Progress thread for TSC filers now between NVC and Interview Stage

[yuna628 9,676]

I remember it saying all trips to the US, so that is what we gave them. Many of the trips were so old they are not in that database we had to go by memory and what we could recall.

[rob999 51]

dahn, hopefully it'll be ok, I can't remember any of when my trips were even which years I was out there as it was a lot since I had grandparents out there before. Surely they don't expect you to remember all previous trips in an entire lifetime, can't understand what information that would give them beyond what they would know already.

What do they do with the DS-160 between now and the interview anyway? Any questions from the 160 would be saved to the interview?

[swji89 41]

Oh that's interesting that they ask about the trips to the States. I guess it's their way of checking you haven't overstayed a visa? Presume the education question will also help to show that you are okay to get a job over there and have some qualifications?

[Wooderz 314]

Also remember the DS-160 is a non-immigrant form. Other visa categories complete the DS-160 like tourist visa applicants. Many of the questions could be more relevant to other visa types....

Edited July 17, 2015 by Wooderz

[swji89 41]

Also remember the DS-160 is a non-immigrant form. Other visa categories complete the DS-160 like tourist visa applicants. Many of the questions could be more relevant to other visa types....

Aha, excellent point!

[ChasUno 101]

dahn, hopefully it'll be ok, I can't remember any of when my trips were even which years I was out there as it was a lot since I had grandparents out there before. Surely they don't expect you to remember all previous trips in an entire lifetime, can't understand what information that would give them beyond what they would know already.

That was my thought too, though as you mentioned above, you were incorrectly logged as being in the USA for almost a year when in actual fact it was only a couple of days. Maybe they want to check that their information matches what you tell them on the DS160, and if there are any errors then they can be identified. I guess they also want to look for any overstays, which could delay the visa process or even lead to a refusal.

I do remember getting to the online DS160 section that asked for all previous trips to the USA, and also for "estimated" lengths of stay. I recall reading somewhere also, it might have been the online DS160 itself, where it mentioned that previously only the past 5 years of visits was required but that had now changed and it needed detail of ALL previous visits to the USA. For me, that meant going back 15 years to my first trip to the USA, but for others it could mean going back even further. It could be an enormous pain for someone that made many trips to the USA over many years to try and remember/ document them all. I didn't know about the online I94 that you could get trip information from, so assume that would make life a lot easier. I wonder why the DS160 didn't link to this?

It took looking at the stamps on my old passports, my memory and also using the dates on digital photos (which only worked from 2003 as I didn't have a digital camera prior to then) for me to work out each and every visit plus the approximate length of stay. I do remember spending ages putting about 50% of the previous visits details in but not pressing save, then my computer went screwy and I had to do it all over again. That was what I meant by tedious. I let out a very big sigh of relief after finally filling everything in and successfully submitting the DS160!

[rob999 51]

Also remember the DS-160 is a non-immigrant form. Other visa categories complete the DS-160 like tourist visa applicants. Many of the questions could be more relevant to other visa types....

Good point, I wonder if they pay much attention to all of what we put in there? As in they know we are going to get "vetted" again by the USAOS/GC (and there's no different in ESTA's in time length to K1 for UK), so it does make me wonder how much detail they actually go in as long as we have no big red flags on the system

That was my thought too, though as you mentioned above, you were incorrectly logged as being in the USA for almost a year when in actual fact it was only a couple of days. Maybe they want to check that their information matches what you tell them on the DS160, and if there are any errors then they can be identified. I guess they also want to look for any overstays, which could delay the visa process or even lead to a refusal.

Yeah shame it didn't link to I-94 but lucky I found this out before. Though I don't have any previous passport numbers needed for the I-94 so I'm stuffed past 6 years anyway. As I have gone in several times after that logging error without any questions as such then I'm hoping that shows it was definitely an error on I-94 as there is no way border control would let me in on a tourist visa if I had overstayed without reason.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

My personal opinion is that your DS-160 sits there in a "cloud" until interview day. (except to log that you did it), Nobody reviews it. The interviewer glances at it just before punching your number in to call you to the back room for the interview. If he sees you were born or often visit a Middle Eastern country, you get run through extra security clearances and could have longer AP. Same if your skills/training include bomb making, chemistry, or other scientific studies. I do not think the interviewer is counting your trips to the US or adding up your days. They are the Dept of State and are not as concerned with your entries as Dept of Homeland Security (USCIS and CBP).

there is no way border control would let me in on a tourist visa if I had overstayed without reason.

You got a B1/B2 visa?? Edited July 17, 2015 by Nich-Nick

[rob999 51]

My personal opinion is that your DS-160 sits there in a "cloud" until interview day. (except to log that you did it), Nobody reviews it. The interviewer glances at it just before punching your number in to call you to the back room for the interview. If he sees you were born or often visit a Middle Eastern country, you get run through extra security clearances and could have longer AP. Same if your skills/training include bomb making, chemistry, or other scientific studies. I do not think the interviewer is counting your trips to the US or adding up your days. They are the Dept of State and are not as concerned with your entries as Dept of Homeland Security (USCIS and CBP).

You got a B1/B2 visa??

Why would it take so long to schedule an interview appointment? Still takes 2-4 weeks after readiness/medical to get an appointment, maybe they do some form of early screening and then it sits in a cloud?

No B visa always ESTA.

Managed to get my interview date today which was awesome! Got way too worried about not filling in the readiness form properly.

Edited July 17, 2015 by rob999

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Why would it take so long to schedule an interview appointment? Still takes 2-4 weeks after readiness/medical to get an appointment, maybe they do some form of early screening and then it sits in a cloud?

No B visa always ESTA.

Managed to get my interview date today which was awesome! Got way too worried about not filling in the readiness form properly.

It's not that long (two weeks) considering they issue about 500 visas a day. Pretty busy, so next day service will probably not ever happen.

Just a total random opinion that the interviewer does it all on the day...no prescreening, rejection, or RFEs by somebody else.

So visits on visa waiver then. When you said something earlier about getting in on a tourist visa, I thought you had a tourist visa.

Congratulations on having a date now.

[Wooderz 314]

Why would it take so long to schedule an interview appointment? Still takes 2-4 weeks after readiness/medical to get an appointment, maybe they do some form of early screening and then it sits in a cloud?

No B visa always ESTA.

Managed to get my interview date today which was awesome! Got way too worried about not filling in the readiness form properly.

Don't wanna tell us when your interview is?

[rob999 51]

It's not that long (two weeks) considering they issue about 500 visas a day. Pretty busy, so next day service will probably not ever happen.

Just a total random opinion that the interviewer does it all on the day...no prescreening, rejection, or RFEs by somebody else.

So visits on visa waiver then. When you said something earlier about getting in on a tourist visa, I thought you had a tourist visa.

Congratulations on having a date now.

Ah of course it's a waiver rather than a visa. I was thinking if they completely automated the system then perhaps they can make it all happen pretty quickly, still a lot of paper involved for our "electronic" modern world.

Don't wanna tell us when your interview is?

It's on my timeline but hadn't update sig yet! 28th July, submitted the readiness 21st June.

[yuna628 9,676]

Still so bewildered how it is that those who filled out forms after us, got their interview date sooner than us. :/

I wonder how their appointment system works...

[rob999 51]

Still so bewildered how it is that those who filled out forms after us, got their interview date sooner than us. :/

I wonder how their appointment system works...

Agreed. Did see someone get ahead of my timeline too. But then nothing in this visa process has been logical/understandable from day 1, and to think we have another 4-6 years of this.....

[kaisara 28]

Agreed. Did see someone get ahead of my timeline too. But then nothing in this visa process has been logical/understandable from day 1, and to think we have another 4-6 years of this.....

We got confirmation of the interview today. It's July 27th, and we submitted our readiness June 26th. I did read that London does try to accomodate if you have a wedding date on your form. Since our wedding is Sept 12 I wonder if that had to do with getting a sooner date.