DS157 & Passport Validity questions (Time sensitive....please reply ASAP)

[ak1234]

Hi,

I have 2 questions. Please do try to respond ASAP as my parents have an interview on Tuesday (09/28).

1] Do both of my parents have to fill the DS-157 supplemental form? They are interviewing at the US embassy in New Delhi. I have conflicting answers from people & nobody seems to know for sure.

2] Is it safe for my mother to go for an interiew as her passport is expiring in May 2006. They plan to come this October 2005 for about 1 month. At the time of interview, her passport will be valid for more than 7 months. At the time of arrival in US, her passport will be valid for more than 6 months.

On the US embassy website I found the following:
"A passport valid as of the date of entry into the U.S. (persons whose passports will expire in less than 6 months are strongly encouraged to renew their passports prior to applying for a visa.)"

However, on this website I found the following information:
"Each applicant, including children of any age, must possess an individual passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least ****six months beyond the intended period of stay.****"

BTW, they have got only 1 year multiple entery visa in 2003 and visited me for 2 months and they are going again now in 2005.

Thanks in advance.

[ak1234]

Murali, can you please help. Really need the information. Thanks a lot.

[Murali]

1. Based on the instrruction provided on Delhim embassy website and people have reported on this forum, it seems that I157 is required for all the applicant.
http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/required_documents.html
though it is odd that the general rule says that only male applicant between age of 14 -45 are suppose to fill. So do as they ask and provide those forms

2.The passport should be valid 6 months beyond the date of the application.
assume if they travel in JAN since the passport expires in May the officer at POE may not give more then 5 months of stay on I94 ( since the passport is not valid after that )

.

[ak1234]

Thanks Murali. As long as they do not reject my mom's Visa application due to passport expiry in May 2006, I have no issues if they give 5 months at POE since my parents anyway plan to stay for a month or so.

Thanks again.