Question about DS156, and lost old cancelled passport

[ananthdeodhar]

Thanks to immihelp I have got "most" of my documents in order. A brief summary on what I intend to do:
- planning a holiday with my wife this december to the US
- have been to the U.S. in 91' but my old expired passport is not traceable(no visas were valid in the old passport)

I have a few questions:

1. I am employeed with a company and have my Form-16 for the last 3 years but not the ITR Acknowledgement sheet(the one they give you when you submit the Income tax returns).

Someone told me that Form 16 alone will not work as a proof of income tax returns. Is that true?

______________

2. My expired passport had the US visa details but I have lost the old passport. I have a faded air india ticket of the date my flight was booked in 1991.
When i try to fill out the online DS 156 form it asks me if I have been to the US (Ques. 29) which I filled out, it then asks Whether I have been ever issued a US Visa (Ques. 30).

- It wont let me submit the form till I give an exact day (dd/mmm/yyyy) in Ques. 30 so I entered a dummy date. Is this ok?

In DS-157 it asks if I ever lost my passport (Ques.11).
- What should I do for this? As of now I have written "Yes" for lost passport.
- Do I need to take an FIR for the lost old passport?
- Should I write by hand in the form that old passport not available?
- Can i do any corrections after printing out the form by ink or am I supposed to make any sort corrections only in front of a visa officer?

Sorry for this long winded post, but I really need your help! and thank you for a wonderful site!

- Ananth

[txh1b]

Mention during the interview that the date on the form is approximate as you don't have the visa details to the VO.

[ananthdeodhar]

Thanks txh1b, I will do that. My other question was would the Form-16 work as income tax returns? Or does one need the ITR Acknowledgement sheets?

[txh1b]

Don't know what those mean. Take them if you have it. If not, no big deal.