Hi everyone. I am currently filling out the DS-160 form for my B1/B2 visa application and I have hit a wall at the Family Information section.
The form asks for my parents’ full names and dates of birth. The problem is that I was raised by my aunt and uncle, and I have absolutely no contact with my biological parents, nor do I know their current details or birth dates.
Is it acceptable to check the “Do Not Know” box for both parents? I am worried that leaving this blank or unknown will automatically flag my application as incomplete or suspicious to the consular officer. Has anyone else successfully applied with this section marked as unknown?
Just a heads-up, make sure you don’t leave it completely blank if the form allows typing. Usually, the ‘Do Not Know’ box disables the text field, but if it doesn’t, typing ‘UNK’ is the standard logic check.
Technically you can select “Do Not Know”, but it’s generally not ideal to mark both parents as unknown if there is any way to obtain at least partial information.
From a consular officer’s perspective, seeing both parents listed as completely unknown can raise questions because most applicants are able to provide at least a name or approximate detail. When the entire section is blank/unknown, the officer may spend time trying to understand the situation.
If you truly have no contact with your biological parents, it’s still acceptable to use “Do Not Know.” But if possible, it’s better to include whatever information you do know (even just names or approximate details) and then be ready to briefly explain during the interview that you were raised by your aunt and uncle and have no contact with your biological parents.
Consular officers won’t refuse a B1/B2 visa just because of this section, but providing any available information usually avoids unnecessary questions during the interview.
Everyone’s roots are different.