DS 156 vs DS 160 vs My Head Exploding!

[JeeplessInSeattle 1]

So....we (my Canadian fiance) and I have managed to journey all the way up through his medical but we hit a snag last night. My finance already filled out fors (I believe he said both the 156 and 156K) forms and received a letter that sent us to a web site in order to pay the fees that will enable him to schedule his final interview. TA DAHHHH...you'd think it would be simple, right? NoooooOOOOOoooo!!! Let me just say, without getting into all the details of how we spent 2 1/2 hours (via Skype) only to discover that I think we GOT LOST on that web site. We ended up working on filling out an on-line form for DS-160 which took us to a point where it asked us to download his digital profile picture. Um. He already had his photographs taken in a studio but they are physical photographs printed on photo paper that he was instructed to hand in person to whoever interviews him. And his paperwork did NOT say anything about us needing to fill out a DS-160...but some how that's where the links took us.

So....can anyone (a) confirm that my fiance does NOT need to fill out the DS-160 (since he's already completed the DS-156 and DS-156K) and (b) give me the exact link or exact instructions for how we can go to the web site page where we can pay his fee in order for him to set up his appointment? We've come this far....any help would be soooo appreciated!!

Jeepless

[JeeplessInSeattle 1]

More info on my question...we read instructions to "follow instructions to select Trip Purpose" but we can't find those instructions or anything that indicates "Trip Purpose". There is no link provided and nothing that seems to be clearly directing us to find where and how we can make our payment. Thanks!

[Moomin 292]

Skip the upload picture and go directly to the form("start an application").

Here's the checklist; http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/visas/visas/fianc-k-1-visas/appointment-checklist.html

(I'm bumping your topic to attract some more Canadians. I realise I'm not one )

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Its been a while since I was in Montreal, but I can help you with part of it. Montreal makes you complete the DS 156, 156K and the electronic DS160. Its silly because the 156 and the 160 are virtually the exact same form, but its how they do it. The DS 160 requires an uploaded electronic photo. You still need to bring the other passport photos to your interview, they serve a different purpose.

The electronic interview booking site is foreign to me, it was implemented after I went through the process.

[JeeplessInSeattle 1]

Sorry...I guess I should clarify. He (fiance) lives in Victoria, BC and his consulate meeting will be in Vancouver. So...I see on the link you gave for the Montreal instructions THEY require the DS-160, but does Vancouver also require the 156, 156K, AND the 160? Because my fiance swears it does not say that on his paperwork. And, well, I guess since he is going to be my husband I am supposed to TRUST HIM!!

[Moomin 292]

You're(your fiance is) referring to this letter, right? http://photos.state.gov/libraries/canada/303578/pdfs/K1-K3-packet3.pdf

[zentaco 28]

Unless the Vancouver consulate has updated the packet 3 to need the DS-160, he shouldn't need it (despite it saying otherwise on the US Visa interview website). They told me it was going to be used eventually, but not yet.

Sorry for the confusion. In Vancouver, at the moment, we don’t require form DS-160 for processing K visas. However, this requirement may change in the future after upgrade to our system to integrate with form DS-160. You don’t have to worry about this form if you plan to apply within the next several months.

K visa unit

U.S. Consulate General

Vancouver, Canada

Edited August 30, 2012 by zentaco

[dukeandduchess 141]

You go to the website, and fill it out. Not sure how it's confusing. You do not need DS-160. This is the link to the website to book your interview:

http://usvisa-info.com/en-CA/selfservice/ss_country_welcome

You click create account.

It asks if you have created your account/paid your fee. Click no if you haven't. Fill out the information.

I can't go past that screen, but as far as I recall, it asks you for your case number and a few other things then it will let you book the interview.

[sk8rpatty 17]

You go to the website, and fill it out. Not sure how it's confusing. You do not need DS-160. This is the link to the website to book your interview:

http://usvisa-info.com/en-CA/selfservice/ss_country_welcome

You click create account.

It asks if you have created your account/paid your fee. Click no if you haven't. Fill out the information.

I can't go past that screen, but as far as I recall, it asks you for your case number and a few other things then it will let you book the interview.

We should be receiving P3 very soon so I'll be watching how this unfolds. I'll let you know if anything has changed in the P3 istructions. I know it hasn't on the consulate web site

[JnJ13 13]

Sorry...I guess I should clarify. He (fiance) lives in Victoria, BC and his consulate meeting will be in Vancouver. So...I see on the link you gave for the Montreal instructions THEY require the DS-160, but does Vancouver also require the 156, 156K, AND the 160? Because my fiance swears it does not say that on his paperwork. And, well, I guess since he is going to be my husband I am supposed to TRUST HIM!!

I got my P3 a few weeks ago and did not fill out a DS-160 there was nothing about it on my packet.. I just went online and created account paid a fee then booked!

[moemac59 192]

More info on my question...we read instructions to "follow instructions to select Trip Purpose" but we can't find those instructions or anything that indicates "Trip Purpose". There is no link provided and nothing that seems to be clearly directing us to find where and how we can make our payment. Thanks!

I believe trip purpose will be to permanetly immigrate to the United States. I had my interview in MTL and had my DS160 just in case. I went to Black's to have US style passport photos taken but also got them to put this on a disc so I could upload that photo for my application. That photo worked.

Hope that this helps out

[JeeplessInSeattle 1]

OK, so here's the scoop. I suspect that when we went to the website and created our account we set it up with a wrong trip purpose because our trip purpose was listed as "All Other Visa Types (Go to port of entry)" and we later were advised that our trip purpose SHOULD have read "Permanently Immigrate to the United States (Fiance - K1/K2)". So that mistake that we made somewhere in setting up the account would NOT allow us to change the account or get to the place where we could make our payment.

We were given an email address (I believe this was in my fiance's letter) to send in a question so I did that. The email address was Vancouverk@state.gov. I was skeptical that I would hear from them anytime soon but I sent my email last night and they answered me this morning! They immediately said, "The system shouldn't prompt you to enter the DS-160 confirmation number if you select the proper trip purpose and visa type, as show below"

TRIP PURPOSE PERMANENTLY IMMIGRATE TO THE UNITED STATES (FIANCE - K1/K2)

APPOINTMENT TYPE FIANCE

They gave instructions on how we were to go back into our account and I did that but it still didn't help get us out of our trip purpose black hole (because I couldn't edit the trip purpose). But the email they sent included telephone numbers that we could call for help (I called a US number of 703-439-2319).

I called that number and immediately the automated message gave me an option to pay the $240 and get my fiance's MRV#. PA CHING!!! I jumped at the chance and paid via phone with my credit card and got a payment confirmation number. Then it gave me the option to speak to a human being to ask a question, so I jumped at that chance.

I was surprised that I got someone on the phone right away. When I explained to the gal our circumstance and asked if we needed to fill out the DS-160 she told us that we did. Then I told that conflicted with what my fiance's letter said and what the Vancouver K Visa email people had said. She then started saying something about my needing to call the National Visa Center (and gave me a phone number of 603-334-0700) to schedule our interview and at that point, I think she could tell I was ready to cry. And then, out of the blue, she goes, "Mam, would you like if I were to schedule your appointment right now?"

Ba da bing, ba da bang, ba da boom! Just like that. We're scheduled for an October 1st interview. Whooo hooo!!!!

[moemac59 192]

Congrats! That's awesome that you were able to schedule your appointment. Fingers crossed that all goes well for you.