Mandatory questions on the DS-160
Are all questions on the DS-160 mandatory?
Are all questions on the DS-160 mandatory?
When I apply for a nonimmigrant visa using the online DS-160, are additional forms required?
What happens to my DS-160 if I select a U.S. Embassy or Consulate where I will be applying for my visa, but end up making an interview appointment instead at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate?
I do not have a National Identification Number. How should I answer this question?
If you are a citizen of a country that does not issue national identification numbers, select “Does not apply.”
What do I enter for U.S. Social Security Number and/or U.S. Taxpayer ID Number?
Applicants, who have worked in the United States, as well as others, will have Social Security numbers or taxpayer identification numbers. If you do not have a Social Security number or a taxpayer identification number, select “Does not apply”.
The form asks for my home phone number, but I do not have one.
You should provide at least one contact phone number, so that the U.S. Embassy or Consulate can contact you by phone, if necessary. If you have provided a mobile or cell phone number, you may enter “Does not apply” for home phone number.
The form asks for my Passport Book Number, but I am not sure if I have one.
The form asks that I provide the name of a contact or organization and a phone number, but I am not visiting anyone in the United States.
If you do not know anyone personally in the United States, but you are traveling here to visit a particular store, company, or organization, you may provide the name of the store, company, or organization you intend to visit. Otherwise, you may select “Does not apply.”
The form asks if I am the principal applicant. What is a principal applicant?
If you, or your family, are applying for B-1, B-2, or B1/B2 visas, you are all considered principal applicants, and each of you should select that box.
Can a third party complete the form on my behalf? Who is exempt from signing the form?
I am currently on H1B and have I-140 approved on EB-3 with a PD of Oct 06. I have overall 9 years of experience, which includes 4.5 years outside current employer. However, I had resigned my current employer an year ago and worked for a different company for an year and then joined back my current employer in Aug 2010. Since I haven't been continuously employed with current employer, I am wondering if ALL years prior to Aug 2010 can be considered for EB2 qualification.
Continuous employment is not required, but you can use the experience with the same employer ONLY if the job you used to perform and the job you will perform after the green card are more than 50% different.
I do not qualify to apply for OPT. I have used my CPT completely by working for my current employer for past 1.5 yrs. They started my H-1B process. My current job (QA Analyst) minimum requirement is Associates degree or 0+ yrs experience. Lawyer came back saying job description should be changed to minimum bachelors or equivalent. I have 16 yrs education from India + MBA from here (April 2011) + 1.5 yrs experience. My employer is not willing to change the job description. Can they ask the lawyer to continue the process with the current job description?
An H-1 can be requested for a job that requires minimally a bachelor's degree. Note that the employer MUST TRUTHFULLY require a degree. If not, you cannot process an H-1.
I am currently on H-1B with a university (cap exempt), working full time (40-hrs/week). An opportunity has come to work part-time for another For-profit institution (not cap exempt), may be for 20 hours or so per week. So my questions are:
Can I apply for a concurrent H1 (For-profit; not cap exempt) whose work load will be additional to my current H1?
Is there a restriction on where the concurrent H-1 sponsor is located in the US?
Does 'Concurrent H-1B' need to go through the yearly quota since it is 'not cap-exempt' in my case?
The last time I checked into this issue, you could apply for a concurrent quota H-1 even though you are currently holding an exempt H-1. Location of the employer is not important, location of the job is.
I am filing GC for my mother who is in US on visitor visa & her I-94 got extended for another 6 months. She never used her surname on her Indian passport? What should I mention in the last Name on I-130 & rest of the forms (I-485).Should I mention NA or not used or leave them blank?
You have several choices, including "No Last Name Used." If she wishes to use some other name, including adding a last name, now would be a good time to do it.
I have a question regarding naturalization filing period. I will complete my 5 years in US in June. Can I only file after 5 years or I can submit my documents after 4 years 9 months only.
You are allowed to submit Naturalization application any time after 90 days following the 5th year from your green card approval.
I am on L-1 and my wife is L-2 with EAD. Can she do a home based business such as selling things on Ebay etc?
With an EAD, an L-2 can work anywhere including operating their own business and work as many jobs as they like.
Fact "H1Bs cannot do their own business in US". So checking the legal limit with below scenarios.
1. Can a H1b, while working for H1 employer, work for non US employer using options like work from home or other internet technologies and earn in their local currency without further documentation?
2. Does anything changes if the non US employer has clients in US and the person in above position actually work with those clients under the payroll of non US based organization?
3. Does it cross the legal H1B limit if we assume the H1b person in scenario 1 and 2 is also the owner of non US company and earns in local currency not USD?
1. In my view, no.
2. No. The critical thing is that the work is being performed on US soil.
3. I believe this too would be illegal under immigration laws.
I am currently on OPT, expiring on 23 May 11. I am currently working but my current employer is not willing to file for my visa and I am unable to find an employer who can file for H1B. I have following questions:
1) If I am not able to find a company-how much time ahead of my visa expiration I will have to file for H4?
2) How difficult it is for an employer file for H1 from H1 and what is the process?
3) If I have to travel out of country before the OPT expiration-do I need to have another visa approved to re enter before my OPT expiration?
1. Your H-4 application must reach USCIS before expiration of your OPT (although it could be argued that you have an extra 60 days, but I stay away from having to argue).
2. No different than filing a new H-1.
3. You could have a difficult time entering if cutting too close the end, although, legally you are entitled to it as long as you have a job in your field that you have been performing on your OPT.
I am a British citizen on L1 visa. My boyfriend is a US citizen and we intend to marry. If we seek the fiancé visa, will I have to go back to the UK for any time? And if I intend to relocate within the US to collocate with him (and therefore will need to find a new employer) what kind of working visa could I obtain?
You can just get married and apply for a green card directly while you are still in USA. You can continue working on L-1. In 90 days or so, you should also receive your EAD, if you apply.
Where can I find the DS-160?
Access the DS-160, by clicking: Consular Electronic Application Center website. We recommend that you use Internet Explorer or Firefox browsers to access the DS-160.
Can my answers be in my native language?
No. All answers must be in English, using English characters only, except when you are asked to provide your full name in your native alphabet. Applications submitted in any language other than English will be denied, and you may be required to submit a new application. While you must answer all questions in English, translations of questions are available in many languages from the drop-down menu in the right upper corner of the application. These translations should assist you in completing the form in English.
When using the new visa appointment site, what should my client list in the mandatory field that asks for the "Request Number"?
When a visa applicant sets up a user account in the appointment system, an 8-digit identifying number is assigned to the applicant. When logged into the appointment system, this "Request Number" appears in white against a red background in the upper right hand corner of the screen in parentheses after the applicant's e-mail address:
What is USCIS’s policy on using evaluations of foreign degrees for Green Card purposes?
USCIS has verified that the education evaluation system that it regularly uses to evaluate the equivalency of foreign degrees to a US degree is the AACRAO EDGE database (edge.aacrao.org/). While alternate education evaluations can be submitted to USCIS, they must be documented with evidence as to why the alternate evaluation should be considered instead of the EDGE evaluation.
An applicant whose Form I-131 is filed and currently pending at a USCIS Service Center may go to a local office to apply for an expedited Advance Parole in case of an emergency. Have there been any changes to the process in which the applicant presents a copy of the receipts for the I-131 (and the underlying applications), documentation proving the emergency, filing fee, and two photos?
There has been no change to this policy. USCIS requires documentary evidence of the emergent situation, as well as supporting documentation indicating that the applicant has a pending application.