved the VISA.

The guide suggests that the US Australian Embassy will send out further instructions (checklists etc).

HOWEVER the US Australian Website does not quote this, they suggest that all the further paperwork docs (DS 230/ DS 156 etc) should be completed online.

from the http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/fiance.html

This office has received a petition entitling you to K-1 nonimmigrant visa classification as an alien proceeding to the United States to marry an American citizen. To prepare for your interview appointment with a consular officer, please read and follow carefully the instructions below:

1.

Complete and return immediately to this office the form DS-230, Immigrant Visa Application Part I, Biographic Data. We cannot process your case until this form is received.

....etc etc...

Please help

Our Packet 3 arrived via email to Joe (USC) - I had been checking my snail mailbox everyday! I didn't receive a hard copy...here's what the email states:

The Consulate has received your approved petition. You may now download the initial set of instructions, known as “Packet 3”, from the following website:

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/fiance.html.

Forms required:

Form DS-156 — Nonimmigrant Visa Application (2 copies)

Form DS-156K — Nonimmigrant Fiancé(e) Visa Application (1 copy)

Form DS-230 Part I— Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration

Form DSL-1076 — Applicant’s Statement of Readiness to be Interviewed

Form I-134 — Affidavit of Support

A medical examination is required. For further information please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/medical.html.

To obtain a list of the Panel Physicians, please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/visas/iv/doctors.html. Medical forms are only obtained from the Panel Physician.

If you need to obtain a police certificate for Australia, please refer to the following website: http://canberra.usembassy.gov/consular/pol...ertificate.html.

If you need to obtain a police certificate for another country, please visit the State Department website:

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/reci...ocity_3272.html.

The visa applicant should complete and return form DS-230 (Part I only) as soon as possible to the U.S. Consulate General, Sydney. We only accept original forms, not faxed or scanned copies.

Please note that you must be interviewed and have your visa issued within the four-month validity of your petition.

When you have obtained all of the documents required for your case, complete and mail all of the documents(do not fax or scan) with Form DSL-1076 to advise the U.S. Consulate General in Sydney that you are ready for your final visa interview.

K-1 visa processing times vary. There may be unexpected ineligibilities that become apparent only at the time of your interview which require additional time and processing. For this reason, you should not make any irrevocable arrangements, such as purchasing non-refundable tickets, selling your home, or quitting your job, until after your visa is actually approved and issued to you.

Sincerely,

Immigrant Visa Unit

U.S. Consulate General, Sydney

It's funny how confusing the Consulate part of the process seems to be - as you can see, my Packet 3 email requested that I mail in all the forms/documents prior to the interview, but this contradicts the website instructions (which they point you to via a link in Packet 3) - it states that you must bring them with you to the interview! I emailed them about this and they stated "Our website is in the process of being updated with the new requirements. Please follow the instructions in Packet 3 and obtain all the required documents and forward them to our office." There is one form - DS-156 - that has to be filled out online and then printed out (2 copies) and mailed to them with the other documents. Make sure you save a copy of this to disk as it has a bar code on it and I read on VJ that some people have had to go and reprint this at their interview because the bar code wouldn't scan. I'm going to take a copy on USB stick with me to my interview just in case!

My suggestion is that if you have any queries just email the Consulate. They are usually pretty fast with responding (especially when they have made mistakes with things! See posts on our homepage)

Hope this helps - all the best

Your an angel, thank you so much. I really appreciated the information.

I just received a reply from the Consulate in Sydney (next day reply!! ) advising us all the information we needed to know.

again thanks so much! :dance:

[aliya 0]

My pleasure, really glad to hear that the Consulate got back to you so quickly.

Edited September 24, 2008 by ali and joe