DS-230 - List Trips to the US

[trailmix 77]

I put my last 3 visits and they were fine with that

So I think we can deduce that you can enter whatever takes your fancy

But seriously. You can just list your last three visits and if they don't ask about your visits to the U.S. during the interview - that will be fine - but what if the conversation went like this:

"So, you have only visited the U.S. 3 times?"

"Well no, I have visited many times over the years, but I couldn't remember them all"

So basically you have now lied on the form.

I'm not trying to make drama where none is due, but I think krikit's answer is the safest 'correct' answer and it covers the bases - just my opinion.

Well it's not necessarily lying.... its answering the question to the best of your knowledge. I live an hour from the border and go for day trips frequently to shop - so there is no possible way for me to remember every single date. I mean I could if I wanted to spend hours searching my emails with my shopping plans etc., but that seems like a lot of effort for one measly question. Especially when I know I'm not even close to the 6 month mark. I suppose if you travel for longer periods of time and they see a pattern in that, they will ask.

I think for the DS160, the last 3 trips would be fine. You aren't lying, you're just stating the most recent and memorable trips. I think as long as they see you hold a job, travel back and forth semi-regularly, you haven't stayed. I'm sure they look at a variety of aspects - like how long you live in one spot, how long you hold a job etc. to better assess your 'risk' of overstay. I think they look for patterns... but that's just my theory.

I don't know, I'm a very laid back person, so I figure if they want more information I'm totally willing to give it, but I'm not going to kill myself over it or worry about it. I mean heck, I was going to get a letter from my Dr. for proof of Gardasil, miss work for an appointment to get the letter etc. and they didn't even want it!! All they wanted was it written in my immunization booklet, which I could've done myself!

Anyways, I digress. If you think you could be asked about an overstay, I think it's better to be safe than sorry and list out everything. I consider myself pretty black and white. We have easy access to eachother and are able to have shorter, more frequent visits, I have a full time job that I cannot just be away from... so I think that all of the other information along with my DS160 answer with my last 10 visits shows that I don't have any overstays.

Hopefully I'm not being too laid back about it all, I figure if they want more information they will ask and I will provide.

I thought we were talking about the DS-230

25. List dates of all previous visits to or residence in the United States. (If never, write "never") Give type of visa status, if known. Give DHS "A" number if any.

I think the question is pretty specific, I don't know what the 160 asks.

[SapphireDreams 71]

^^ Yes I agree, it is specific, but I don't think it makes or breaks the application and if you only know of your last 3, I don't think they are going to come back and say you lied... visa denied... that's my point. You have to answer all the questions to the best of your knowledge. For some people, like myself, I have probably over 100 visits to the US in my lifetime. There's no way I would ever be able to list ALL previous visits. I think they recognize that when you live close to the border, that's just not possible. So listing the last 3 or so and then stating you have too many visits to list, is sufficient. And, my point is that they have more than 1 form to go by, they also have the DS160, which I think is a good cross reference.

If someone wants to put all 100 visits, all the more power to them. I didn't think it seemed plausible in my situation and think that everyone should answer each question to the best of their ability/knowledge.

[Krikit 1,163]

Lol. I did read the post krit. I meant for on the 160. If it asks for timelines, even if I put multiple trips over X period, if they ask for the last 10...hmm...

*hides from Krit's ebil hammer wimpering*

OHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

I rescind my ebil hammering.

Lol. For some reason I can totally see you running around with a little inflatable mallet. Ah well. My mind is all garbled so I'm not making much sense today. My appologies.

And for some reason I picture it being one of those plastic squeaky toys.

[trailmix 77]

^^ Yes I agree, it is specific, but I don't think it makes or breaks the application and if you only know of your last 3, I don't think they are going to come back and say you lied... visa denied... that's my point. You have to answer all the questions to the best of your knowledge. For some people, like myself, I have probably over 100 visits to the US in my lifetime. There's no way I would ever be able to list ALL previous visits. I think they recognize that when you live close to the border, that's just not possible. So listing the last 3 or so and then stating you have too many visits to list, is sufficient. And, my point is that they have more than 1 form to go by, they also have the DS160, which I think is a good cross reference.

If someone wants to put all 100 visits, all the more power to them. I didn't think it seemed plausible in my situation and think that everyone should answer each question to the best of their ability/knowledge.

No I agree with you - listing the last three and then too many to list, or what krikit proposed, seems fine to me too (as I mentioned earlier). In your original post you mentioned just listing the three.

Ok, i'm done with this thread

[Danu 19]

Haha I appologize more sincerly for hijacking the thread and confusing everyone.

And yes krit, I was picture one of those ones you get at the carnival. The huge neon coloured ones that sqeek

[Wis-Can 0]

We just filled out ours a week ago and just put the visits I had since the whole "passport" requirement came into effect, since I have stamps for those visits.

[SapphireDreams 71]

^^ Yes I agree, it is specific, but I don't think it makes or breaks the application and if you only know of your last 3, I don't think they are going to come back and say you lied... visa denied... that's my point. You have to answer all the questions to the best of your knowledge. For some people, like myself, I have probably over 100 visits to the US in my lifetime. There's no way I would ever be able to list ALL previous visits. I think they recognize that when you live close to the border, that's just not possible. So listing the last 3 or so and then stating you have too many visits to list, is sufficient. And, my point is that they have more than 1 form to go by, they also have the DS160, which I think is a good cross reference.

If someone wants to put all 100 visits, all the more power to them. I didn't think it seemed plausible in my situation and think that everyone should answer each question to the best of their ability/knowledge.

No I agree with you - listing the last three and then too many to list, or what krikit proposed, seems fine to me too (as I mentioned earlier). In your original post you mentioned just listing the three.

Ok, i'm done with this thread

I didn't even do that, so we'll see what happens! I actually noticed that I missed part of a date on one of the questions.. so I'm not sure what happens there either, LOL. I guess I'll fix it when I get to Montreal haha.

I am so just like whatever at this point!!

[defunct 0]

If they wanted to know your last 3 trips, I'd imagine that the question would be, "List your last 3 trips".

Use common sense. If you had any "major trips" that you remember dates of, then list them. I listed my main trips to the U.S. and included a blurb that said something to the effect of "Numerous 1-3 day trips for shopping and concerts, since I live near the border."

[Marilyn. 340]

If they wanted to know your last 3 trips, I'd imagine that the question would be, "List your last 3 trips".

Use common sense. If you had any "major trips" that you remember dates of, then list them. I listed my main trips to the U.S. and included a blurb that said something to the effect of "Numerous 1-3 day trips for shopping and concerts, since I live near the border."

yeah that is similar to what I put on the form..

[Gypsyangel 11]

I just stated "numerous" on the form. It didn't come up at the interview.

Of course, in my paranoia, just before the interview I did my best effort at a complete lifetime list. It was kinda silly to do it, but I was covering all my angles.

[So Anxious 0]

Hi everyone,

I also would like some clarification on q25. I just wanted to confirm that this does not include entering the U.S to transfer flights. One NVC agent told me all border crossings are to be included while another stated that it should just be all visits into the US where I actually stayed in the U.S. Has anyone included dates of entry into the us to catch a conection flight? Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

[trailmix 77]

Hi everyone,

I also would like some clarification on q25. I just wanted to confirm that this does not include entering the U.S to transfer flights. One NVC agent told me all border crossings are to be included while another stated that it should just be all visits into the US where I actually stayed in the U.S. Has anyone included dates of entry into the us to catch a conection flight? Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

Welcome!

It's only previous visits and residences, not transits - I doubt they consider that as a visit - I wouldn't bother to include it (and we didn't).

Edited March 23, 2009 by trailmix

[Krikit 1,163]

Just as an FYI for everyone..... my husband called the NVC to ask about this question because we all know how crazy it is for Canadians to list how many times we've been to the United States. Anyway, they told him that the purpose of the question was to determine whether there was every any overstays and that they knew that Canadians were here all the time so didn't require a list of each and every visit. They said all we needed to enter was "Numerous visits but none lasting longer than <insert longest #of weeks/months you've ever stayed>".

So that's what I entered and they were fine with it.