DS160 - Previous U.S. Travel Information Question

[emm1990 4]

Hello,

I am in the process of filling up the DS160 form (K1 applicant / beneficiary here) and I have a question regarding the "Previous U.S. Travel Information" part.

First, I cannot retrieve the exact dates of my first ever trip to the US 13 years ago (all the other trips since, I have documentation), which was for a language exchange when I was 16. The form does not let you just put Month and Year. What should I do? I don't want to put in false information.

Other question, for that same 2006 trip, there was no ESTA yet and I had to apply for a Visa. Obviously, I don't remember nor have any documentation on this Visa number, the exact date it was issued etc... But this is required for the "Have you ever been issued a U.S. Visa?" question. It was the one and only time I had to travel to the US with a Visa, as just a few years later the ESTA system was put into place. What should I do? Do you think the Consulate in Paris (where I applied at the time) would have this in their records?

Thank you in advance for your help!

[JFH 12,189]

7 minutes ago, emm1990 said:

For that same 2006 trip, there was no ESTA yet and I had to apply for a Visa. 
 

France has been a VWP participant since 1989. 

[emm1990 4]

11 minutes ago, JFH said:

France has been a VWP participant since 1989. 

Well, thank you for that. However, I believe you needed a Biometrics passport for it to work, which were only put in place in 2006 in France. I did not have one at the time and remember having to go to the Consulate. I'm confused now.

Edited October 18, 2019 by emm1990

[JFH 12,189]

6 minutes ago, emm1990 said:

Well, thank you for that. However, I believe you needed a Biometrics passport for it to work, which were only put in place in 2006 in France. I did not have one at the time and remember having to go to the Consulate. I'm confused now.

I have been traveling to the USA since 1990 on a European passport and never needed a visa. When biometric passports were introduced there was a time where people without biometric passports had to obtain visas. Perhaps you briefly fell into this category? 

[payxibka 10,044]

14 minutes ago, emm1990 said:

Well, thank you for that. However, I believe you needed a Biometrics passport for it to work, which were only put in place in 2006 in France. I did not have one at the time and remember having to go to the Consulate. I'm confused now.

You don't have access to your old passport?

[Sparkle Sparkle 913]

Well if you have exhausted all avenues to provide evidence of your trip to the US... Then just explain it in part 8 the best way you can... The US never forgets they will find your info themselves and you will not be withholding information or misinterpreting anything

[emm1990 4]

Thank you all for your replies! I just remember going once to the Consulate (I was 16 at the time, it was 13 years ago) and it was quite quick but I am wondering if I did not fell into that category JFH is mentioning. Cannot recall if it was for a proper visa or just to get a proof of VWP or something. It was right at that time. I'll try contacting the consulate and we'll see. Unfortunately, you have to hand back your old passport once you get a new one in France so I don't have any traces.

[jan22 2,901]

19 hours ago, emm1990 said:

Thank you all for your replies! I just remember going once to the Consulate (I was 16 at the time, it was 13 years ago) and it was quite quick but I am wondering if I did not fell into that category JFH is mentioning. Cannot recall if it was for a proper visa or just to get a proof of VWP or something. It was right at that time. I'll try contacting the consulate and we'll see. Unfortunately, you have to hand back your old passport once you get a new one in France so I don't have any traces.

You said it was for a language exchange -- you probably needed a visa because you were going for a purpose other than tourism, most likely under a J1 exchange visitor program.  

As Sparkle Sparkle said, just explain the purpose of the trip and the approximate timeline.  No use contacting the Embassy -- they won't do research pre-application (meaning here the DS-160).  If they want to see the vIsa information once they have the application, they can look it up then.