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Home > Immigration > Sample Froms > Guidelines
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Form DS156 - Non immigrant Visa Application Form Filling Guidelines

Form DS-156 is a application form for any non-immigrant visa like VisitorVisa( B1/B2), Temp workers and dependents visa ( H1/H4, L1/L2) , Student Visa ( F, J, M) etc . This form should be prepared and submitted by visa applicant.

General instructions:

  • The form should be printed back to back on one single page.
  • Keep your passport handy while filling this form, as most of the inforamtion is as per your passport.
  • Each applicant need a separate form.
  • Fill the form cleanly, do not overwrite.
  • Must answer each and every question, do not leave blank, if not applicable write "N/A" or "None".

Note: Following are the general guidlines to fill this form. Depends on individual's status and circumstances, the information to be filled may vary. This is provided to you as a convenience and basic guidelines. Please must provide the information most appropriate in your case. This is not a legal advise.

1.Passport Number

Applicant's passport number.

2. Place of Issuance:
City: City of passport office where the passport was issued.
Country: Country where the passport was issued.
State/Province:State/Province where the passport was issued.

3. Issuing Country
The country of Passport.

4.Issuance Date
Date of Passport Issuence. Provide date in simolified format example : 12-DEC-1999.

5 .Expiration Date
Date of expiry of Passport.
6. Surname

Applicant's surname or lastname.

Note: Visa applicants should indicate clearly in their Last Name and Given Name. Its often seen in the case of South Indian names that passport issuing authorities write the whole name in the Last Name field.

Applicants should check their passport and if the whole name is given in one line, they should get the same changed from passport office before applying for a visa.

7. First and Middle Names
First and Middle Names(As in Passport):
Your first and middle name. Also called Given Name. In Indian passport, write everything that is written in second line in name.

8. OtherSurname used Used:
Fill this Only if you have any other surnames in past.
9. Other First and Middle Names Used:
Fill this Only if you have any other names in past.
10. Date of Birth (dd-mmm-yyyy):
Applicant;s date of birth as per passport.
11. Place of Birth:
Place were you were born. As per your passport.
12. Nationality:
Applicant's citizenship.
13. Sex:
Applicant's gender, male or female.
14.National Identification Number:(if applicable)
This is not applicable If you are Indian Citizen , or any other country where there is no National Identification number. Wirte "None" or "N/A" .
15. Home Address:
Your complete current home mailing address including apartment number, street, city, district, state, zip code and country.
This may differ from your permanent address mentioned in the passport.
This will be the address where consulate will do all the communication with you including sending the passport after visa stap etc.
* Note: For those who stays in USA / or any other country and applying for US visa/ restamp sould write the present address of home country.
16. Home Telephone Number
Business Phone Number:
Mobile/Cell Number:
Fax Number:
Business Fax Number:
Pager Number:

Provide this infiromation appropraitely, where ever not applicable write None or N/A.
17. Marital Status:
Check mark the appropriate box applicable to you.
18 .Spouse's Full Name:
Sspouse full name if applicable.
19. Spouse's DOB(dd-mmm-yyyy):
Spouse's date of birth.

20. Name and Address of Present Employer or School:

  • If you are employed write complete name of company/firm and address where you work.
  • If you are self employed, write name of business and address where your business is located.
  • If you are retired, and do not work, write 'N/A'.
  • If you are a student write name and address of school/college.

21. Present Occupation

(If in Job write employed, If retired, write "retired". If student, write "student".):
Write your current occupation with meaningful and specific details occupation: e.g. "Systems Adminstarator" , "Project Manager- Software development" etc.

22. When Do You Intend To Arrive In The U.S.?
Provide your tentative date of travel to USA.
Examples: Fiest week for Feb 05.
23. Email Address:
Your email address, if any .
24. At What Address Will You Stay in The U.S.?

Write the complete address where you will be staying in USA. If you will be staying with your relatives providet that address OR if you will be staying in a hotel provide that address.
25. Name and Telephone Numbers of Person in U.S. Who You Will Be Staying With or Visiting for Tourism or Business :
If you are going to staying with relative write his/her name and their telephone number.
26. How Long Do You Intend To Stay in The U.S.?

If you are applying for visitor visa provide a Tentative length of visit : Examples : 4 months , 6 months.
If you are applying for work visa H or L : Till the expiry of approved petition.

27. What is The Purpose of Your Trip?
Provide this information appropriately , if you are applying for work visa like H1, L1 write "Employment".

If you are applying for student visa write "study".

If you are applying for Visitor/Tourist visa write "Tourism".

If you are going on Business trip write "Business trip".

28. Who Will Pay For Your Trip?:

If your trip is sponsored trip write the name person who provided you afidavit od support.

If you are employer is paying for expenses write : "Employer".

If you are paying yourself , write : "Self".

29. Have You Ever Been in The U.S.?:

Fill appropriately , if you had been to US check Yes else check No.

30. Have You Ever Been Issued a U.S. Visa?
Fill appropriately.

31. Have You Ever Been Refused a U.S. Visa?

Fill appropriately.

32. Do You Intend To Work in The U.S.?

Depends on the visa type you are applying for.

For visitor/ Tourist visa applicants, this answer would be NO.

For Business Visa the answer would be "No"

For student the answer would be "No"

For work visa like H1, L1 etc the answer would be "Yes" and for the dependts of these visa like H4 or L2 the answer would be "No".

33. Do You Intend To Study in The U.S.?

Applicant for student visa should write "Yes".
Others should write "No".


34. Names and Relationships of Persons Traveling With You:
Name and relatiosnhip of the person who will be travelling with you If any.
Example, husband wife should write each others name if they will be travelling togather.
35. Has Your U.S. Visa Ever Been Cancelled or Revoked?
Answer appropriately. Must provide correct information.

36. Has Anyone Ever Filed an Immigrant Visa Petition on Your Behalf?
This is only applicable if any one filed a Green Card for the applicant. If not wite "None" or "N/A"

37. Are Any of The Following Persons in The U.S., or Do They Have U.S. Legal Permanent Residence or U.S. Citizenship?
Check mark appropriately on YES or NO. Write person's status in the U.S. (i.e., U.S. permanent resident, U.S. citizen, studying, working, etc.).
38. Important Questions:
All of these YES and No type questions to check for the various legal grounds.
For most people, answers to these questions would be 'No'.
However if any of these
39. Was this Application Prepared by Another Person on Your Behalf?

If this application is prepared by other then the applicant him/herself , the answer would be 'Yes' .
40. Application Prepared By:
Depends on this previous questions, If the answer to question. 39 is 'Yes', the name, relationship( if any), complete address, signature and date of the preparer will come here.

41. Sign and date the application.

Siganture of the aplicant and Date.

 

Tips :

  • Take a photocopy for your record.
  • Must provide accurate and correct information.
  • Must fill it up cleanly and ocmpletely, do not leave any question unanswered.
  • You can see a example of a sample filled form.
  • If you have questions or confusion, ask in our discussion forum.
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