DS-230 Checklist

[Shawna and James 4]

Hey guys,

I'm sending my DS-230 package to my hubby on Tuesday so he can have it ready to send in. I want to make sure I have everything I need included, but I am just wanting to be cautious so as not to delay our processing any longer. (we realized today we have been waiting for a month for nothing. yay.)

So I have:

- Tthe completed DS-230 (parts I and II)

- Police Certificate Check, with Seal. (Im assuming this must be the original, I only got one copy so will a copy of the original be ok to bring to the interview since I am sending the original in?)

- Two passport-style photos (we had 4 done, but I think two are for the packet and 2 are for the medical? and do I need to endorse any of these photos?)

- Birth Certificate long form - Issued by Govt (again, sending in original.. will copy be ok at interview or should I order another original before the interview?)

- Marriage Certificate long form - Issued by Govt (same question)

- Passport Bio Page, color copy (Does this need to be notarized or endorsed with a signature by me?)

I think that is all. I hope. I have no previous marriages, no military service, and no adoption.. does that look good to everyone? I just want to make sure we get it right the 1st time. Also, at this stage do we need to include any more evidence of a bonafide marriage (photos, call logs, cards, etc) or should I just be prepared to bring that to the interview. We never included anything other than the 3 letters from people with the I-130... so Im not sure when the photos and what not are needed that everyone talks about..

thanks a bunch!

[Samoray 165]

Sign DS-230 Part 1

The originals will be forwarded to the consulate after NVC completes the case then you will get them back after the interview

[Shawna and James 4]

Sign DS-230 Part 1

The originals will be forwarded to the consulate after NVC completes the case then you will get them back after the interview

thank you for your response

I have it signed

Im not too worried about getting originals back.. I can order more online.. its just whether I need to bring originals with me to the interview. If so I will need to order more/get another check done. I read that we should being copies of all our packets with us in case they say that they never received something, we can show it was with the packet. Im just over cautious :/

[Samoray 165]

Ok good cause sometimes people forget to sign it

That is just to make sure you got copies for yourself but the consulate is not gonna ask you for documents that you have already sent to NVC

are you guys doing the process electronically or regular ?

[Shawna and James 4]

Ok good cause sometimes people forget to sign it

That is just to make sure you got copies for yourself but the consulate is not gonna ask you for documents that you have already sent to NVC

are you guys doing the process electronically or regular ?

regular.. my hubby isn't very electronically inclined and I don't have access to a scanner here for some of the documents :/

I don't trust him with electronic correspondence anymore.. I just discovered today that he didn't read the entire attachment he got on the 23rd of feb.. so we have been waiting for a month to get the $404.00 bill... and we received it almost a month ago by email and he just didn't read all 3 pdf pages!! I was like /facepalm. Ah well. Can't do anything about it now except pay and keep moving forward lol.

[Samoray 165]

regular.. my hubby isn't very electronically inclined and I don't have access to a scanner here for some of the documents :/

I don't trust him with electronic correspondence anymore.. I just discovered today that he didn't read the entire attachment he got on the 23rd of feb.. so we have been waiting for a month to get the $404.00 bill... and we received it almost a month ago by email and he just didn't read all 3 pdf pages!! I was like /facepalm. Ah well. Can't do anything about it now except pay and keep moving forward lol.

It's good that you discovered the bill now and not later than that

[Shawna and James 4]

It's good that you discovered the bill now and not later than that

The only reason I did is because I logged into his email to email the NVC to see if they could re-send his AOS receipt. He accidentally deleted it >.< and so I clicked on the mail we received then and was reading the attachment and it said "enclosed is an invoice" I assumed maybe it was for the $88 bill we had paid.. and low and behold it was the IV bill. I called him and told him immediately lol. All I can say is, thank goodness USCIS took less than we anticipated to process.. so we were ahead of what we initially thought our time line would be by 2 months.. so.. we are still ahead by one.. ha ha. Oh well.

[OBX 51]

I took a photocopy of my police certificate to the interview just in case (original was sent to NVC) and was fine. You shouldn't need another original one for the interview unless the one you submitted to NVC is over a year old by the time of your interview.

As fas as the photographs go, two are fine for the DS-230; I wrote my name, NVC case number and DOB lightly on the back. BTW you will need three for your medical.

Good luck!

[Shawna and James 4]

I took a photocopy of my police certificate to the interview just in case (original was sent to NVC) and was fine. You shouldn't need another original one for the interview unless the one you submitted to NVC is over a year old by the time of your interview.

As fas as the photographs go, two are fine for the DS-230; I wrote my name, NVC case number and DOB lightly on the back. BTW you will need three for your medical.

Good luck!

thanks! Yeah I realized after I posted that that it was actually 3 for the medical. bah! Wal Mart is making a killing off of me in photos lol.

[celinayfran 2]

Dear Shawna and james,

I am curious about why your first I-130 packet was denied? Your timeline says incorrect or missing info?

I am just about to send my I-130 packet off and Im obsessing over every detail as I too want to, need to get this right the first time!

Best of luck to you!!

[IndigoSkies 168]

Make sure you send copies off your original civil documents like marriage, birth, and police certificate with your DS230 package. You will get your originals back after the interview but they'll keep the copies.

Make sure you put your NVC case number on all pages, on upper right-hand corner. On originals you can use removable stickers.

Edited March 21, 2011 by IndigoSkies

[Shawna and James 4]

Dear Shawna and james,

I am curious about why your first I-130 packet was denied? Your timeline says incorrect or missing info?

I am just about to send my I-130 packet off and Im obsessing over every detail as I too want to, need to get this right the first time!

Best of luck to you!!

we arent 100% what stopped us the first two times. the time it was actually accepted we changed two things. We had put N/A for last residence we had resided at together, because we never lived together. We were advised rather than putting n/a to explain we hadnt lived together. Also, for my address, it said City/State/Country. Well in Canada, we dont have states, so I just put my city and country. We were advised by someone here to put in my province. so those two things we changed and it was finally accepted. All it kept saying was section C: address.. and there are a few address places in section c, so we werent sure.

Make sure you send copies off your original civil documents like marriage, birth, and police certificate with your DS230 package. You will get your originals back after the interview but they'll keep the copies.

Make sure you put your NVC case number on all pages, on upper right-hand corner. On originals you can use removable stickers.

thank you for this. I probably wouldnt have thought to put the case # on everything.