I-864 Coversheet Instructions

You will need the I-864 coversheet. [ADDED APRIL 2013: This really isn't necessary any more. All NVC payments are done through the payment portal and the cover sheet becomes available for printing immediately upon payment; you don't even have to wait until the status registers "PAID]

• Download the MS Word copy of the I-864 coversheet (available by clicking here[1]).
• Change the XXX1234567890 at the bottom to your case number.
• Go to idautomation to generate the barcode. [2].
  • Type the case number under "Data to encode."
  • Under "Barcode symbology," select CODE 39.
  • Select "No" for the "Add check digit,"
  • Select "No" for the "Add check digit to text,"
  • Select "No" for the "Show text below barcode" options.
  • Change the "X dimension" (bar width) to 0.07
  • Change the "Barcode bar height" to 0.7.
  • Click on "Create Barcode."
  • Right click on the barcode and click on Copy.
• Paste the image into a graphics editing program such as IrfanView (either by selecting Paste under the Edit menu or hitting Ctrl + V on the keyboard)
• Crop out the gray text "Powered by IDAutomation.com (i.e., draw a box around the barcode only and, e.g., in IrfanView, select Crop selection under the Edit menu).
• Copy the image from the graphics program either by selecting Copy under the Edit Menu or by hitting Ctrl+C on the keyboard.
• Go to the MS Word copy of the I-864 coversheet
• Select the old barcode that's already there and hit the Delete key.
• Click on Paste under the Edit menu (or hit Ctrl + V on the keyboard).
• You then need to further adjust the size of the barcode by right-clicking on it and clicking on "Format Picture."
• Click on the "Size" tab.
• De-select "Lock aspect ratio"
• Change the height to 0.4"
• Change the width to 3.45"
• Click on "OK."