Document Screening for Applicants at U.S. Consulates, DACA Renewal

At a visa interview, exactly what information is checked and how is that information gathered during the screening process?

Records that are stored and reviewed on the Consular Consolidated Database (CCD). This database holds over 143 million records relating to visa applications. Consular officers have access to decisions regarding the applicant's prior visa applications (if any) and internal comments made by other consular officers.

Over 75 million photographs are stored in the CCD electronically. The CCD also stores the 10-finger scans of visa applicants. The consulates also use facial recognition technology for screening and compare it with the CCD library of stored photographs of visa applicants. They also check a separate database of terrorist watch list photos.

The Consular Database is connected to other immigration and law enforcement databases, to enable consular officers to identify potential areas of concern. These links include the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the DHS Arrival-Departure Information System. The DHS Arrival-Departure system can be used to see if an applicant has overstayed a previous visa.

The Consular Database is also connected to a system that contains records on individuals who pose a potential security threat to the U.S.

Arrival at Port of Entry in the US: The fingerprints taken during the visa application process are sent from the Consulate to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This allows CBP to match the Consulate finger prints with the prints taken on arrival at the US port of entry.

It is important for visa applicants to provide accurate information throughout the application process, and applicants should realize that consular officers have a number of tools to verify the information provided.

DACA RENEWAL: In June, USCIS began the renewal process for hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) relief. The good news is that renewal is a lot easier than registering with the government the first time around.

Some suggestions for DACA renewal:

-Mail your application at the right time. It is extremely important to apply 120 days before the expiration of your employment authorization date. If you apply too soon (for example, 150 days), USCIS will return your application.
-You will need Form I-821D, which has updated questions and may require more information.
-Absences from the United States have to be disclosed. So, if you went out of the country during the last two years, make sure the government knows about it.
-Be patient and be proactive. “The process will take at least 120 days, so applicants should mail the documentation 120 days ahead of the expiration.”

Keep in mind that the basic requirements for DACA renewal are the same as for registering the first time around:

· You came to the United States before your 16th birthday.
· You were physically present in the United States since June 2007.
· You were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, the day the U.S. attorney general started the DACA program.
· You are currently enrolled in an educational program — high school, GED, vocational school recognized by the state, college.
· You have no felony convictions and haven’t had three significant misdemeanor offenses.
· You cannot be older than 31 years old as of June 15, 2012. You can start applying at age 15.

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Q.1. For DACA: Is CIS very strict about the date of entering the US? My nephew arrived in the States illegally, one week after his sixteenth birthday. Would he be eligible?
A.1. CIS does not have the authority to allow exceptions to the rule. If the child entered the US after his sixteenth birthday, there is no way that CIS could approve his DACA application.

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Q.2.Will a DACA applicant be eligible to adjust status in the US through a family based (current) petition?
A.2. A child with DACA status is considered to be in the US legally. Therefore, he can apply for a Green Card based on a current petition.

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Q.3. What is the danger of using unqualified agents to apply for a visa?
A.3. There are hundreds of agents both here and in Saigon who will not hesitate to provide false information on the applications. They are not aware of the database resources that Consular officers have. And, in many cases, these agents refuse to put their names on the applications. In that way, only the applicant is at fault when the Consulate finds false information on the visa forms.

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ROBERT MULLINS INTERNATIONAL www.rmiodp.com www.facebook.com/rmiodp
Immigration Support Services - Tham Van Di Tru 

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