Colombia Club Part II

[Flyingallover 0]

i have a question how long is it taking if u wait for visa given by domesa en bogota and what is the time frame if u have ir delivered to bquilla

We got ours approved on Thursday and was delivered to her house on the following Thursday(Thanksgiving) in Cartagena.

[NArocks 13]

It took about 7 days for our Visas ( CR2) to get to perieria ( sp)

Hi JP we are still thinking about you

[bquillera30 0]

thank u guys

[Ken y Leidys 20]

So I am picking a date for January 8th to fly from B because right now as it standings any flights closer from the 8th are insanely expensive.

James and FlyingAllOver should have a VJ reunion at the Cortissoz Airport in Barranquilla, as both of you will fly out of BAQ the same day!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving- Ken, I hope Leidys enjoyed her first turkey day, and all the first Thanksgiving's that Club Colombia fiancee's experienced.

Today marks 7 months in AP for me, and am quite sure that nothing will happen this year, if ever, in my case. But, I just keep trying to forget about things- some days I want to write a scathing email to the embasy, and other times I want to plead with them! Oh well...

Joe

Joe -- I know the feeling of waiting and being alone. I wrote a 2,000 page post "Where Did She Go?" in the Off-Topic, and once the original question was answered, everyone just kept the thread rolling on. Try your best to hang in there, it must be painful. Leidys and I will be in the OC later this month at the Jewelry Exchange in Tustin to get her ring resized. We'll drop you a line, and hopefully visit with you when we are near you.

i have a question how long is it taking if u wait for visa given by domesa en bogota and what is the time frame if u have ir delivered to bquilla

Leidys fui al Carrerra 41 y Murillo circa del Parque de Amistad como 11 dias despues de nuestro entrevista en Bogota para traer su paquete. Tienes que firmar por su paquete. Cuidese por ese parte de Murillo.

-Ken

[bquillera30 0]

GRACIAS KEN YEAH I KNOW MURRILLO ES NOT THAT GREAT Y EL PARQUE DE LO ENAMORADS THAT PART SO SO ,I STAYED ALSO AT THE GOLD CARRIBIAN EN LA MURRILLO ,BUT I TOLD MY HUSBAND TO WIAT FOR HIS VISA ,WE HAVENT GOTTEN THE INTERVIEW YET ,BUT MY CASE WAS EXPEDITED TO BOGOTA AND IS BEEN THERE SINCE FRIDAY I KNOW THAT WE WILL BE GETTING A DECEMBER INTERVIEW SO I JUT WANT HIM HOME ASAP SO WAITING FOR IT WOULD BE BEST OPTION

[Ken y Leidys 20]

GRACIAS KEN YEAH I KNOW MURRILLO ES NOT THAT GREAT Y EL PARQUE DE LO ENAMORADS THAT PART SO SO ,I STAYED ALSO AT THE GOLD CARRIBIAN EN LA MURRILLO ,BUT I TOLD MY HUSBAND TO WIAT FOR HIS VISA ,WE HAVENT GOTTEN THE INTERVIEW YET ,BUT MY CASE WAS EXPEDITED TO BOGOTA AND IS BEEN THERE SINCE FRIDAY I KNOW THAT WE WILL BE GETTING A DECEMBER INTERVIEW SO I JUT WANT HIM HOME ASAP SO WAITING FOR IT WOULD BE BEST OPTION

At Hotel Caribbean Gold, the restaurant was robbed while I was eating there, and I helped apprehend the suspect, search his clothing, and throw him out onto Murillo. He was a Gamine looking for money to buy drugs. Everyone at Caribbean Gold knows me. They're all my friends now. jaja

Congrats on the expedite. Everyone else now is waiting until late January or early February.

[lucho562 0]

That Caribbean Gold Hotel does not look like it's in a safe place. Dont tell me that is police yellow tape?!

[HAL 9000 96]

No papá... that's construction tape. LOL

I think a Club Colombia get-together would have been a great thing to plan for this Holiday season, but obviously picking a location is hard except those of you to be interviewing in Bogotá.

[bquillera30 0]

ifelt safe there and people treat u nice i just didnt like the my room was in front of the billard and when there was fights u can hear it and at least i didnt find pukgas like ken found at the expensive hotel jajjajaja

[Andres and Diana 0]

Hi Guys!! Looooong time no read/write!

There's drama in Colombia (yeah i know! when isn't there). I need some advice and I thought the best recourse was all the people here who have been my guides and friends throughout the whole visa process.

Here is the situation:

My brother in law, (my husbands brother) was under police protection in Tulua, Valle. My Brother-in-laws fiancee was being extortioned by members of la guerrilla. She was told when she went to the authorities that she and my brother in law would be placed under police protection and moved to another country for their own good.

After several members of this extortion team were caught, my brother-in-law and his fiance requested an audience with the Colombian President (which is a right for those who are helping in the efforts against las Farc) in order to facilitate an easy refugee process here to the US. Upon their request the police took it as a threat and removed all police protection. From what we understand and know about the situation is that the police withdrew their assistance because they wanted to keep the recompensa for catching the Guerrilla people. My brother in law and his fiance hired a lawyer to investigate what happened with their police protection. The lawyers were told that no such case existed, that no threats were made against our brother-in-law and his fiancee, and that they had no idea who they were.

At this point the police intelligence has turned their back against our family members in order to keep the reward money. At this point we dont care about the reward money, only our family members safety. They are still recieving threats via phone and online chats and as I write you this post my brother in law and his fiance are in hiding. They will be initiating a process of getting assistance from "defensa del pueblo." With their assistance they are hoping to go to Bogota and present the case directly to the police their.

Our question/consern is if there is a way to petition for a refugee? how do they go about getting a meeting with the overseas processing entity to validate their need to be moved here (the US). We really would like them to come to the US where we live and even offer to have them waive any assistance they may receive from the US. My husband and I would gladly send Affidavits of Support showing our income eligibility and how we could support them and assist them with their transition. We just want them out of the problem they are in and in a secure environment.

Any assistance you could give us would be greatly appreciated!

Let me know!

Diana M.

[Mononoke28 135]

Diana,

My mother had a couple of friends who claimed that they were also part of a case similar to what you just described. What they did was go to the US Embassy and file for political asylum with all the evidence they had and luckily they were granted asylum for 10 years. Now, that doesn't happen to many people since it's very difficult to prove the need for political asylum and just like with tourist visas, they get denied all the time.

Another route would be request a tourist visa and if they get approved, file for political asylum as soon as they get here. They can do this by hiring a lawyer. They will automatically get their EAD card while their process is pending until it is approved, but if it's not approved, they have to go back to Colombia. Again, it is key to keep all kinds of evidence they can get their hands on.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about it except maybe send them a letter of invitation and fill out an I-134 to show that you are willing to pay for their expenses while they visit the US.

Diana

[Andres and Diana 0]

Diana,

My mother had a couple of friends who claimed that they were also part of a case similar to what you just described. What they did was go to the US Embassy and file for political asylum with all the evidence they had and luckily they were granted asylum for 10 years. Now, that doesn't happen to many people since it's very difficult to prove the need for political asylum and just like with tourist visas, they get denied all the time.

Another route would be request a tourist visa and if they get approved, file for political asylum as soon as they get here. They can do this by hiring a lawyer. They will automatically get their EAD card while their process is pending until it is approved, but if it's not approved, they have to go back to Colombia. Again, it is key to keep all kinds of evidence they can get their hands on.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about it except maybe send them a letter of invitation and fill out an I-134 to show that you are willing to pay for their expenses while they visit the US.

Diana

Thats what I was affraid of. Most of the stuff that they currently have is recent. I mean couple of days old. All their old evidence and case is with those officers that have turned their backs on them. They dont have anything else since the information that was obtained during the investigation process was solely used by the police intelligence. If they had all their old evidence it would be a cake walk.

[Ken y Leidys 20]

No papá... that's construction tape. LOL

I think a Club Colombia get-together would have been a great thing to plan for this Holiday season, but obviously picking a location is hard except those of you to be interviewing in Bogotá.

I'm just inviting Colombia Club members to our house, that makes the location a no-brainer.

Solar-heated swimming pool, Yamaha sound, Yeah!

[SuperDuper! 230]

No papá... that's construction tape. LOL

I think a Club Colombia get-together would have been a great thing to plan for this Holiday season, but obviously picking a location is hard except those of you to be interviewing in Bogotá.

I'm just inviting Colombia Club members to our house, that makes the location a no-brainer.

Solar-heated swimming pool, Yamaha sound, Yeah!

AND SHAKIRA MUSIC PLAYING?

[HAL 9000 96]

Diana,

My mother had a couple of friends who claimed that they were also part of a case similar to what you just described. What they did was go to the US Embassy and file for political asylum with all the evidence they had and luckily they were granted asylum for 10 years. Now, that doesn't happen to many people since it's very difficult to prove the need for political asylum and just like with tourist visas, they get denied all the time.

Another route would be request a tourist visa and if they get approved, file for political asylum as soon as they get here. They can do this by hiring a lawyer. They will automatically get their EAD card while their process is pending until it is approved, but if it's not approved, they have to go back to Colombia. Again, it is key to keep all kinds of evidence they can get their hands on.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about it except maybe send them a letter of invitation and fill out an I-134 to show that you are willing to pay for their expenses while they visit the US.

Diana

Thats what I was affraid of. Most of the stuff that they currently have is recent. I mean couple of days old. All their old evidence and case is with those officers that have turned their backs on them. They dont have anything else since the information that was obtained during the investigation process was solely used by the police intelligence. If they had all their old evidence it would be a cake walk.

Looks like the original protection was never official or they shredded paperwork due to the implied threat. Asking for an audience with a government figurehead is hardly a threat after this kind of action is logged at the police... but at the minimum your relatives should have documentary proof they at least requested these things. They should also write down a document and have it notarized with the dates they contacted police officials and the like, in case documents miraculously reappear in the future.

I think that they could apply for asylum directly at the Embassy (and likely a B-1 visa with the declaration of refugee claim upon POE in the US...) with these self-produced documents at the minimum. As Diana mentioned in her reply... getting these applications approved is REALLY hard. But I know of at least one person that is here on such a visa and to my knowledge only received harassing phone calls.

I would not delay seeking assistance at the US Embassy.