Colombia Club

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Tell me about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS NOT CHEAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The interview will be SEVENTH time to Colombia this year and that's not mentioning the one time i met Leidy in Panama!!!!!!!!!!!

Im not saying its not worth it , because i would do it all over again in a heartbeat, but the funds are on fumes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Scott n Yenifer 0]

Thanks Bill!!!!

Just doesnt seem fair, eventhough the price is great, that anyone is forced to get them through the doctor if they are available through other places.

Byron, Maviwaro, Bill and Gang...

At 132 mil as compared to 185 mil at the red cross (Brian & Yenys ) it's a no brainer ...the only question to be raised if any- is it necessary if you are already up to date but not within this suposed 8 day timeframe BS. I guess that question will have to be answered by the embassy and thankyou Bill for following that up, I will do the same.

As for Dr. Roa's office charging 132 mil... thankyou very much and we will see you Monday at 5:30

THANKS BYRON!!!

[MV-JR 0]

Thanks Bill!!!!

Just doesnt seem fair, eventhough the price is great, that anyone is forced to get them through the doctor if they are available through other places.

Byron, Maviwaro, Bill and Gang...

At 132 mil as compared to 185 mil at the red cross (Brian & Yenys ) it's a no brainer ...the only question to be raised if any- is it necessary if you are already up to date but not within this suposed 8 day timeframe BS. I guess that question will have to be answered by the embassy and thankyou Bill for following that up, I will do the same.

As for Dr. Roa's office charging 132 mil... thankyou very much and we will see you Monday at 5:30

THANKS BYRON!!!

I know this is a dump question but could anybody tell me which area the required vaccinations. I went to the packet 4 at the embassy webpage and there they have a list of 11!!!

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

This is on the info page to the embassy here on VJ.

My question is do i pay 380 dollars or 100 dollars? and is this price the same for both leidy and her son???

K visa applicants have to pay at the bank because K visas are technically nonimmigrant visas. They cost $100 and the Embassy collects all nonimmigrant visa fees through the bank. Immigrant visas cost $380 and are paid at the Embassy.

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Thanks Bill!!!!

Just doesnt seem fair, eventhough the price is great, that anyone is forced to get them through the doctor if they are available through other places.

Byron, Maviwaro, Bill and Gang...

At 132 mil as compared to 185 mil at the red cross (Brian & Yenys ) it's a no brainer ...the only question to be raised if any- is it necessary if you are already up to date but not within this suposed 8 day timeframe BS. I guess that question will have to be answered by the embassy and thankyou Bill for following that up, I will do the same.

As for Dr. Roa's office charging 132 mil... thankyou very much and we will see you Monday at 5:30

THANKS BYRON!!!

I know this is a dump question but could anybody tell me which area the required vaccinations. I went to the packet 4 at the embassy webpage and there they have a list of 11!!!

TD , MMR , VARICELA

Needed vaccines

[Scott n Yenifer 0]

This is on the info page to the embassy here on VJ.

My question is do i pay 380 dollars or 100 dollars? and is this price the same for both leidy and her son???

K visa applicants have to pay at the bank because K visas are technically nonimmigrant visas. They cost $100 and the Embassy collects all nonimmigrant visa fees through the bank. Immigrant visas cost $380 and are paid at the Embassy.

100 each... paid at the bank

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Scott

you the man thank you!!

[Bill y Bella 0]

Here is the letter I wrote. I tried to be non confrontational but hopefully I touched base on all the issues that concern us.

I am hoping that you can eliminate some confusion regarding vaccination requirements for a K1 or K3 visa beneficiary.

I have communicated with multiple petitioners who have stated that at least one of the doctors appointed by the embassy to conduct medical examinations is telling beneficiaries the following:

1. Any vaccination that was administered more than a very short time prior to the interview has "expired" and must be administered again. Apparently any vaccination more than approximately a week old is considered to be unacceptable and must be repeated.
2. Any vaccinations administered to satisfy the visa requirements must be administered by the doctor conducting the medical exam. Vaccinations administered by the beneficiary's personal physician or the Red Cross for example are unacceptable.

Is this correct? If so, it raises several concerns.

1. A beneficiary must plan on receiving and paying for all the vaccinations at the office of the doctor conducting the medical exam regardless if they have already received these vaccinations. This results in the possible duplication of vaccinations and costs.
2. It becomes possible that beneficiaries are forced to receive vaccinations at an inappropriate time if they should happen to have a fever or other troublesome condition on the day of their medical exam.
3. Unnecessary duplication of vaccines seems to be medically unethical.
4. Some vaccinations require a series of shots over several months to achieve maximum protection. This becomes impossible if the vaccinations must be administered during the pre interview medical examination.
5. Some people have adverse reactions to vaccinations and since the medical exam is usually only a day or two before the interview this can create significant problems for a beneficiary with an adverse reaction.

The universal perception of the petitioners I have communicated with is that the doctors are bending the vaccination rules to create a financial benefit. I assume this is not the case, so I hope that you will help clarify this situation.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to a response at your earliest convenience.

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Great Job Bill!!!!

Hopefully we will have a clear answer to these well put questions!

[HAL 9000 96]

Here is the letter I wrote. I tried to be non confrontational but hopefully I touched base on all the issues that concern us.

I am hoping that you can eliminate some confusion regarding vaccination requirements for a K1 or K3 visa beneficiary.

I have communicated with multiple petitioners who have stated that at least one of the doctors appointed by the embassy to conduct medical examinations is telling beneficiaries the following:

1. Any vaccination that was administered more than a very short time prior to the interview has "expired" and must be administered again. Apparently any vaccination more than approximately a week old is considered to be unacceptable and must be repeated.
2. Any vaccinations administered to satisfy the visa requirements must be administered by the doctor conducting the medical exam. Vaccinations administered by the beneficiary's personal physician or the Red Cross for example are unacceptable.

Is this correct? If so, it raises several concerns.

1. A beneficiary must plan on receiving and paying for all the vaccinations at the office of the doctor conducting the medical exam regardless if they have already received these vaccinations. This results in the possible duplication of vaccinations and costs.
2. It becomes possible that beneficiaries are forced to receive vaccinations at an inappropriate time if they should happen to have a fever or other troublesome condition on the day of their medical exam.
3. Unnecessary duplication of vaccines seems to be medically unethical.
4. Some vaccinations require a series of shots over several months to achieve maximum protection. This becomes impossible if the vaccinations must be administered during the pre interview medical examination.
5. Some people have adverse reactions to vaccinations and since the medical exam is usually only a day or two before the interview this can create significant problems for a beneficiary with an adverse reaction.

The universal perception of the petitioners I have communicated with is that the doctors are bending the vaccination rules to create a financial benefit. I assume this is not the case, so I hope that you will help clarify this situation.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to a response at your earliest convenience.

Indeed Bill, very well stated!

I would have added those parts of the CDC guidelines involving the lack of a need for some repeat vaccines. Being a US Government Agency, I think they can trust what the CDC tells them instead of 2 MDs in Bogota.

If you think a secondary petition as US Citizens acting on behalf of current and future beneficiaries would help let me know so we can get that rolling.

Willie

[bundy_138 0]

Anybody have an updated number for Dr. Gonzalez listed in the Bogota embassy section? I called the one listed but cannot get thru?!

Bundy

[neophi 5]

Anybody have an updated number for Dr. Gonzalez listed in the Bogota embassy section? I called the one listed but cannot get thru?!

Bundy

I think he's on vacations.

Edited December 7, 2007 by neophi

[Scott n Yenifer 0]

HEY EVERYBODY!!!!

I just wanted to confirm the question the Byron already answered...

Yenifer just got off the phone with Dr. Roa's office and the price for all three vaccines is 132.000 pesos...this is a very reasonable price

Td = Tetanus and Diphtheria vaccine

MMR = Measles, Mumps and Rubella

Varicella = Chickenpox

Anyway I'm off to Bogota...very anxious ...a little nervous but very prepared...talk to you guys soon...wish us luck!!!

[Mononoke28 135]

This is my theory on the whole vaccine thing. It is a fact that as of last September vaccines at Dr. Roa's place (can't speak for the other doctor since we didn't go there) were a lot more expensive than other places like the Red Cross and I mean A LOT MORE. It seems to me that these doctors want to keep all the money, because you KNOW they're making money by giving the shots themselves even if it's less expensive. So back in September they came up with the brilliant idea of telling people that the shots they previously got were not valid and charged an arm and a leg to give them to them again. It's obvious to me that this plan backfired on them because for one, it's not fair and two it didnt' and still doesn't make sense.

Sooooooooo, the easiet way for them to still make an extra buck is to still have the same stupid policy that no matter when you had your shots taken, you still need "new and fresh" ones, right? So they started charging less to have the beneficiaries take them at their offices and not somewhere else.

It's still a scam for them to make more money but if it's cheaper, then all's well. (Almost).

Diana

Edited December 7, 2007 by Mononoke28

[SteveSandyHill 0]

SCOTT - Best of luck to you and Yenifer! You will do well. Thank you for all your input to this forum!