DS -156, DS-157 need to be totally completed on computer?

[mojorayjones 2]

I left a few spaces blank on the visa applicatons, Ds-156 and DS-157, blank so that my fiancee can fill them out in person. Is it OK for her to complete some of it in black pen? She moved a few times in Manila because her boarding house had problems, so I left her Manila address blank, so she could fill it out in case she moved. I filled her passport number out in pen, because it took a while for me to find it.

She is worried the whole form needs to be completed on the computer. I just told her if it's completed in black ink and singned by her, it will be fine.

Does anybody know what the scoop is on the rules for the visa application, if it needs to be totally printed up on computer, or if you can complete some parts in pen.

Thanks.

Edited September 7, 2009 by mojorayjones

[Stephen + Elisha 92]

DS-156 must be fully completed and printed from the website http://evisaforms.state.gov. When you click "Continue," the site generates a unique barcode containing all the info on the form. If you leave blanks to be filled in, the barcode will not correspond to the form data. The consulate may well reject this form and send your fiancee out to redo and reprint the form, leading to delays.

DS-157 is not an online form. It can be fully completed in pen and ink.

[Hunnybaby 1]

DS 157 can be completed online too and have it printed. Bring to the bank, pay the visa fee and have it validated by the bank.

I left a few spaces blank on the visa applicatons, Ds-156 and DS-157, blank so that my fiancee can fill them out in person. Is it OK for her to complete some of it in black pen? She moved a few times in Manila because her boarding house had problems, so I left her Manila address blank, so she could fill it out in case she moved. I filled her passport number out in pen, because it took a while for me to find it.

She is worried the whole form needs to be completed on the computer. I just told her if it's completed in black ink and singned by her, it will be fine.

Does anybody know what the scoop is on the rules for the visa application, if it needs to be totally printed up on computer, or if you can complete some parts in pen.

Thanks.

[Stephen + Elisha 92]

Yes, DS-157 can be downloaded in PDF format and completed on the computer. Filling it out on the computer is not required, however. It can be filled out by hand in part or in full.

DS-156, however, must be fully completed online and printed from the PDF generated by the website after clicking "Continue."

[Dakine 26]

Yes, DS-157 can be downloaded in PDF format and completed on the computer. Filling it out on the computer is not required, however. It can be filled out by hand in part or in full.

DS-156, however, must be fully completed online and printed from the PDF generated by the website after clicking "Continue."

Most of the time the bank you pay for the DS 157 in the Philippines won't stamp your printed out forms but give you a stamped blank form you have to fill out by hand and make a copy.

" Sometimes" they will and it's worth a try taking a printed out form to a BDO bank..

Edited September 7, 2009 by Haole

[payxibka 10,044]

consulate forms are a part of the consulate process

moving thread to consulate forum

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

DS-156 must be fully completed and printed from the website http://evisaforms.state.gov. When you click "Continue," the site generates a unique barcode containing all the info on the form. If you leave blanks to be filled in, the barcode will not correspond to the form data. The consulate may well reject this form and send your fiancee out to redo and reprint the form, leading to delays.

This is correct. It would be nice if the Department of State website emphasized this point. All they say is that the barcode contains the form information, and helps them process forms more quickly, but some consulates make it clear that they will reject the form if any of the fields are filled in by hand.

Also, just so everyone understands - the barcode on the LAST page contains all of the information contained on the form. The barcode on the FIRST page only contains the barcode number. The website for the consulate in Amsterdam gives a nice explanation of how the barcode is used, and the importance of having a clearly printed barcode on the form. See the sidebar on this page:

http://amsterdam.usconsulate.gov/forms.html

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I left a few spaces blank on the visa applicatons, Ds-156 and DS-157, blank so that my fiancee can fill them out in person. Is it OK for her to complete some of it in black pen? She moved a few times in Manila because her boarding house had problems, so I left her Manila address blank, so she could fill it out in case she moved. I filled her passport number out in pen, because it took a while for me to find it.

She is worried the whole form needs to be completed on the computer. I just told her if it's completed in black ink and singned by her, it will be fine.

Does anybody know what the scoop is on the rules for the visa application, if it needs to be totally printed up on computer, or if you can complete some parts in pen.

Thanks.

Printed handwritten or any combination thereof. They prefer balck ink but I used blue. No problems. ALL our forms for the K-1 and first of two K-2s were handwritten.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

DS-156 must be fully completed and printed from the website http://evisaforms.state.gov. When you click "Continue," the site generates a unique barcode containing all the info on the form. If you leave blanks to be filled in, the barcode will not correspond to the form data. The consulate may well reject this form and send your fiancee out to redo and reprint the form, leading to delays.

DS-157 is not an online form. It can be fully completed in pen and ink.

Not at all. Our forms were handwritten, they assigned the bar code at the interview. They have a nifty little printer that prints out a barcode label and they slap it on. Also you can fill out part of the form online, go on to the end, print it with the bar code and fill in the rest by hand, which is what I did with our sons K-2 to follow. I simply didn't have all the information we needed and sent it on with Alla to the interview with blanks to be filled in when she got there. For example, our son's passport number, date of issuance, etc. I just left that blank when I printed it and Alla filled it in later.

[marriedtomrg 140]

Hi Haole.

The USEM changed their payment process for Non Immigrant Visas. Here is what appears on their website:

NEW NONIMMIGRANT VISA FEE PAYMENT SLIP EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2009

Beginning July 1, 2009, Citi and BDO will use new payment slips for nonimmigrant machine-readable visa (MRV) application fee payments.

Upon payment of the $131 MRV application fee, the bank will issue a new “US Embassy copy” of the bills payment slip which will be stapled to a blank DS-157 form. The BDO bills payment slip will have three copies. The copy on blue paper is the “US Embassy copy.” On the day of the interview, the Nonimmigrant Visa Unit will only accept the “US Embassy copy” as proof of payment of the $131 MRV application fee. If the slip stapled on the DS-157 form gets lost, the applicant will need to pay a new MRV fee.

All MRV fee payments made between May 25, 2009 and June 30, 2009 with the old bills payment slip will still be accepted. All MRV fee payments made before May 25, 2009 with a proof of payment validation at the back of the DS-157 form, which fall within the one-year fee validity, will also be accepted.

The DS-157 form is still a required document and must be submitted as part of the visa application.

For questions and concerns, please e-mail us at ConsManilaNIV@state.gov

Message updated: June 16, 2009

Yes, DS-157 can be downloaded in PDF format and completed on the computer. Filling it out on the computer is not required, however. It can be filled out by hand in part or in full.

DS-156, however, must be fully completed online and printed from the PDF generated by the website after clicking "Continue."

Most of the time the bank you pay for the DS 157 in the Philippines won't stamp your printed out forms but give you a stamped blank form you have to fill out by hand and make a copy.

" Sometimes" they will and it's worth a try taking a printed out form to a BDO bank..

[Stephen + Elisha 92]

DS-156 must be fully completed and printed from the website http://evisaforms.state.gov. When you click "Continue," the site generates a unique barcode containing all the info on the form. If you leave blanks to be filled in, the barcode will not correspond to the form data. The consulate may well reject this form and send your fiancee out to redo and reprint the form, leading to delays.

DS-157 is not an online form. It can be fully completed in pen and ink.

Not at all. Our forms were handwritten, they assigned the bar code at the interview. They have a nifty little printer that prints out a barcode label and they slap it on. Also you can fill out part of the form online, go on to the end, print it with the bar code and fill in the rest by hand, which is what I did with our sons K-2 to follow. I simply didn't have all the information we needed and sent it on with Alla to the interview with blanks to be filled in when she got there. For example, our son's passport number, date of issuance, etc. I just left that blank when I printed it and Alla filled it in later.

Gary, once again, you are giving bad advice. Quit universalizing your particular experience. It is just that: your experience. When experience is contrary to the rule, it must be taken as the exception that proves the rule, not proof that the rule doesn't apply.

The State Department emphasizes that the DS-156 must be completely filled out online. Numerous embassies' consular pages specifically state that they will reject DS-156s with any information filled in by hand or with a missing or improperly printed barcode. I suspect this is particularly true at busy posts, as the 2D barcode contains all the data on the form and thus greatly speeds data entry.

You disregarded the DS-156 instructions and got lucky. Good for you. But it is extraordinarily foolhardy to advise people that the instructions to fill out the form online are "not at all" to be taken seriously.

Edited September 14, 2009 by Stephen + Elisha

[Marronarica 0]

hi, all...

i see where (some) of the confusion is starting/continuing on this matter... especially when things are stated as "fact."

i guess the golden rule, here, is to use the magic words "often"or "in our case" when offering any information or suggestions in these forum replies. blanket answers can often make things WORSE for those who are seeking valid advice and/or for those who may take for granted that the strongly-worded replies in these forums would be 100% accurate.

S+E's experience with the DS-157 online/handwritten issue, etc. is actually quite DIFFERENT from many true-life MRV payment experiences which are had in the Phils, for example.

our experience with the Leyte BDO (Oct.2009) is that we were REFUSED to be able to pay the MRV at BDO, unless my fiancee present a online-completed + printed DS157 form. no exceptions. zero handwriting allowed. and, consider, this BDO policy CONTRADICTS the exact instructions on the USEM website, which was updated in July 2009. WHEW!

this, of course, is NOT an opinion -- it is the real deal.

but, again, the disclaimer is that it is ONLY our experience as we attempted to follow the USEM Manila instructions -- which can be very different from other consulate offices, we have learned.

so, the key is to remain flexible and to do your own detailed research... OR, if you don't? extra trips, added headaches + chronic frustration could quickly become a part of your VJ.

good luck to ALL...don't let the websites / VJ.com suggestions / embassy procedural contradictions get ya down. for best results? READ / CALL / READ / CALL / READ / CALL, repeat.

Yes, DS-157 can be downloaded in PDF format and completed on the computer. Filling it out on the computer is not required, however. It can be filled out by hand in part or in full.

DS-156, however, must be fully completed online and printed from the PDF generated by the website after clicking "Continue."

Edited October 21, 2009 by Marronarica

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

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Edited October 21, 2009 by Gary and Alla