Colombia Club Part II

[arizreynolds 1]

Mark,

Thanks this was the link I was looking for.. But I still would like to know how far in advance we can pay the visa fee and do the medical. Some say within 30 days others say within 3 days. Which answer is correct? I also hear that some do not get packet 4

And they are able to get a medical with the BGT# and appointment date.. We never recieved packet #3 but downloaded it as you suggested to me when we talked last week and that worked fine. They said yesterday packet 4 was sent out on 3-31-10. But I am not holding my breath on that comming to her.She is nervous and needs my help with everything. I do not mind as long as I know what to do.

Drew

sandra started her vaccines in barranquilla a month a head of time and then saw the embassy doctor 3 days before interview. i was worried at first we were not going to get our appointment letter so i was going to ask what we do if we do not receive because i read without it you can not enter. but then i received my appointment letter in the mail before she got her appointment letter. we downloaded packet 4 but packet 4 and appointment letter finally arrived at her house 1 week before interview.

[dakay ♥ 10]

Mark,

Thanks this was the link I was looking for.. But I still would like to know how far in advance we can pay the visa fee and do the medical. Some say within 30 days others say within 3 days. Which answer is correct? I also hear that some do not get packet 4

And they are able to get a medical with the BGT# and appointment date.. We never recieved packet #3 but downloaded it as you suggested to me when we talked last week and that worked fine. They said yesterday packet 4 was sent out on 3-31-10. But I am not holding my breath on that comming to her.She is nervous and needs my help with everything. I do not mind as long as I know what to do.

Drew

the pck 4 is here you can download it, the only difference with the one sent by the embassy is that it not contains the appointment letter, but for you pay the fee if you don't want to wait the package (sometimes never comes) you can provide the case number (BGTxxx) and with this info the bank confirm your appointment with the embassy, for this reason is necessary have the interview date before paying

Edited April 7, 2010 by ♫ yakad ♫

[PanamaJack 1]

the pck 4 is here you can download it, the only difference with the one sent by the embassy is that it not contains the appointment letter, but for you pay the fee if you don't want to wait the package (sometimes never comes) you can provide the case number (BGTxxx) and with this info the bank confirm your appointment with the embassy, for this reason is necessary have the interview date before paying

YAKAD,

Thanks Again, This is the answer I needed.....Maria ,finally went for her passport today.

I sent her money 2 weeks ago and did not know what she was waiting for...I have to keep on top of her with everythiong I guess.

But she eventually gets it done when she is tired of hearing me tell her the same thing over and over every day. So she can go and pay for the visa now correct? What about the medical and lab. We have no appointment letter as of yet or is that just to get into the embassy ?Is there any time frame she has to do the medical within? Can she do it 3 weeks in advance??

We have the date. it is 5 weeks from today May 12, 2010 at 7 AM as per DOS when I called last week.. we also have the BGT # We are ready with all Documents also.........

Thanks,

Drew [PanamaJack]

Edited April 7, 2010 by PanamaJack

[Mononoke28 134]

YAKAD,

Thanks Again, This is the answer I needed.....Maria ,finally went for her passport today.

I sent her money 2 weeks ago and did not know what she was waiting for...I have to keep on top of her with everythiong I guess.

But she eventually gets it done when she is tired of hearing me tell her the same thing over and over every day. So she can go and pay for the visa now correct? What about the medical and lab. We have no appointment letter as of yet or is that just to get into the embassy ?Is there any time frame she has to do the medical within? Can she do it 3 weeks in advance??

We have the date. it is 5 weeks from today May 12, 2010 at 7 AM as per DOS when I called last week.. we also have the BGT # We are ready with all Documents also.........

Thanks,

Drew [PanamaJack]

Drew,

She can pay for her visa and make her medical appointments now that you're sure you have a visa interview. Like you said, don't hold your breath for packet 4 to arrive since Colombia's mail system is so unreliable. Just make sure she has her BGT number with her so they can find her that way. She can pay at any branch of Banco Helm.

There are only two doctors who can do the medical exam and they're both in Bogotá, you can find their info in the interview package link. She needs to make an appointment with them ASAP because they get booked pretty quickly. What most people from out of town do is make the medical appointment 2-3 days before the interview, get their lab tests in the morning so the lab has time to send them to the doctor's office and then get their medical that same afternoon. If she lives in Bogotá, she can get this done any time, just make sure she gets her lab tests done before her medical.

Diana

[Mark and Carol 4]

Drew,

She can pay for her visa and make her medical appointments now that you're sure you have a visa interview. Like you said, don't hold your breath for packet 4 to arrive since Colombia's mail system is so unreliable. Just make sure she has her BGT number with her so they can find her that way. She can pay at any branch of Banco Helm.

There are only two doctors who can do the medical exam and they're both in Bogotá, you can find their info in the interview package link. She needs to make an appointment with them ASAP because they get booked pretty quickly. What most people from out of town do is make the medical appointment 2-3 days before the interview, get their lab tests in the morning so the lab has time to send them to the doctor's office and then get their medical that same afternoon. If she lives in Bogotá, she can get this done any time, just make sure she gets her lab tests done before her medical.

Diana

So once we have an interview date, Carol can go to a Banco Helm branch in Cali and pay for the visa?

[arizreynolds 1]

So once we have an interview date, Carol can go to a Banco Helm branch in Cali and pay for the visa?

yes you can go pay when you have interview date and you can pay at the branch in cali. you need ds156 2 copies and her passoport

To pay the fee, go personally to any authorized Banco Helm office. See http://bogota.usembassy.gov/scabco.html for a list of locations and hours of operation. Make sure to take your two completed DS-156 Forms (Nonimmigrant Visa Applications) to Banco Helm when you pay the fee. The bank will affix a receipt to your passport and will mark the DS-156 Forms with a folio number. Do not remove the other two parts of the receipt from your passport, or you will not be able to apply for a visa. You must bring the same Form DS-156s to your visa interview that you presented to the bank when you paid the visa application fee.

[Mark and Carol 4]

yes you can go pay when you have interview date and you can pay at the branch in cali. you need ds156 2 copies and her passoport

To pay the fee, go personally to any authorized Banco Helm office. See http://bogota.usembassy.gov/scabco.html for a list of locations and hours of operation. Make sure to take your two completed DS-156 Forms (Nonimmigrant Visa Applications) to Banco Helm when you pay the fee. The bank will affix a receipt to your passport and will mark the DS-156 Forms with a folio number. Do not remove the other two parts of the receipt from your passport, or you will not be able to apply for a visa. You must bring the same Form DS-156s to your visa interview that you presented to the bank when you paid the visa application fee.

Great, thank you so much for the info...very helpful!

I don't know how other people go through this process without the support of VJ members...I would be lost!!!

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Great, thank you so much for the info...very helpful!

I don't know how other people go through this process without the support of VJ members...I would be lost!!!

I agree 100%. Arriba Colombia Club II!

[PanamaJack 1]

Great, thank you so much for the info...very helpful!

I don't know how other people go through this process without the support of VJ members...I would be lost!!!

Mark,

You sure have that right.. VJ did not exist when I did a K-1 in 2002 and had to wing it but also things were much cheaper and easier back then. Without VJ and Colombia Club II....... this time I would have had to hire a Lawyer who probably reads VJ himself to get the job done right.

Edited April 8, 2010 by PanamaJack

[PanamaJack 1]

sandra started her vaccines in barranquilla a month a head of time and then saw the embassy doctor 3 days before interview. i was worried at first we were not going to get our appointment letter so i was going to ask what we do if we do not receive because i read without it you can not enter. but then i received my appointment letter in the mail before she got her appointment letter. we downloaded packet 4 but packet 4 and appointment letter finally arrived at her house 1 week before interview.

Thats a good question...What if you do not recieve the appointment letter as stated by some here? How do you get into the Consulate the day of the Interview? I have taken Diana's advice and we are starting everything next week with the vaccines and lab work then schedule the doctor 2 weeks before the interview in case anything is missing we have time to correct it. Does the Lab and medical HAVE to be on the

same day? As per Diana's reply since she lives in Bogota this can be done anytime..We are paying the visa fee next week .

Edited April 8, 2010 by PanamaJack

[Mononoke28 134]

Thats a good question...What if you do not recieve the appointment letter as stated by some here? How do you get into the Consulate the day of the Interview? I have taken Diana's advice and we are starting everything next week with the vaccines and lab work then schedule the doctor 2 weeks before the interview in case anything is missing we have time to correct it. Does the Lab and medical HAVE to be on the

same day? As per Diana's reply since she lives in Bogota this can be done anytime..We are paying the visa fee next week .

No, they don't have to be done the same day. However, they do need to get done within days because the lab will send her test results to the doctor to have during the medical.

As for the appointment letter, e-mail the embassy to find out the answer to this question. Make sure to write your BGT case number on the e-mail so that you can print it and show it at the embassy's entrance just in case you don't get your appointment letter. That's what I would do, it would show your case number on it and the embassy's answer to not having received the appointment letter.

Diana

[Mark and Carol 4]

No, they don't have to be done the same day. However, they do need to get done within days because the lab will send her test results to the doctor to have during the medical.

As for the appointment letter, e-mail the embassy to find out the answer to this question. Make sure to write your BGT case number on the e-mail so that you can print it and show it at the embassy's entrance just in case you don't get your appointment letter. That's what I would do, it would show your case number on it and the embassy's answer to not having received the appointment letter.

Diana

I hope the embassy responds to your email, because I sent 2 emails to them over a week ago and I still have not heard from them.

Knock, knock...hello US Embassy, is anyone at home?

[jpcanon 0]

I hope the embassy responds to your email, because I sent 2 emails to them over a week ago and I still have not heard from them.

Knock, knock...hello US Embassy, is anyone at home?

They were always very prompt in answering my emails- of course I sent so many over several months while I was stranded in AP- what a nightmare that was!!! You guys are close to getting an interview date, I'm guessing?

[Mark and Carol 4]

They were always very prompt in answering my emails- of course I sent so many over several months while I was stranded in AP- what a nightmare that was!!! You guys are close to getting an interview date, I'm guessing?

I have the DS-230 completed and Alexandra (Troy's wife) is going to help Carol fill out the DS-2100 tonight. I will email the DS-230 to Carol tonight, so I hope she will fax on Monday...fingers crossed. You know what it's like trying to get mujeres colombian to do something...hurry is not a part of their vocabulary. I wish I had their patience.

[PanamaJack 1]

I hope the embassy responds to your email, because I sent 2 emails to them over a week ago and I still have not heard from them.

Knock, knock...hello US Embassy, is anyone at home?

I sent 3 E-Mail's and they only answered One in 2 weeks........