El Salvador COIMSAL Immigration Assesment.

[NYN 0]

COIMSAL is a place that helps people out with their immigration issues. It is difficult to know which places are OK in El Salvador since there is not much info in the yellow pages or advertised nationally. This is one of the few that seemed OK.

We had seen a COIMSAL ad on a bill board, next to an office of the same place on our way home for as long as we could remember. As luck would have it when we decided to go get married the place was closed, and when we called the number on the ad it was an old number.

About a month ago we saw them some COIMSAL person on TV giving out advise to callers. We wrote down the number and called to see if we could make an appointment and they said none was needed.

Lucky for us they were located right next to the U.S. Embassy so it was easy to find. They had neglected to mention on the phone that they charged an $18 just to see you and give you an assessment.

They told us what we needed to start the process and looking back I wonder if we did extra work, since I think the U.S. spouse no longer needs the birth certificate and they told us we needed one translated etc.

Anyway as part of their assessment they told us to start the process we would need the obvious $355 of the I-130 and the visa itself would be $400.

And I am not sure what they meant with "honorarios" but I think it meant with their services the costs would be $380 and $200 to help with the process. No thanks.

The translations would cost $40 for each certificate, marriage and birth.

An affidavit of the bona fides of the marriage cost $75

(The lady who assessed us said we need only pay half before hand, but the secretary was unaware of such offer. She said she was trying to help since if we paid in full the documents would go out as quickly as possible. Which is of course silly since the lady who told us to paid just half never said anything about speed. I doubt they have someone pick up the documents two times, one slow because you did not pay in full and one quick if you gave them your money…)

For the translations we were told it would take 3 business days. It took 7 and we had to go back three times, and we were not contacted as we were told.

When I received the translations I went on my way, but about a half block I had to turn back because I found a mistake in each of the certificates. My husband's name was wrong, and my father's name was incomplete. While I returned these I continued to examine the remaining document which also had a mistake.

When I got home my husband found a fourth mistake since his mom's name (which we had gone through all the trouble to change) was still with an additional last name. But we figured it would not affect the petition so we kept it.

The translations I believe were done by someone they hire from the outside, and not by someone in house since we had to wait for them to be returned. I didn't particularly like the translation of the affidavit since some words gave it a slightly different meaning but that's me. The birth certificate and marrage certificate where not translated word for word, but in a sort of short form giving the basics of the form. I think that had they been done for word they would have been translated correctly since it would have included all the amendments.

All in all I think it was expensive (ah, but necessary, and perhaps the prices are the norm), the work was not as timely as they promised and it was sloppy too. They never contacted us to inform us the documents were not ready so we would not have to go there for nothing. So apparently not customer service oriented either. Glad we did not take up their offer to carry us through the process.

Anyway, if after all this you still decide to go COIMSAL it is along Conchagua Oriente house # 6 on one of the streets that faces de U.S. Embassy.

And their numbers are 2275-9508 and 2275-9509

Prices again:

Assesment: $18 (I wish I'd called for free when they appeared on TV)

Marriage certificate: $40

Birth certificate (I don't think we needed it): $40

Affidavit of bona fides of marraige: $75

Although if I could do it over again I would call for free when I see them on TV ! =)

[Skyler 0]

COIMSAL is a place that helps people out with their immigration issues. It is difficult to know which places are OK in El Salvador since there is not much info in the yellow pages or advertised nationally. This is one of the few that seemed OK.

We had seen a COIMSAL ad on a bill board, next to an office of the same place on our way home for as long as we could remember. As luck would have it when we decided to go get married the place was closed, and when we called the number on the ad it was an old number.

About a month ago we saw them some COIMSAL person on TV giving out advise to callers. We wrote down the number and called to see if we could make an appointment and they said none was needed.

Lucky for us they were located right next to the U.S. Embassy so it was easy to find. They had neglected to mention on the phone that they charged an $18 just to see you and give you an assessment.

They told us what we needed to start the process and looking back I wonder if we did extra work, since I think the U.S. spouse no longer needs the birth certificate and they told us we needed one translated etc.

Anyway as part of their assessment they told us to start the process we would need the obvious $355 of the I-130 and the visa itself would be $400.

And I am not sure what they meant with "honorarios" but I think it meant with their services the costs would be $380 and $200 to help with the process. No thanks.

The translations would cost $40 for each certificate, marriage and birth.

An affidavit of the bona fides of the marriage cost $75

(The lady who assessed us said we need only pay half before hand, but the secretary was unaware of such offer. She said she was trying to help since if we paid in full the documents would go out as quickly as possible. Which is of course silly since the lady who told us to paid just half never said anything about speed. I doubt they have someone pick up the documents two times, one slow because you did not pay in full and one quick if you gave them your money…)

For the translations we were told it would take 3 business days. It took 7 and we had to go back three times, and we were not contacted as we were told.

When I received the translations I went on my way, but about a half block I had to turn back because I found a mistake in each of the certificates. My husband's name was wrong, and my father's name was incomplete. While I returned these I continued to examine the remaining document which also had a mistake.

When I got home my husband found a fourth mistake since his mom's name (which we had gone through all the trouble to change) was still with an additional last name. But we figured it would not affect the petition so we kept it.

The translations I believe were done by someone they hire from the outside, and not by someone in house since we had to wait for them to be returned. I didn't particularly like the translation of the affidavit since some words gave it a slightly different meaning but that's me. The birth certificate and marrage certificate where not translated word for word, but in a sort of short form giving the basics of the form. I think that had they been done for word they would have been translated correctly since it would have included all the amendments.

All in all I think it was expensive (ah, but necessary, and perhaps the prices are the norm), the work was not as timely as they promised and it was sloppy too. They never contacted us to inform us the documents were not ready so we would not have to go there for nothing. So apparently not customer service oriented either. Glad we did not take up their offer to carry us through the process.

Anyway, if after all this you still decide to go COIMSAL it is along Conchagua Oriente house # 6 on one of the streets that faces de U.S. Embassy.

And their numbers are 2275-9508 and 2275-9509

Prices again:

Assesment: $18 (I wish I'd called for free when they appeared on TV)

Marriage certificate: $40

Birth certificate (I don't think we needed it): $40

Affidavit of bona fides of marraige: $75

Although if I could do it over again I would call for free when I see them on TV ! =)

Hello! Glad to see some more Salvadorans on here!! Well, I am living down here too (USC) with my fiance and we filed the I-129f in May ourselves. I read a bunch of info on this website before going to COMISOL and the lawyer there had ALL THE WRONG INFO. She told us that we couldn't file the I-129f unless we have been TOGETHER at least 2 years. She also seemed unsure of some other basic info, and we paid the $18 just to talk with her. After the appointment we decided to do the petition ourselves, since she didn't even undestand the very basics of the requirements for the petition. Based on this experience I WOULD NOT reccomend COMISOL to anyone.

Afterward, we went by another place, I don;t remember the name, but it is in a little strip mall a few buildings down from the embassy and they really new what they were talking about and helped us with some basic things for free. So, if you are going to use a lawyer, I would use them, but unfortunately, I don't remember the exact name, so I guess that's not too helpful, hehehe, sorry.

I didn't know we could do DCF down here, how long does it take, usually?

[sinpisto 2]

I went to COIMSAL too, I had just received NOA2. I had very specific questions and I did not know where to go or who to talk to (I did not know about VJ). I spoke to a young collaborator or assistant, or something like that. She did not seem knowledgeble in K-1, for instance, she gave me possible timelines that were too far from reality. I left that placed with more doubts and a bit dissapointed. The good thing is that they only charged me $10 as opposed to the $18 that you paid.

One thing they told me is that I did not need my documents translated into English. That was a releif, especially because I knew that they offered translations and there would probably be some conflict of interest regarding this area.