Queries about DS230 i & ii (DCF London)

[LauraDP 10]

Me again!

We were filling out all the DS 230s for myself and the four children last night. I have a couple of queries and hope you guys - who are much more knowledgeable than I am - can confirm a couple of things for me so that I can be sure we get it right first time. At this stage, we really don't need any additional delays that will separate the family for even longer.

I know that none of us is to sign anything on part ii until the interview but there is a place to sign on part i. Obviously as an adult I know that I sign my own but who signs the ones for the children? My kids are 10, 7, 6 and 4 so are not all capable of signing something. Do I sign for them? Does my husband (who is the USC)? Do we leave it blank?

Can you confirm for me, please, that we do not send any documentation along with the DS 230s but instead take all of that supporting information to the interview? I feel 100% certain that we don't submit anything now and just do so at the interview but my husband is insistent that I check here just to be sure. (Yup, he trusts you guys more than the Embassy website)

The PDF forms we filled out and printed off have a section in small type that says the form expired in 2012. Do we need to start over with a form that is still in date or are we OK to go ahead and submit these forms?

Which Embassy address do we send the DS230s to, please?

Is it best to include a covering letter or just send the forms themselves?

I am very anxious to have all my Is dotted and my Ts crossed.

Thanks in advance for any answers to my questions.

Best wishes

Laura

PS I see now that there is an additional $165 to pay per visa application. Why is that?

[Etta&James 0]

Hi Laura, I'll try to help you with what i know

Form DS-230 part 1, just signed it yourself and nobody else; you are the main applicant, and for formal purposes, the kids come along with you. Send that form ONLY and nothing else. You can fill form DS-230 part 2, without signing it as you will do that in front of the US Officer on your interview. Keep form DS-230 part 2 and bring it along with all the support documentation to the Embassy once you get the interview date.

If the form has in the bottom left corner the following print: "DS-230 part I the form is correct and valid.

07-2012"

Mail the form over to:

Immigrant Visa Unit
US Embassy
24 Grosvenor Square
London W1K 6AH

Last but not least, we didn't a cover letter, but if you'd like to do so and maybe explain if you need to travel on a certain date, then it's worth doing so.

Now take a deep breathe, and relax as long as you keep all the docs organized you'll be fine. Make sure you have copies of everything as well.

Best of luck!!

A

[LauraDP 10]

Thank you for taking the time to respond, Etta&James.

So if I am reading your response correctly, I obviously sign my own DS230i but leave the signature block for my kids' forms blank?

We don't have a particular travel date in mind so I guess I don't need a cover letter.

Thanks for confirming the correct address too.

I think I am becoming overwhelmed with everything I have left to do in this process of relocating and it all happening at once after months of very slow progress. I think my brain has just stopped working properly due to being overloaded!

Thanks

Laura

[lost_at_sea 995]

I think I am becoming overwhelmed with everything I have left to do in this process of relocating and it all happening at once after months of very slow progress. I think my brain has just stopped working properly due to being overloaded!

I know exactly how you feel. We've gone from maybe moving in September (that was what we worked out based on averages) to OMGWTF we're going to MOVE in JULY!? I've had to quit my job with less notice than I wanted to give and I have this never ending list of bills and accounts I need to close or move and then there's all the packing and organising the shipping... and then there's just the stress of worrying about the interview. My head aches pretty much constantly at the moment.

I cannot WAIT to be done, I can only imagine my brain will heave a literal, loud, sigh of relief when we're all done.

Best of luck to you. The paperwork for DCF is weirdly little, which threw me. I expected to have to fill out mountains like the K1 applicants have to. Do include a cover letter if you have travel plans coming up - London does make an effort to meet those plans with your interview.

[LauraDP 10]

Thanks, lost_at_sea.

The kids and I do not have specific travel plans. My husband will move out in 6-8 weeks but he will have to find a place for the six of us to live and get some basic furniture (beds!) before we can move the kids out. It is going to be a challenging enough transition for them to make without them arriving in a house with not a stick of furniture. Ideally we would hold off until our shipping container has been delivered since they can then have access to their own possessions but it may not work out that way just because our timeline has become suddenly compressed.

I can relate to your panic entirely about the shifting of dates. My husband was told "maybe early in the new year" for this job and then just over a week ago it was "actually how soon can you start?" It has put us through a tailspin thinking how much stuff we have to get done before we can even think about him leaving the country let alone the rest of us.

Fingers crossed the remainder of the process goes smoothly for both of us.

Cheers

Laura

[Janani S 1]

Me again!

We were filling out all the DS 230s for myself and the four children last night. I have a couple of queries and hope you guys - who are much more knowledgeable than I am - can confirm a couple of things for me so that I can be sure we get it right first time. At this stage, we really don't need any additional delays that will separate the family for even longer.

I know that none of us is to sign anything on part ii until the interview but there is a place to sign on part i. Obviously as an adult I know that I sign my own but who signs the ones for the children? My kids are 10, 7, 6 and 4 so are not all capable of signing something. Do I sign for them? Does my husband (who is the USC)? Do we leave it blank?

Can you confirm for me, please, that we do not send any documentation along with the DS 230s but instead take all of that supporting information to the interview? I feel 100% certain that we don't submit anything now and just do so at the interview but my husband is insistent that I check here just to be sure. (Yup, he trusts you guys more than the Embassy website)

The PDF forms we filled out and printed off have a section in small type that says the form expired in 2012. Do we need to start over with a form that is still in date or are we OK to go ahead and submit these forms?

Which Embassy address do we send the DS230s to, please?

Is it best to include a covering letter or just send the forms themselves?

I am very anxious to have all my Is dotted and my Ts crossed.

Thanks in advance for any answers to my questions.

Best wishes

Laura

PS I see now that there is an additional $165 to pay per visa application. Why is that?

Hey,

As far as I know, you can sign the forms for them as minors require their guardian's sgnature (either you or your husband's should be fine).

The 165$ is a new immigration fee which they charge to process the greencard. Not sure exactly why though.

All the best!

Janani

[LauraDP 10]

Thank you for your reply, Janani.

I will have my husband sign on their behalf since he is the USC parent.

That new fee is a real pain when you have to multiply it by five visa applications.

Cheers

Laura

[Janani S 1]

You're welcome

Just mention (father) beside the signature.

Here is the link.

It says

"Children, who are able to, should sign their own forms and the parents of children under 16 should also sign the child's name and write by (father) or (mother), whichever is appropriate."

Yeah it is. I know, for 5 of you it makes it worse

Best of luck!

Janani

[LauraDP 10]

Thanks, Janani. That is exactly what he did. I think we just keep second-guessing what we think the instructions are telling us to do. I posted the forms off an hour ago so we shall see what happens now.

Best wishes

Laura

[Janani S 1]

You're welcome!

Best of luck

Janani