Bogota Visa Interview Timetable Questions

[Dallas Steve 0]

I have an appointment for a visa interview at the Bogota embassy on a Wednesday. We have to get medical exams for my fiancee and her son before the interview. When should we schedule the medical exams? The day before? The Monday before? A note on this website says "Try to schedule the laboratory and medical exam at least 2 days before the interview. This will allow some extra time to deal with any unexpected problems." What might be the "unexpected problems"?

If the visa is granted can we pick up the visa from the designated delivery agency in Bogota? If so can we pick it up the next day or when? If we don't pick it up when would it be delivered to her home in Cali? Where is a good place to stay in Bogota? This website has a note listing: "www.bogotacolombialodging.com, www.hotelbogotainn.com/, or www.welovebogota.com/". Any other suggestions? It also says "Documents in Spanish do not need to be translated into English." Is that correct?

Can I get into a shorter line or a quicker interview since I am a US citizen and I will accompany my fiancee to the interview, or does that make no difference. Also, should her 11-year old son accompany us to the interview. He is included in the visa petition and he has to go to Bogota for the medical exam and I don't know where we would leave him if he cannot accompany us.

Thanks mucho.

Edited March 29, 2010 by Dallas Steve

[FrancElsie 6]

I have an appointment for a visa interview at the Bogota embassy on a Wednesday. We have to get medical exams for my fiancee and her son before the interview. When should we schedule the medical exams? The day before? The Monday before? A note on this website says "Try to schedule the laboratory and medical exam at least 2 days before the interview. This will allow some extra time to deal with any unexpected problems." What might be the "unexpected problems"?

If the visa is granted can we pick up the visa from the designated delivery agency in Bogota? If so can we pick it up the next day or when? If we don't pick it up when would it be delivered to her home in Cali? Where is a good place to stay in Bogota? This website has a note listing: "www.bogotacolombialodging.com, www.hotelbogotainn.com/, or www.welovebogota.com/". Any other suggestions? It also says "Documents in Spanish do not need to be translated into English." Is that correct?

Can I get into a shorter line or a quicker interview since I am a US citizen and I will accompany my fiancee to the interview, or does that make no difference. Also, should her 11-year old son accompany us to the interview. He is included in the visa petition and he has to go to Bogota for the medical exam and I don't know where we would leave him if he cannot accompany us.

Thanks mucho.

Unexpected problems are those which my crop up unexpectedly...hence they are called "unexpected problems." Check with the Embassy during your interview as to where you an pick up her Passport. I think they have them available at the Embassy the following day or at 4pm the same day. Suggest you review the "Embassy Reviews" section of this forum. I've stayed at the Boheme Royale in Bogota...a nice hotel near the Andino Mall...beautiful area of Bogota. You will need to take a taxi to the Embassy...but they will arrange it for you. You get no "special privileges" since you are the USC and accompanying your fiancee to the interview. I had planned for my wife's 15 year old daughter to accompany us. But, everything fell apart a few weeks prior to her interview when I found out that she still had a boyfriend. So, I cancelled the interview. She never made it to the USA.

Buena Suerte,

Franc

[fuse_76 1]

You should schedule the medical exams at least 3 days before your interview. There is no shorter line, you will get in line for CR1 and fiance visas. Your fiance son should be there at the interview as well. As for the visa, you will need to ask, they usally will mail it to the house in aprox. 7 days.

[Mononoke28 135]

I have an appointment for a visa interview at the Bogota embassy on a Wednesday. We have to get medical exams for my fiancee and her son before the interview. When should we schedule the medical exams? The day before? The Monday before? A note on this website says "Try to schedule the laboratory and medical exam at least 2 days before the interview. This will allow some extra time to deal with any unexpected problems." What might be the "unexpected problems"?

If the visa is granted can we pick up the visa from the designated delivery agency in Bogota? If so can we pick it up the next day or when? If we don't pick it up when would it be delivered to her home in Cali? Where is a good place to stay in Bogota? This website has a note listing: "www.bogotacolombialodging.com, www.hotelbogotainn.com/, or www.welovebogota.com/". Any other suggestions? It also says "Documents in Spanish do not need to be translated into English." Is that correct?

Can I get into a shorter line or a quicker interview since I am a US citizen and I will accompany my fiancee to the interview, or does that make no difference. Also, should her 11-year old son accompany us to the interview. He is included in the visa petition and he has to go to Bogota for the medical exam and I don't know where we would leave him if he cannot accompany us.

Thanks mucho.

It is recommended that the medical and lab exams be done a couple of days before the interview just in case. In case of what? The doctor having an emergency and not be able to do her exam, her lab tests getting lost, a missing document, a missing vaccine, you name it. If they get this done 2 days before the interview and something happens, they still have 1 more day to take care of whatever issue they may have before the interview.

The visas are delivered by DOMESA and they can pick them up at their office as soon as they're ready to be picked up which in Bogotá can be between 2-3 business days. If she chooses to have them delivered it may take 2-3 business if the address is in Bogotá or 6-10 business days if it's outside of Bogotá, in her case, Cali.

As far as lodging, we stayed at www.welovebogota.com, it was highly recommended by other VJ members and we really liked it. It's within walking distance from the embassy, in a very good neighborhood and the apartment itself was pretty nice and inexpensive.

When you go for the interview you need to get in line 3 which is for Immigrant visas and it doesn't matter if you show up earlier than everybody else or if you're a US citizen, they randomly call people for their interview in no particular order. Also, if you plan to attend, make sure you bring in your US passport with you so they can let you in. Your fiancée's son can also attend the interview.

Diana

[Dallas Steve 0]

Thanks to all for the info. It was very helpful.

[Ken y Leidys 20]

At the Bogota Embassy, you will most likely stand in line #3 which will be shorter due to the sheer numbers of people seeking tourist visas outnumbering the K-1s, CR-1s, etc. My Fiancee was told we were supposed to stand in line #1, but when the loudspeakers announced what we were to do, we moved quickly to line #3, and I was surprised that people who did not know would try and give us advice on where to stand - #######?!?!

As for WeLoveBogota.com - My wife and I stayed there, and we WALKED to the Embassy in roughly 10 minutes. If you cannot or will not walk, a taxi can drive you to the Embassy area, arriving in about 2-3 minutes. Our interview was also on a Wednesday. We had all of our Medical exams performed that Monday, and the results arrived at the Embassy the following day during business hours. Our K-1 Interview took place at 10 a.m., and we were approved and payed our DIOMESA fee and were outside of the Embassy grounds by 10:45 a.m.

About WeLoveBogota.com, you are close to Plaza Salitre and the Embassy is within walking distance. This eliminated the variable that a taxi or traffic snarls would prevent us from arriving at the Embassy by 6:30 a.m.

The view outside of the Hotel/Apartment in Bogota!

The big smokestack over my left shoulder is the US Embassy in Bogota.

Here is one of your required stops on your Medical tour of Bogota. Yippee!

[rcems543 0]

The wife had her laboratory appointment March 11th, the medical exam on March 15th, and we had her interview on March 17th. She resides in Ibague and the visa was to be delivered there. They called and said there was a problem concerning her ID number and her passport number that they weren't the same, since her passport was issued prior to the ID being given prior to her 18th birthday. But with faxing her birth certificate and such, the visa was just received this past monday March 29th. According to the documents for the delivery service, that it will be delivered 7-10 business days. It doesn't matter were in the line you are when you arrive to line 3. We were within the first 20 people, but one of the last people to be seen. It sounded as if they called the people via their names, and it was the first name and not the last. Her first name is Viviana...bring pictures, they usually request to see some kind of pictures. You will be able to stay with her the entire time except for the actual interview at the window. They want to talk to her alone. Then if you are there with her, they will usually ask for you to step up, and they will ask you a few questions as well. If you have any other questions just shoot them to me, since i literally just finished the interview process this very month...expect to be there for awhile. We were there for 6.5 hrs.

Edited April 2, 2010 by rcems543

[mike101 8]

My fiancee and & used www.welovebogota.com (aka Marthas Place) and it was a wonderful and convinient accomodation. We stayed in bogota for 8 days. Here's a link to my blog with the review.

http://fianceek1visa.blogspot.com/2010/07/welovebogotacom-apartment-review.html

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Can I get into a shorter line or a quicker interview since I am a US citizen.

Jump into Line #3 at the US Embassy, but plan on getting there at about 6:15 a.m. Be ready to remove your Belt, have your Appointment letter ready to show officials, and hand in your cell phone and other personal electronics as you pass through the guard shack. Good luck.

-Ken

[Dallas Steve 0]

Jump into Line #3 at the US Embassy, but plan on getting there at about 6:15 a.m. Be ready to remove your Belt, have your Appointment letter ready to show officials, and hand in your cell phone and other personal electronics as you pass through the guard shack. Good luck.

-Ken

Ken

Thanks for the comment, but we're already back in the USA. We arrived on April 24, 2010.

Steve & Vianny

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Ken

Thanks for the comment, but we're already back in the USA. We arrived on April 24, 2010.

Steve & Vianny

Welcome to AOS.

[ryna 132]

My fiancée lives in Bogotá but I'm glad I saw the hotel recommendations. She lives on the other side of town and the more I think of it, the more I think we will stay in a hotel closer to the embassy the night before. With the appointments starting so early, the last thing we'll want are any taxi/transportation problems.

Jump into Line #3 at the US Embassy, but plan on getting there at about 6:15 a.m. Be ready to remove your Belt, have your Appointment letter ready to show officials, and hand in your cell phone and other personal electronics as you pass through the guard shack. Good luck.

-Ken

"hand in your cell phone and other personal electronics as you pass through the guard shack."

I knew that we can't have these inside but they will hold them while we're there? That would be far more convenient than leaving them at home/in the hotel.

[DanVanessaSiempre 0]

My fiancée lives in Bogotá but I'm glad I saw the hotel recommendations. She lives on the other side of town and the more I think of it, the more I think we will stay in a hotel closer to the embassy the night before. With the appointments starting so early, the last thing we'll want are any taxi/transportation problems.

After checking out all of the places recommended here on VJ and several other options as well, we've gone ahead and booked the large bedroom at Martha's for our week in Bogota. Being close to both the embassy & shopping was a big factor, as was being in a better neighborhood than most of the other viable options. Being by far the cheapest option was pretty good too.

[Ken y Leidys 20]

My fiancée lives in Bogotá but I'm glad I saw the hotel recommendations. She lives on the other side of town and the more I think of it, the more I think we will stay in a hotel closer to the embassy the night before. With the appointments starting so early, the last thing we'll want are any taxi/transportation problems.

"hand in your cell phone and other personal electronics as you pass through the guard shack."

I knew that we can't have these inside but they will hold them while we're there? That would be far more convenient than leaving them at home/in the hotel.

You can take these items with you, but they will not be allowed past the airport-style metal detectors. But, with only a 10 minute walk ahead of you back to the welovebogota.com apartment, it won't take you long to return for them. But, I understand when you will want to call friends/family with the good news of your approval.

When you are signing the forms and placing these items in their small plastic baskets, you can send the beneficiary *ahead of you* to grab her folder and to *sign in* for your interview. That way, you will loose less time possibly. Another good idea will be to save two chairs while your beneficiary/fiance is standing in line waiting to sign in/obtain her folder. The seats will fill up fast, and looking for a place to sit is not a pleasant thing to deal with when you are faced with organizing your folder full of items in the same sequential order as your Packet #4. Good luck with everything!

After checking out all of the places recommended here on VJ and several other options as well, we've gone ahead and booked the large bedroom at Martha's for our week in Bogota. Being close to both the embassy & shopping was a big factor, as was being in a better neighborhood than most of the other viable options. Being by far the cheapest option was pretty good too.

Good choice, Dan! I also compared prices (nearly 1 year ago), and the rates charged in Bogota were outrageous! 2/3rds on average more than what I paid in Barranquilla for a hotel room. Equal to prices here in Southern California/Los Angeles.

[mike101 8]

After checking out all of the places recommended here on VJ and several other options as well, we've gone ahead and booked the large bedroom at Martha's for our week in Bogota. Being close to both the embassy & shopping was a big factor, as was being in a better neighborhood than most of the other viable options. Being by far the cheapest option was pretty good too.

Hi Dan...

I've updated my blog with some information that could help you.

#1) I wrote a review of the apartment we stayed in during our visit to Bogota. I also used Martha's Place (www.welovebogota.com) however they have multiple apartments. We were given the apartment that was walking distance to Salitre Plaza, however was not within walking distance to the Embassy. It was only about 5 minutes in a Taxi but was too far to walk.

I'm glad we had this apartment because it was about a 3 minute walk from Salitre Plaza (a shopping mall) and we made frequent visit to go to ATM machines and buy groceries at Exito located in the mall.

Here's my review and I've also included some Maps of the area: http://fianceek1visa.blogspot.com/2010/06/welovebogotacom-marthas-place-apartment.html

I would also recommend using them. We worked with Sr Alberto who was very professional and resourceful. He doesnt speak much english so you may need your fiancee to help talk to him. Everything needs to be paid in Cash up front but you will be more comfortable and will save a lot of money over a hotel.

I also wrote a review and made a map that you may find useful when navigating the US Embassy Grounds:

http://fianceek1visa.blogspot.com/2010/07/map-of-united-states-embassy-in-bogota.html

You should find these helpful. I wish you well with your trip and interview. :-)

Edit..

Dan if you can afford it I'd recommend that you rent the entire apartment. You will have a lovely time in Bogota, however its possible that the other rooms could be rented out to others during your stay. There is also a possibility they wont and you'll have the other apartment to yourself. It may make things difficult if you have to share with someone else because you have to share the same common spaces like the kitchen, laundry area, etc..

Edited July 29, 2010 by mike101