HR letters
General
Document Review
Appeals
Processing
100

Does the HR letter have to have the applicant's job title to be acceptable?

Yes, it is required.

100

What is needed to start a new case record?

First name

Father's name (last name)

Email address

Nationality

Date of birth

100

Are Visas acceptable?

No, we do not accept visas only passports.

100

Appeal documents go into the?

Other section

100

Can you cross-reference a family members case?

No, only cross-reference a case that is for the same individual.

200

How many times will we request an HR letter if we do not have it?

Once

200

Where are poison pen emails sent?

Forward to FPMNVC@state.gov, and send IS-FRWD to the inquirer.

200

If you see the dates 04/21/0210 - 8/7/0202 on the DS-157 in the employment dates is that acceptable?

No, we would request a new DS-157 with correct date formatting.

200

If intent to appeal is shown does the applicant still have 120 days to send in documents to start the appeal process?

No, as long as the intent is shown within the 120 day timeframe.

200

How should the DS-157s of surviving family members be labelled?

Applicant Name (Last, First) SW DS-157. (per 165-030 in the manual)

300

If an applicant sent in an HR letter but it was unacceptable, we request what’s missing/unacceptable, they write back saying they can’t get whatever is still needed.

We can combine those 2 and upload as a statement of unavailability.

300

What do you select if occupation is not reported?

Unknown or occupation not reported. 

300

Are hand written passports acceptable for PON?

Yes, we can accept hand written passports.

300

a judge has helped in the appeal process?

Sua Sponte appeal

300

Can the employment dates box can be left blank if the rest of the line is entered as N/A?

Yes.

400

How many times can we use SA-NHRD?

Only once.

400

How many times do request a badge if not sent?

Per new guidelines, we no longer request a badge, but will accept it if sent in.

400

What is considered a personal email address?

domains such as gmail.com, yahoo.com, or aol.com.

400

Scenario: When doing an appeal, the applicant sends a new LOR/HRL but they are invalid. Do we upload them and mark them as unacceptable or do we only upload valid appeal documents?

Upload all, but if they do not address what is on the denial letter, mark it as unacceptable.

400

Where do you upload the withdrawal notice?

The other section.

500

Is a HR letter with employment dates 02/20/2024-3/1/2025 acceptable?

No

500

If the last name is not capitalized on a Takera NIC how would it be entered? For example, Zahir Shah

First name: FNU. Last name: Zahir Shah

500

On question #21 of the DS-157 if the email address is only missing the “.com” from it can we consider it acceptable?

Yes. 

500

Scenario: If an applicant sends in a HR letter and a LOR for an appeal, both are needed but only one is acceptable. Would we send SA-APPL or SA-ADNA?

SA-APPL. Under new guidelines as long as one of the required documents are acceptable we can set the status to "under appeal" and request what's missing.

500

Can the case number be located in the subject line with RE: before it?

Yes, per new guidelines the case number, DOB, and name anywhere in the email chain we accept that as PII.