g0ldfinger

Hello,

When you validate the forms for spousal sponsorship, and generate the barcodes, are you able to change information and then click "validate" again to generate new barcodes that reflect the updated information? I read somewhere that you had to fill out the form from scratch, but that sounds a little off to me.

Does anyone know? Thanks!

Hurlabrick

I know the PDF does say 'Protected when completed' in the top right hand corner of the first page, but following my little experiment to answer your question, I am not certain what that really means in practice!

1. So for fun (slow day!) I downloaded the latest IMM1344 (the form with the barcodes generated) and completed it using our old information. I clicked 'Validate', which generated the barcodes, then saved that PDF.

2. I then 'printed as a PDF ONLY the barcodes page and ran this through an online barcode reader here: https://online-barcode-reader.inliteresearch.com/ to see what data each of the barcodes had (use barcode type 'PDF417').

3. I then loaded the validated and saved IMM1344, changed several of the key data items (name, address, DOB etc.) and again hit 'Validate' and saved this as a new version of the form

4. Printed the new barcodes page to PDF and again uploaded that and read the barcodes using the same online reader. Hey presto, the barcodes showed ALL of the new and different information I had keyed. There was one long number field that was different, but I think that must be a PDF generated serial number of some sort.


……. so the quick answer to your question seems to be that you CAN change information and as long as you hit 'Validate' again, the barcodes will reflect the new information you keyed, so it seems you don't have to key again from scratch (not that it would be that onerous to re-key anyway IMHO)!

g0ldfinger

Thanks for the reply! The wiki states that you have to start from scratch with a fresh form. I'm glad that I asked the question, as it's exceptionally tedious to have to fill out a new form in the face of single, small changes.

Hurlabrick

No bother (well not much). Ill add some suitable words to wiki. For me, it was the barcode translation that was the acid test.

PS - I did the original test on IMM1344. I have also after this done the same test on IMM0008 with the same results (i.e. the barcodes generated held the updated information).