DOS Instructs Posts on IV Packets
UNCLAS STATE 225582
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS, CMGT
SUBJECT: ALDAC: IV PACKET PHOTOS AND ADDRESSES
1. POSTS WHICH ISSUE IMMIGRANT VISAS ARE REMINDED THAT INS
IS THE ULTIMATE RECIPIENT OF THE IV PACKETS. PREPARATION
OF THE PACKET IS THUS VERY IMPORTANT; IF A PACKET IS POORLY
PREPARED, CONTAINS ERRORS OR IS MISSING PAPERWORK, THE
RESULT WILL BE LOST TIME FOR THE NEW IMMIGRANT AND
FRUSTRATION FOR THE INS OFFICER WHO MUST PROCESS THE
PACKET.
2. ONE OF THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS INS ENCOUNTERS WITH IV
PACKETS IS POOR QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHS. THE IV PHOTOGRAPH
ATTACHED TO THE OF-155A IS A CRUCIAL ITEM -- ULTIMATELY IT
WILL BECOME THE IMAGE ON THE BEARER'S I-551 GREEN CARD.
THE DSL-1083 FORM ENCLOSED IN THE PACKET 3 GIVES APPLICANTS
EXPLICIT DIRECTIONS ON THE PHOTOGRAPH REQUIREMENTS, AND
POSTS SHOULD CLOSELY FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS, AS WELL AS
THE FAM INSTRUCTIONS ON PHOTOGRAPHS FOUND IN 9 FAM 42.65
N6, IN DETERMINING IF THE PHOTOS AN APPLICANT SUBMITS ARE
ACCEPTABLE.
3. IN PARTICULAR, POSTS MUST TAKE CARE THAT THE PHOTO
DIMENSIONS, SIZE AND CLARITY, AS WELL AS ANGLE OF PORTRAIT,
MATCH THE REQUIREMENTS. AS NOTED IN THE FAM, PHOTOS SHOULD
BE COLOR, WITH A LIGHT OR WHITE BACKGROUND; ALTHOUGH BLACK
AND WHITE PHOTOS ARE ACCEPTABLE IN COUNTRIES WHERE COLOR
PHOTOS ARE UNAVAILABLE, THE APPLICANTS WILL HAVE TO BE
REPHOTOGRAPHED ON ARRIVAL AT THE U.S. POE. APPLICANTS MUST
SUBMIT TWO GLOSSY-FINISH PHOTOS (ONE FOR THE VISA AND ONE
TO PROCESS THE I-551) WITH THEIR NAME WRITTEN ON THE
REVERSE.
4. IN THE RUSH TO PROCESS CASES QUICKLY, CONSULAR OFFICERS
ARE SOMETIMES TEMPTED TO ACCEPT SUBSTANDARD PHOTOS RATHER
THAN REFUSING THE APPLICANTS UNTIL THEY BRING IN NEW ONES.
HOWEVER, IN THE LONG RUN THOSE APPLICANTS WILL BE BETTER
SERVED IF POSTS REQUIRE THEM TO RETAKE POOR QUALITY PHOTOS.
THE APPLICANTS WILL ULTIMATELY BE SPARED THE TIME AND
TROUBLE OF HAVING TO REPEAT THE PROCESS IN INS SECONDARY
INSPECTION AT THE POE, OR HAVING THEIR I-551 QUESTIONED AT
SOME FUTURE POINT BECAUSE OF THE POOR QUALITY PHOTO.
5. ANOTHER VISA PACKET PROBLEM WHICH INS FREQUENTLY
ENCOUNTERS CONCERNS THE BEARER'S FINAL ADDRESS IN THE U.S.
LISTED ON THE OF-155A. EACH YEAR THE POSTAL SERVICE
RETURNS THOUSANDS OF GREEN CARDS TO INS WHICH ARE
UNDELIVERABLE BECAUSE THE APPLICANTS DID NOT SPECIFY "CARE
OF" THE PRINCIPAL RESIDENTS AT THEIR FUTURE U.S. ADDRESSES
WHEN THEY SUBMITTED THEIR IV PAPERWORK. INS MAILS AN
APPLICANT'S GREEN CARD TO THE ADDRESS LISTED ON THE OF-
155A; THE POST OFFICE WILL HAVE NO RECORD OF THE ALIEN AT
THAT ADDRESS WITHOUT THE "C/O" DESIGNATION, AND WILL RETURN
THE GREEN CARD TO INS. INS HAS NO WAY OF READDRESSING AN
UNDELIVERABLE GREEN CARD, AND MUST WAIT FOR THE INTENDED
RECIPIENT TO REPORT THE NON-DELIVERY.
6. AS NOTED IN 9 FAM 42.73 PN1.6, POSTS MUST "ENSURE THAT
THE FINAL ADDRESS IN THE US IS COMPLETE AND ACCURATE." IN
THIS CASE, COMPLETE AND ACCURATE MEANS THAT POSTS MUST
SPECIFY "C/O" THE PRINCIPAL RESIDENT AT THE U.S. ADDRESS
GIVEN ON THE OF-155A. BY TAKING CARE TO CHECK THE
APPLICANT'S NEW ADDRESS IN THE U.S., POSTS CAN HELP BOTH
INS AND THE APPLICANTS AVOID WASTED TIME AND EXPENSE DOWN
THE ROAD.
ALBRIGHT