Packet 3 Forms, Need Assistance!

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Eep! Heya guys (I probably have a jillion topics in this forum, now) --

I'm going over the DS-230 Part 1 form (Applicant for Immigrant Visa and alien registration) and I have a few issues:

1. My parents don't know their date of births for certain. All I can give is an approximation -- will they eat me alive for that and give me a big, fat "no"?

2. I know I went to the US when I was small, but I don't remember when it was (probably at some point between 1997-1998). Should I bother listing this?

Help! Assistance would be muchly appreciated.

Magpie.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

If you parents don't even know, then the US government probably doesn't know either. I wonder if your parents have a "made up" birth date that they always use to fill in applications, get a passport, etc. If so, then you need to find out those dates and use them for consistency.

How did you travel to the US? That's only 10 years ago, so it's not ancient history. Was there a passport? You could probably strike up some kind of conversation with your Mum talking about the trip and maybe get it figured out. Are there any photo albums of the trip?

It's hard enough doing this process, but doing it undercover is gonna kill ya. Good luck.

[English Muffin 59]

Please don't feel that this is an interrogation and it's not my intent to pry into your life but it strikes me as a bit odd that NEITHER of your parents know their dates of birth. Is there a reason for them not knowing? Because if it seems like too much of a coincidence to me then the Embassy might feel the same.

I can only agree with Nich-Nick that the late 90s aren't exactly that long ago so you should be able to get some estimated dates from someone in the family for when you travelled.

I hope you can find the information you need - I'm not sure how essential those dates of birth are but they could be the difference between an approval and a denial.

[MargotDarko 0]

I hope you can find the information you need - I'm not sure how essential those dates of birth are but they could be the difference between an approval and a denial.

No, the dates won't be the difference between an approval and denial. I'm not sure why you'd say that. When the information is genuinely not known, it's perfectly acceptable to write that it's unknown. Some people don't even know their parents' names and that's fine.

[MargotDarko 0]

Do your parents have dates that they use on forms in place of their real birth dates? What about on their passports or did you go the US without them? If they had dates they use, use those dates. If not, write "unknown".

You do need the info about your trip to the US. If you don't have the passport you travelled on, do what you can to get as close to the date of your trip as possible, at least the month and year really.

[English Muffin 59]

I hope you can find the information you need - I'm not sure how essential those dates of birth are but they could be the difference between an approval and a denial.

No, the dates won't be the difference between an approval and denial. I'm not sure why you'd say that. When the information is genuinely not known, it's perfectly acceptable to write that it's unknown. Some people don't even know their parents' names and that's fine.

That's why I put "I'm not sure how essential those dates are"...

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

I hope you can find the information you need - I'm not sure how essential those dates of birth are but they could be the difference between an approval and a denial.

No, the dates won't be the difference between an approval and denial. I'm not sure why you'd say that. When the information is genuinely not known, it's perfectly acceptable to write that it's unknown. Some people don't even know their parents' names and that's fine.

That's why I put "I'm not sure how essential those dates are"...

Well, they were both born in India, and at that time I guess there wasn't a legitimate system of recording the date of births...

They also tend to vary when they write down their DoBs in official documents. Bah.

I do think I went about June-July in 1997 to the US, but I'll have to clarify that somehow. I just hope they won't get really harsh with me if I get it wrong. :: eep ::

:: Hugs :: You've all been wonderful, thank you.

Magpie.

[English Muffin 59]

Well, they were both born in India, and at that time I guess there wasn't a legitimate system of recording the date of births...

That makes a big difference - a good one too.

I believe USCIS and the Embassy will be used to this kind of thing and you'll just have to explain it if asked.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

That makes a big difference - a good one too.

I believe USCIS and the Embassy will be used to this kind of thing and you'll just have to explain it if asked.

=D Well, I found out that I was in the US (approximately) in June 1997 and August 1997. The birthdates are still vague as my parents don't honestly know. But I'll let the Embassy know of this and hopefully they'll understand. :: Frolics ::

[English Muffin 59]

=D Well, I found out that I was in the US (approximately) in June 1997 and August 1997. The birthdates are still vague as my parents don't honestly know. But I'll let the Embassy know of this and hopefully they'll understand. :: Frolics ::

I know that birth dates for people born in India before a certain date are often unknown and USCIS are well aware of this so I wouldn't worry about that at all. Just provide them with whatever you can. Good luck.