Colombia Club

[Tony & Olga 0]

Good Evening fellow Club Members!

Looks like this thread is getting very active with all of us getting approvals and NVC Packets being forwarded to the Embassy.

As far as calling the Embassy, I know they have Wednesday's ear marked for taking calls about VISA's. The last time I was there I learned this. I believe there is a window on every Wednesday between 2:00-4:00 PM that they take these calls. But I also know that they only give out general information about VISA's during this call in time. They will not go into specifics about individual cases. But I am not sure whether they will tell you if they have registered your case number or not.

I for one am not waiting to call and find out, just to pay for the call, be put on hold and then to possibly finding out nothing. I am having my wife fax her documents on Tuesday, now that I realize there was a holiday today. But our packet was received yesterday at 11:00AM according to the DHL Tracking Info. So I concurr with Mike and Drea, I do not want to miss the cut off dates and if they do not have our case registered yet, then oh well, we will wait another week and resend it. That way I know they will have received it and they will have had a chance to register us in the system. We have nothing to loose. Also, if we fax it Tuesday and we are not registered yet, they will send out the normal Packet 3 within a few days after this, when they do finally register it!

I am doing this mainly in the hopes I can be there when she is scheduled for the interview. If for some reason we don't get the interview in the first two weeks of January, then no problem we will just wait until we are scheduled. My wife is working for a University i Cali and we are building a house there also, so she has plenty to do! But, I do miss being with her, especially now that the waether is getting a bit chilly here!

Welcome new club members and please ask and post your experiences here, so that we all may learn!

Tony

[Tony & Olga 0]

I just copied this from the Embassy's Web Site:

Public Inquiries

Versión en español

Due to a dramatic increase in the number of immigration cases being processed, Immigrant Visa representatives are available to speak directly with inquirers on Wednesday afternoons, from 2:00PM to 4:00PM, at (571) 315-1566.

If you are in Colombia and would like to discuss a specific case with an Immigrant Visa representative, appointments may be scheduled through the Visa Information Call Center.

Answers to general questions concerning the immigration process can be found on this web site and in the FAQs.

If your petition was sent to the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), but you have not yet heard from that office or from this Embassy regarding your case, you can locate information about the status of your case at (USCIS).

Tony

[Mike and Adriana 0]

I understand that, effective 11/1/06, embassies were supposed to require the electronic version of the DS-156. However, I don't see any mention of it on the Bogota embassy web site (and some other members have stated that the electronic version is being rolled out over time to the various embassies).

Has anyone had a Bogota embassy interview subsequent to 11/1...or received packet 3/4 since 11/1? If so, does the embassy now require the electronic DS-156 with barcode? Or are they still asking for the paper copy?

Thanks,

Mike

PS - posted this elsewhere, but does the Bogota embassy require the DS-156K for K-3 visas...or just K-1 visas? Again, I've seen conflicting evidence and it has been suggested the requirement is embassy-driven.

[FMore 0]

Is this The NOA2? Can it be? I just sent my app 2 weeks ago!!!

Case Status

Receipt Number: EACXXXXXXXXXXXX

Application Type: I129F, PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On December 14, 2006, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.

[jamesfreddyc 0]

Peter and all....

I can't thank you enough for helping Sendy and I work through our visajourney --- your tips and comments were incredibly valuable. As some of you may know, Sendy still has not recieved delivery of any Packet 3 or 4! But by following this thread, we were able to complete our visajourney.

Sendy recieved the approval from the CO/Interviewer today. Monday she will return to pick up the visa.

We wish all of you still working to complete your visajourney much success!!!!

Thank You. From both Sendy and I, Thank You.

Take Care,

James

[FMore 0]

Thanks to ALL!!! Without this wonderful community I don't know what I would have done... Maybe OVERpaid some greedy lawyer to be in the dark the whole time. Its great to have an understanding of how this process works and actually have some control after having read the great advice on this site. I'll be sure to put the shortcuts I have learned to good use and then pass on what I have learned and experienced to those coming up after me.

I wish you all the luck we seem to have.

Fernando

[Tony & Olga 0]

Congratulations Fernando and James!

We are now awaiting to see if the Embassy will/is sending us the package 4. We faxed and then sent by courier the DS 2001, part 1 of the DS230 and passport page this past Monday. So we are keeping our fingers crossed for an early interview date. The embassy still has not updated there web site of the interview appointments for December. I gues the chico/chica who is responsible for this is on holiday or something.

I will post when I here or see something!

Bueno Suerte!

Tony

Edited December 15, 2006 by Tony & Olga

[FMore 0]

Now that my petition has been approved by VSC, how do I track the satatus of my case? From what I understand one only recvs updates from USCIS-CSSO@dhs.gov and on the website https://egov.immigration.gov until NOA2.

Fernando

[paisita411 0]

Fernando, congratulations on your NOA2 approval...things will start moving much quicker from here. Here's what I did once I recieved my approval, and it was based on PeterMiami's shortcuts. I think Tony&Olga followed the same steps and both of us are waiting for our PK4...hopefully for January!!

1. Next week, start calling the NVC (603) 334-0700 and listen carefully to the prompts (1 for english 2 for spanish...) there will be a prompt that allows you to speak directly to an operator between 7am and MIDNIGHT Mon-Friday...this is great because you can call when there is less traffic on the lines and get a REAL person. You will want to speak to a human and ask 1) if you case has been recieved 2)if YES, then for a CASE Number (should start BGTXXXXXXXX) 3) the date it will leave NVC to Bogota. The first few times you call they may tell you the standard "it takes 1-2 months to process", but just be polite, say thanks and call back the next day and ask the same. I called every other day for a week until I got my case number and by the next day the case had been forwarded to Bogota!!!

2. In the mean time, begin assembling PK3 docs: DS-2001, DS-230 Part I, a copy of your beneficiary's passport (just the biographical page) and a cover letter (i'll be glad to forward all of this to you if you need it).

3. Once your case has been forwarded to BGT, go to the "TRACK DHL PACKAGE" thread on this same forum and follow the instructions for tracking your package... The NVC will tell you they can't give you a tracking number, but PeterMiami's tip was a sure shot for us.

4. When you confirm through DHL that your case was recieved in Bogota (ours took 2 business days), have your fiance fax the P3 docs to the embassy (see the embassy site for the fax number) and send the HARD COPY by courier - Servientrega - to the consular visa division.

5. This should prompt the P4 - appointment letter with your interview date. The interview cut-off date is between the 16th and 20th of each months and does vary, so if your docs get in before the cut off date, you should have an interview the following month. Now, don't wait for the P4 letter or for a posting on the embassy web site, you will want to CALL the embassy on the following Wednesday and confirm reciept of your case from the NVC and of your PK3 docs and at the same time ask if the appointment date has been issued. I'm still in this phase, so I'll keep you posted on how it goes on Wednesday.

Good luck!

Dre

Edited December 16, 2006 by OskaryAndrea

[Tony & Olga 0]

Fernando,

I could not have said it better then Dre! I am exactly where they are in the process and followed the directions she listed to the T, accept we did not include a cover letter. I thought the DS 2001 was all that was necessary for explaining what the fax was all about, but then again Olga may have drafted a letter on her own for the hard copy sent by the courier.

I will also call the Embassy on Wednesday to see where and when everything is! It will be interesting to see who's appointment for the interview will be issued first, us or OskaryAndrea. Not that it is all that important to me, but just curious as to how all this positioning and everything comes together.

Best of luck Fernando and Dre, I hope you post when you hear or learn something from Bogota!

Tony

[stinger 0]

Hi...sorry to bug you...my NOA2 was approved Dec. 13. We were planning on marrying Jan 31 in Vegas (not sure if it will be possible but want to try anyway) So I want to do all I can to try to make this happen. Where can I find the DS2001, DS 230 part 1 and a sample cover letter. Can I fax these with copy of her passport from the States or should I have her do it?

Also, once the embassy receives these do they then send the packet 4? How will sh know when the medical exam is if no packet 4? Or when we call for the appointment date they will tell us the medical date and the interview date???

Finally, what number at the embassy do you call to find if appointment is set??? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.

[g65nov 0]

Hi,

You will recieve a letter from the embassy (Packet 4) to advise you of your interview date. You then call and make an appointment with the doctor. You need the letter to go to the doc, so it is just a process of waiting until you get it. If you see your interview posted on the internet (good luck with that, they have yet to post December interview dates!!) and have not recieved your letter, you can go to the embassy just before the medical and get a copy, or so I hear.. I am posting two of my last posts to give you an idea of what to expect. Good luck and God bless........

Post #1

Member

Group: Members

Joined: 17-October 06

Filed for: K-1

California Service Center

Country: Colombia

My Timeline

My Photos

Well, we are here in bogota for the interview tomorrow morning. We had the medical on monday. It went fine. I recommend arriving at the lab around 6 or 615 in the morning. It makes for a much faster visit. We were second in line and were out and eating breakfast (my fiance had to fast starting at 10pm) by 7:45. I had to wait outside but it is a safe area and I just went and got a coffee. The day is free until your appointment at the doctor in the afternoon. They will send the lab results to the doctor for him or her to have when you have your appointment. It is a bit intimidating, but very professional at the doctors office. You need to have your shots up to date, and within the last 30 days as well. My fiance had to get another shot in order to be cleared by the doc. The place to get the shots if you need them is just down the street though. We were out by 6pm and there is a great mall nextdoor to relax after a long day if you feel like it. You will recieve your sealed pack to take to the interview, your shot records for your personal records, and your chest xray. That is pretty much it, tomorrow we plan to arrive at 6am for the interview, hope everything goes well, say a prayer for us!!! I will post how things go and all the details tomorrow evening...Greg

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Dec 13 2006, 04:27 PM

Post #6

Member

Group: Members

Joined: 17-October 06

Filed for: K-1

California Service Center

Country: Colombia

My Timeline

My Photos

GREAT DAY!!!!! We were approved today after a long wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I recommend arriving (as we did) around 6am. There were about 15 people ahead of us, but by 630 there was probably 150 people. So early is the key. Have everything organized, they are very thorough at the embassy. They are very serious but very fair. Out of about 15 fiance visa pettions, 11 were approved. If at all possible, both of you should go, and if he/she does, be sure to bring your US passport as they will look at it as well to see the original stamps when you entered the country. Keep good records of your trips, phone calls, emails and so on. If you do all of this, you should have no problem. There are lots of rumors out there as to what you need. You need only what is listed in the checklist. NO MORE!!! I emphasise this because they seem a bit irritated when they have to sift out stuff like letters from your attorney, translations, other DAS forms,,ect..Just bring what is in the packet 3, no more....The embassy is closed tomorrow, so we will have to spend one more day here in Bogota, but who cares???We are happy happy happy,,,when the officer said "your visa is approved it was a very emotional moment, and I am not that emotional, but it made all the hoops you have to jump through for the visa, worth it all...take care...Greg and Tati....

[g65nov 0]

Forgot to add,, yes, fax a OF-169 and Part 1 of the DS-230,,you should be able to get one off the internet fairly easy. We brought our paperwork to the embassy in person, but a fax would suffice. They recieved, I think, our package from NVC on Nov 1, we both went to the embassy in person on Nov 2 and filled out the forms and handed them in in person. Three days later, my fiance recieved another packet 3 by mail that had a note on in that said be sure to put your case number on all forms. So we resent by fax with our case number and recieved a Dec. 13 appointment. Hope that helps...Greg

[stinger 0]

Forgot to add,, yes, fax a OF-169 and Part 1 of the DS-230,,you should be able to get one off the internet fairly easy. We brought our paperwork to the embassy in person, but a fax would suffice. They recieved, I think, our package from NVC on Nov 1, we both went to the embassy in person on Nov 2 and filled out the forms and handed them in in person. Three days later, my fiance recieved another packet 3 by mail that had a note on in that said be sure to put your case number on all forms. So we resent by fax with our case number and recieved a Dec. 13 appointment. Hope that helps...Greg

Greg: thanks for everything...were you allowed into the interview????

[g65nov 0]

Forgot to add,, yes, fax a OF-169 and Part 1 of the DS-230,,you should be able to get one off the internet fairly easy. We brought our paperwork to the embassy in person, but a fax would suffice. They recieved, I think, our package from NVC on Nov 1, we both went to the embassy in person on Nov 2 and filled out the forms and handed them in in person. Three days later, my fiance recieved another packet 3 by mail that had a note on in that said be sure to put your case number on all forms. So we resent by fax with our case number and recieved a Dec. 13 appointment. Hope that helps...Greg

Greg: thanks for everything...were you allowed into the interview????

Yes, but dont forget to have your passport as well, They may look at it as they did mine to see the original date stamps when you entered and left Colombia to visit your fiance....take care...Greg