Hi Guys,
I was in the midst of filling out the DS156 and DS157 forms and had a few queries while filling out those. Would appreciate if someone can let me know about those so that i can complete the forms and mail them out along with the other stuff for my H1/H4 stamping.
This is the first time i am stamping from within U.S[my previous ones were done in India], hence i apologize for all these questions. But want to make sure before sending since i heard that it takes 3 months to get it back.
I guess DS156 has to be filled by both me and my wife whereas DS157 is to be filled only by me. Is that correct? Is DS157 still required to be filled by us Indians?
For DS156, should i type out electronic version and then print it out or should i print the non-electronic version and then fill it out by hand? There is a talk about new barcode required to be on the form, so would filling out the electronic version be safer?
If yes, in certain questions where it expects dates, and we need to specify "Already in U.S" cannot be done in electronic version.
Should i not fill it out electronically for these fields only but type the other questions and then type it by hand for these fields only? I
Is that acceptable to have all typed electronically and some fields filled by hand?
DS156:
1] Both of our passports are new as a result of my wife's last name to be changed and both of our names to be included in each other's passports. Our new passports were issued in Washington D.C by Indian Embassy and our old passports were stamped with Cancelled stamp on only front and back cover pages[laminated stuff] and the second page. Rest of the pages in our old passports were left alone including our previous Visa stamp page in those old passports. Hope that is fine since someone told me that upon passport cancellation, all pages need to have "Cancelled" stamps which is not in our case, as mentioned above.
So with these new passports issued in Washington D.C,
for Question 2,
would Place of Issuance[City] be Washington D.C. or just Washington?
Country would be U.S.A
but State/Province should be specified as District of Columbia or just D.C?
2] For Q3, Issuing country would be specified as India?
3] What should be specified in National Identification No in Q14? Should i say N/A?
or Would that be SSN no or my H1 EAC no?
4] Q15 home address. Should that be my India address or my current U.S address since i am applying for stamping from within U.S?
5] Q16 asking for telephone nos. Home telephone nos/Fax no which i would handle.
But for Business Phone no/Fax no, would that be my current place of work in N.C at employer's client's place, phone and fax no ? or would that be employer's phone and fax no?
If i specify client's phone no here, would that cause any problems since later in one question, would specify employer's office addr which is in N.J?
Pls advise.
6] Q18, Spouse full name . Would that be FirstName MiddleName LastName format or
LastName FirstName MiddleName format?
This question applies to any questions on both forms where they have asked to specify the full names of father, mother or spouse.
7] Q22: When do u intend to Arrive in U.S?{provide a specific date if known]
Should i say again " already in U.S"? for both of us?
8] Q24: What address will you stay in U.S?
That would be my current home address in U.S just like what i specified in Q15?
9] Q25: Name and Telephone nos of person in U.S who will be staying with or visiting for Tourism or Business?
Name, Business Phone, Home Phone & Cell Phone
Should i leave this blank? Or should i specify "Already in U.S" and if yes which column out of the 4 they have asked , should i say that or say the same in all 4 colums?
or should i say N/A?
10] Q26: How long do you intend to stay in U.S?
"Till my H1/H4 validity period" Is this answer correct?
11] Q27: what is the purpose of your trip?
Should i say: Currently working in U.S.A with my employer's name. Located at their client's place in N.C, U.S.A?
This is what i had said in my previous stamping done from India but not sure for stamping from St Louis. Hence the question.
12] Q28: Who will pay for the trip?
Should i say again " already in U.S"? for both of us?
13] Q29: Have u ever been in U.S? When ? for How long?
So for When , should i specify my and my wife's very first date of entry in U.S[mine 4.5 yrs back and her's 2 yrs back]? . for How long , would that be "Till Current"?
14] Q32: Do you intend to work in U.S?
Should i specify employer's details again?
15] Q34: names and relationships of persons travelling with you
Should i say again " already in U.S"? for both of us?
16] Q36: Has anyone ever filed an Immigrant Visa petition on your behalf?
Should i say "Yes" or "No". Since i heard that this would be "Yes" only if I140 has been applied for u? Filing for labour would still mean saying" No" to this question.
Is that correct?
17] Are any of the following persons in U.S or do they have U.S Legal Permanent Residence or U.S Citizenship? Mark Yes or No and indicate that person's status in U.S[i.e U.S Legal permanent resident, U.S citizen, visiting, working etc.]
For both of us, under Husband/Wife, we should select "Yes" checkbox . Should we specify our names and say "working" in my case and "housewife" in her case. or should we include "h1" or "H4" as well?
DS157:
Do i need to fill this out?
if Yes, I guess this is to be filled only by me? and not my wife?
1] Q3: Full Name [in Native Alphabet]. Should i put that in my native language or in English only?
2] Q8: Full Name and Address of Contact person or organization in U.S[include telephone no]
Would that be employer's address?
3] Q9: List all countries u entered in Last Ten years:
Would that include the countries i spent at their airports while transitting from India to U.S or viceversa? Or does this include only the countries where i actually step out of the airport?
4] Q18: have you made specific travel arrangements? IF yes, pls provide a complete itinerary for your travel, including arrival/departure dates etc.
Should i say again " already in U.S"? for both of us?
I would really request and appreciate if u can respond back to this email letting me know in response to my questions for the various questions in both the forms.
This would enable me to complete the forms and mail out the package?
Would appreciate ur earliest response.
TIA
Pramesh
I was in the midst of filling out the DS156 and DS157 forms and had a few queries while filling out those. Would appreciate if someone can let me know about those so that i can complete the forms and mail them out along with the other stuff for my H1/H4 stamping.
This is the first time i am stamping from within U.S[my previous ones were done in India], hence i apologize for all these questions. But want to make sure before sending since i heard that it takes 3 months to get it back.
I guess DS156 has to be filled by both me and my wife whereas DS157 is to be filled only by me. Is that correct? Is DS157 still required to be filled by us Indians?
For DS156, should i type out electronic version and then print it out or should i print the non-electronic version and then fill it out by hand? There is a talk about new barcode required to be on the form, so would filling out the electronic version be safer?
If yes, in certain questions where it expects dates, and we need to specify "Already in U.S" cannot be done in electronic version.
Should i not fill it out electronically for these fields only but type the other questions and then type it by hand for these fields only? I
Is that acceptable to have all typed electronically and some fields filled by hand?
DS156:
1] Both of our passports are new as a result of my wife's last name to be changed and both of our names to be included in each other's passports. Our new passports were issued in Washington D.C by Indian Embassy and our old passports were stamped with Cancelled stamp on only front and back cover pages[laminated stuff] and the second page. Rest of the pages in our old passports were left alone including our previous Visa stamp page in those old passports. Hope that is fine since someone told me that upon passport cancellation, all pages need to have "Cancelled" stamps which is not in our case, as mentioned above.
So with these new passports issued in Washington D.C,
for Question 2,
would Place of Issuance[City] be Washington D.C. or just Washington?
Country would be U.S.A
but State/Province should be specified as District of Columbia or just D.C?
2] For Q3, Issuing country would be specified as India?
3] What should be specified in National Identification No in Q14? Should i say N/A?
or Would that be SSN no or my H1 EAC no?
4] Q15 home address. Should that be my India address or my current U.S address since i am applying for stamping from within U.S?
5] Q16 asking for telephone nos. Home telephone nos/Fax no which i would handle.
But for Business Phone no/Fax no, would that be my current place of work in N.C at employer's client's place, phone and fax no ? or would that be employer's phone and fax no?
If i specify client's phone no here, would that cause any problems since later in one question, would specify employer's office addr which is in N.J?
Pls advise.
6] Q18, Spouse full name . Would that be FirstName MiddleName LastName format or
LastName FirstName MiddleName format?
This question applies to any questions on both forms where they have asked to specify the full names of father, mother or spouse.
7] Q22: When do u intend to Arrive in U.S?{provide a specific date if known]
Should i say again " already in U.S"? for both of us?
8] Q24: What address will you stay in U.S?
That would be my current home address in U.S just like what i specified in Q15?
9] Q25: Name and Telephone nos of person in U.S who will be staying with or visiting for Tourism or Business?
Name, Business Phone, Home Phone & Cell Phone
Should i leave this blank? Or should i specify "Already in U.S" and if yes which column out of the 4 they have asked , should i say that or say the same in all 4 colums?
or should i say N/A?
10] Q26: How long do you intend to stay in U.S?
"Till my H1/H4 validity period" Is this answer correct?
11] Q27: what is the purpose of your trip?
Should i say: Currently working in U.S.A with my employer's name. Located at their client's place in N.C, U.S.A?
This is what i had said in my previous stamping done from India but not sure for stamping from St Louis. Hence the question.
12] Q28: Who will pay for the trip?
Should i say again " already in U.S"? for both of us?
13] Q29: Have u ever been in U.S? When ? for How long?
So for When , should i specify my and my wife's very first date of entry in U.S[mine 4.5 yrs back and her's 2 yrs back]? . for How long , would that be "Till Current"?
14] Q32: Do you intend to work in U.S?
Should i specify employer's details again?
15] Q34: names and relationships of persons travelling with you
Should i say again " already in U.S"? for both of us?
16] Q36: Has anyone ever filed an Immigrant Visa petition on your behalf?
Should i say "Yes" or "No". Since i heard that this would be "Yes" only if I140 has been applied for u? Filing for labour would still mean saying" No" to this question.
Is that correct?
17] Are any of the following persons in U.S or do they have U.S Legal Permanent Residence or U.S Citizenship? Mark Yes or No and indicate that person's status in U.S[i.e U.S Legal permanent resident, U.S citizen, visiting, working etc.]
For both of us, under Husband/Wife, we should select "Yes" checkbox . Should we specify our names and say "working" in my case and "housewife" in her case. or should we include "h1" or "H4" as well?
DS157:
Do i need to fill this out?
if Yes, I guess this is to be filled only by me? and not my wife?
1] Q3: Full Name [in Native Alphabet]. Should i put that in my native language or in English only?
2] Q8: Full Name and Address of Contact person or organization in U.S[include telephone no]
Would that be employer's address?
3] Q9: List all countries u entered in Last Ten years:
Would that include the countries i spent at their airports while transitting from India to U.S or viceversa? Or does this include only the countries where i actually step out of the airport?
4] Q18: have you made specific travel arrangements? IF yes, pls provide a complete itinerary for your travel, including arrival/departure dates etc.
Should i say again " already in U.S"? for both of us?
I would really request and appreciate if u can respond back to this email letting me know in response to my questions for the various questions in both the forms.
This would enable me to complete the forms and mail out the package?
Would appreciate ur earliest response.
TIA
Pramesh