Do Not Use downloaded computer forms

[hlin]

Does anyone know if GZ sends DS-230 forms with barcode? I sent my honey a downloaded form, filled out by computer and printed to mail back in (P3). I didn't have her check to see if there were any barcodes since I wasn't aware of any. I hope I'm not out of luck here and another month out!!

[Guest Gene]

Don't worry, Guangzhou did not send my wife enough forms so I emailed them and they said to make copies of the form or download them from the internet. Your safe

[hlin]

Sweet! Now I can calm down, hehe...

[kfman]

Maybe the difference is if you go through GZ or NVC for the DS230 portion. Seems like the GZ will accept downloaded forms... or maybe I am just confused and looking for my perspective.. hahaha

[tywy_99]

If the original 230 form  really needs to be notarized. That adds at least an extra month to the process. It clearly says on the 230 visa bill not to use the downloaded form, but says nothing about it on the website with the fillable form. I would like to play stupid and just say oh I didn't see it, but I'm always the one that gets burnt, so I'll play by the rules. Lao Po isn't going to happy about this.

 

Thanks for your reply Bahan.

 

Maybe they should tell the embassy in Beijing about the "new rule". They were the one's nice enough to notorize my downloaded 230 for me.

Now I'm confused!................

 

The DS-230 doesn't get notarized. You must be speaking of the I-864.

 

The DS-230 is only an 'application for an immigration visa' form. What difference does it matter if you burn a copy off the DOS website or any other legitmate site? It is still a DS-230! and really, it's techically your wife's application to fill out.

Unless the DS-230 you received from NVC has your wife's name, barcode, and/or GUZ number already typed in, then it shouldn't matter where you get a copy of the DS-230 from, just as long as it is up-to-date and legitimate.

After paying the $335 immigration fee bill, NVC will mail the P3(DS-230) to you.

 

Your I-864 you had notarized in Beijing should be good enough. You said that you have already paid the $65 AOS fee. When NVC sends the I-864 form/package to you, then use your I-864 you already completed. If your're not happy with that, then just fill out the I-864 that NVC sends to you. You can easily have it notarized anywhere! Just send it back to NVC, in their furnished envelope, along with the 3 years of tax returns, letter of employment and the barcode sheet. No problem! Follow NVC's instructions. They also want the GUZ number written in the upper right-hand corner of every document submitted. That includes both the I-864 and the DS-230 package.

 

%%-good luck!

Your right. I got confused for a minute. I was talking about the 864. They didn't say that needed to be the original. Only the DS230 does. The "original DS230" still needs to be filled out and signed by the wife, so I still lose. Notary or not

 

The 864 requires Notary signatures by the wife and myself.

The I-864 is the sole responsibility of the petitioner, unless there are cosponsers involved. In a designated "alpha" post such as Guangzhou, the I-864 and the DS-230 along with any other documents requested, is sent to NVC. NVC performs the clerical review for correctness and completness. If all checks clear, NVC will forward the documents to GZ. GZ sets the appointment date. The beneficiary/applicant is responsible for the DS-230, or at least, their signature upon it.

It is also at the descretion of the IV unit if further information is needed. If so, the IV unit will cable NVC with the request. NVC will notify the Agent requesting the additional information.

 

The immigration visa process goes thru NVC first; then to post.

 

What's the deal about not using a downloadable DS-230? Doesn't make any sense! What if you messed up on filling the DS-230 sent by NVC? Will you have to wait several weeks for NVC to mail another? why couldn't you just conveniently print one out from DOS website?

just don't understand.....

[Mengxin]

I am sure this is just a part of the backlog reduction plan and an effort to increase our national security.

 

1. It reduces backlog by adding an extra month at least.

By adding this step, the likely hood the the paperwork being lost in the process increases. Can't work on paperwork if it gets lost in the mail right?

 

2. It increases our national security by making sure that my wife and I are not terrorists. When it arrives to them they can scan it for anthrax and explosives. If they don't detect any, we must be ok then.

 

It makes perfect sense to me. Must be you.

 

They also wrote in big letters not to duplicate or photocopy the bill for the DS230. Who knows the possibilities that could happen if it got into the enimies hands. But the DS230 is OK, go ahead and put the fillable DS230 in PDF and post it on our website for the entire planet to download. Then we won't put a note on our website stating that you can't use this document. We'll put it in our secret letter.

 

Wait! Or...Or.... I think Bahan and I should be taking this matter personally since we seem to be the only two people in the world that noticed this.

If anyone sees me in the short line in the grocery store DO NOT stand in my line, it wil still take longer.

[kfman]

Point well put Doug...

[Mild_Bill]

I just have a question for those of you who have received the "official" DS230 already. I am not quite to that point just yet, but Im curious, is there any noticable difference between the one they send and one that you can download from the internet? I mean when you download and print one, are there big red bold print letters that say "this is a downloaded copy" or something similar? Or do they send you a copy with big green bold print letters that say "this is not a downloaded copy"????

Of course, I am being sarcastic. But seriously, could they tell a difference?

[kfman]

I was able to tell a difference.. and remember, the type of paper, font, etc etc.. Do they really sit and examine them with a microscope? At the pace of this system.. I would think yes... hahahhaah just kidding.

[tywy_99]

"A picture's worth a 1000 words!"......

Thanks Doug for the e-mail. I compared it to a copy I made of my feebill from August 2003. There is a big difference. On my feebill, there wasn't any statement made about photocopies.

Looking at my stuff, the GUZ number and barcode were on the DS-3032 and the feebills as well as the coded sheet to be sent back to NVC along with the I-864 and the DS-230. Maybe the barcode can't be read from a copy. I noticed when I scanned them back in August 2003, the barcode looked a little fuzzy.

Maybe that's the reason for the DS-230 too. Maybe NVC has included a barcode on this form as well. I don't know. I just know that I'm full of "maybe's!.........................

 

Things are always changing. What a difference a year makes!

 

Thanks again.

[tywy_99]

Could it be that the DS-230 mailed from NVC for CR/IR visa applicants has a bar code on it? If so, then it makes sense to use it rather than a a form from a different source.

 

This would not/does not apply to DS-230s sent by GZ.

That's what I'm thinking now. If a barcode/GUZ number is printed on the DS-230 now, that would make sense concerning the "no photocopies/duplicates" statement printed on the feebill.

 

The DS-230 I received from NVC is no different than one you can print off the DOS website. The I-864 from NVC was the same way. NVC did however, give instructions to write the GUZ case number on the upper right-hand corner of every single document submitted. This statement was written in bold letters in the instructions.

 

If this is the case with the DS-230 now, that certainly doesn't leave any margin for error! What would happen if a person makes a mistake on the form?............Hmmmmmm,,,kinda scary!.......

[Mengxin]

Just to play devil's advocate...

The DS3032 is also bar coded. In the instructions for the 3032 they tell you to fax the original to your wife if she never received it. Have her sign it and then mail it back to NVC. I filled out the 3032 for my wife, scanned it into .pdf (almost a perfect copy of the original), and then e-mailed it to my wife for her to sign. The 3032 only took about 1 week to travel from Shanghai to New Hampshire and that was in early December during Xmas card season. That's why if the 230 didn't need to be the original, it wouldn't be so bad.

 

While talking about postal times, I noticed that the date on the letter head for the 3032, 864 bill and the 230 bill are all about 1 week before the date stamped on the envelope. Like they are sitting on the letter before they put it in the box. I don't know why, but it seems strange that the delay times are consistent. I can see a day or two delay in the gap between the letter head and the post mark date on the envelope, but not over a week. Come on, I'm dieing here.

 

I also currently have a 1 month gap between my 230 and my 864. I had a delay in the 3032 because of the incorrect address issue. So the time to receive the 230 is dependant on the turn around time of the 3032 and the 864 is dependant obviously on the turn around time of the 864 bill. I was under the impression the "P3" package included both the 864 and the 230 together, that isn't the case though. I just mailed the 230 bill on the 31st and just received the 864 app in the mail yesterday.