Visa Form Question D156

[bhikubhai]

I plan on getting my sister, her husband (who are in their early 30s) and kid (2 yrs) for a visit next summer ('06) and wanted some clarifications about the D156 form and fees associated.

The questions are as follows -

1. Do I use only 1 application for all 3 of them ?

2, If yes then does that mean that the application fee is $100 for all 3 of them or do they have to pay $300 (i.e. $100 each) ?

3. The same question goes for the Visa issuance fee of $50. Should they carry three DDs for $50 each when they go for the interview ?

4. The earilest date that I am getting is in mid-feb. Is there a way to get an earlier date ?

5. And this last question is a little complicated. For paying the fees at the designated HDFC bank will my sister need to have copies of the first page of all their three passports or only hers is enough ? The reason I ask is because my nephew doesn't have a passport yet. They have just applied for it and it should arrive only by Jan. By that time the appointment dates will be for may-june which will be too late !

Answers to any of these questions will be immensely helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[sonujan]

Hi!

1. You can get one appointment slot for all three however you need to fill the DS 156 for each applicant.

2. No all three have to pay $100

3. If all three are issued visa then each of them have to pay $50

4. I am not too sure if there is a way to get an earler date with the new system

5. As far as I know your newphew needs to have a passport before he applys for visa. I had used the TTS, that required the passport # before scheduling the appointment but I am not too sure abt VFS as I haven't used it personally.

[bhikubhai]

1. You can get one appointment slot for all three however you need to fill the DS 156 for each applicant.

2. No all three have to pay $100

3. If all three are issued visa then each of them have to pay $50

4. I am not too sure if there is a way to get an earler date with the new system

5. As far as I know your newphew needs to have a passport before he applys for visa. I had used the TTS, that required the passport # before scheduling the appointment but I am not too sure abt VFS as I haven't used it personally.

So then can I do the following ...

Since my sis and her husband already have their passports I'll get them to pay up at the HDFC bank, get the bar-code and get an interview date set up through the VFS website !

And later when my nephew's passport comes then do the same process again but not apply for an interview date, since they already have one and they will be all going together anyways.

[sonujan]

Hi!

Hi!
YOu have to add all the applicants names when you tak ethe appointment. YOu cannot add applicants later on.

[bhikubhai]

Yeah but ...

Hi!
YOu have to add all the applicants names when you tak ethe appointment. YOu cannot add applicants later on.

the real question is what is the minimum that I need in order to get an appointment date ? Why can't my sister just go to the designated HDFC bank submit a copy of her passport, pay the 4,600Rs and get a receipt which will have the barcode that I need.

I will get the barcode information from her and log into the VFS web-site and get an appointment date for her. Now at that time why can't I add her husband and child to the application ? Don't tell me that I have to get three barcodes and get 3 appointment dates !!!

I am really confused on how to do this ?

[sonujan]

Hi!

Hi!
You will not need 3 appointment dates. However you will need three barcodes to add the other two applicants along with the first one your are trying to schedule.

Basically after entering the details of the first one it will ask you if you wanna add another applicant or finish. In your case since you want them to go together you will click on add applicant and then it will ask you for their bar code reciept details. And then at the end all of them will get assigned to the same date and slot.

I hope you get what I am trying to explain.

[bhikubhai]

Oh crap ...

So basically it seems like I have no choice than to wait till my nephews passport is issued (which could be sometime in Jan) in order to get an appointment date. Wow ... that really sux !

So is it a hard requirement to show a copy of the passport to pay the application fee at the HDFC bank ? Can't my sister just get away with showing her and her husbands passport and explaining that they should have the childs passport before they go for the interview ?