Colombia Club

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I was wondering if it is OK to line up on the US Citizens/Residents line during POE. We'll be arriving via Houston and we got crummy seats almost at the back of the plane. This means that almost everyone will be in front of us on the Visitors line.

FYI - If you plan on visiting Bogota and see the sites, go to Monserate or Montserat ?

We made it up the top on foot via the steps in under 2 hours, talk about FAITH!

Or you can take the cable car and be up there in 5 minutes.

Congrats Chester and Monica. You guys look very joyus together. The picture looks fantastic.

Can't wait to go back!!!

Rafael

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Rafael, we also had the same situation and what you need is called a Declaracion Juramental. It needs to be filled out and signed by a relative (not the parents) that can witness the birth (an uncle or aunt will work well) ....they don't care about your religious affiliation. As you know, the baptism certificate acts as a birth certificate for many Colombians who are born far from a city (en el campo) and that is why the govn't uses it interchangeably with the registor civil. The Declaracion Juramental will take its place. If you PM me your email address, I'll forward you the form. Have a relative sign the document with a Notary.

Dre

Dre, If Yuly has her birth cert. she won't need to do this correct.

El Fe de Bautismo that they ask on Packet 3 is only need if there is no Birth Cert.

Rafael

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Question to the club,

I have read that if you relocate or move you have to fill out an online form at USCIS after 10 days of relocating.

Has anyone one Relocated addresses or states for that matter during the wait of NOA2? And if so was easy or did it complicate the process?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Rafael

[lucho562 0]

Dre, If Yuly has her birth cert. she won't need to do this correct.

El Fe de Bautismo that they ask on Packet 3 is only need if there is no Birth Cert.

Rafael

Rafael,

If I may answer your question, although directed to Andrea.

Yes, you will still need to get the Declaracion Juramental even if you have the Registro Civil. Dont try to cut corners It is always better to be overprepared than just have enough to get you by.

[Bill y Bella 0]

Hi everyone. I will be in Bogota the last week of September to celebrate the baby's first birthday. On the off chance I can help anyone while I am there, please let me know. I would be glad to pick up a document or something if it will get someone out of a jam or avoid a 12 hour bus ride. I realize this is not very likely, but I thought I would make the offer just in case.

Bella goes back to her home town Cucuta again this week. The trip is necessary because despite them telling her a month ago that her sister could pick up the baptism certificates, they are now saying she has to pick them up in person. I love Colombia but I am beginning to hate how the rules seem to change on a daily basis!

In any case, I am trying to absolutely positively make sure that she has every document that we could possibly need before she leaves Cucuta. This is what we have or will have after this trip:

Brand new passports for everyone

3 certified and very recent copies of the birth certificates.

2 certified and very recent copies of the baptism certificates for 2 of the 3. The baby has not been baptised yet but will be soon.

school records

immunization records

Is there anything else anyone can think of that we might need for either the interview or after she arrives in the US?

Thanks!

I am feeling ignored. I don't qualify to have my questions answered?

Maviwaro, I will make a request for the Cocosette coconut chocolate wafers for you. And to make it easy for you, I will eat them for you also.

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Dre, If Yuly has her birth cert. she won't need to do this correct.

El Fe de Bautismo that they ask on Packet 3 is only need if there is no Birth Cert.

Rafael

Rafael,

If I may answer your question, although directed to Andrea.

Yes, you will still need to get the Declaracion Juramental even if you have the Registro Civil. Dont try to cut corners It is always better to be overprepared than just have enough to get you by.

You're right. Better to be safe than sorry. I went and PM Andrea to get the doc.

Thanx for looking out Lucho

[lucho562 0]

Bill,

You will for sure need the registro civiles translated into english, but that can be done here.

Give me a few minutes to think of anything else

[Scott n Yenifer 0]

Hi everyone. I will be in Bogota the last week of September to celebrate the baby's first birthday. On the off chance I can help anyone while I am there, please let me know. I would be glad to pick up a document or something if it will get someone out of a jam or avoid a 12 hour bus ride. I realize this is not very likely, but I thought I would make the offer just in case.

Bella goes back to her home town Cucuta again this week. The trip is necessary because despite them telling her a month ago that her sister could pick up the baptism certificates, they are now saying she has to pick them up in person. I love Colombia but I am beginning to hate how the rules seem to change on a daily basis!

In any case, I am trying to absolutely positively make sure that she has every document that we could possibly need before she leaves Cucuta. This is what we have or will have after this trip:

Brand new passports for everyone

3 certified and very recent copies of the birth certificates.

2 certified and very recent copies of the baptism certificates for 2 of the 3. The baby has not been baptised yet but will be soon.

school records

immunization records

Is there anything else anyone can think of that we might need for either the interview or after she arrives in the US?

Thanks!

I am feeling ignored. I don't qualify to have my questions answered?

Maviwaro, I will make a request for the Cocosette coconut chocolate wafers for you. And to make it easy for you, I will eat them for you also.

Hey Bill !!!

You are certainly not being ignored...I appreciate your offer of picking up docs at the embassy because I know how people have had trouble receiving packet 4 on time.

The problem we have is that we haven't even received our NOA2 yet!!!

131 DAYS AND COUNTING SINCE NOA1

Scott

PS Have a great trip!

[Bill y Bella 0]

Hey Bill !!!

You are certainly not being ignored...I appreciate your offer of picking up docs at the embassy because I know how people have had trouble receiving packet 4 on time.

The problem we have is that we haven't even received our NOA2 yet!!!

131 DAYS AND COUNTING SINCE NOA1

Scott

PS Have a great trip!

Yes, processing has really come to a grinding halt. It is terrible. 131 days from NOA1 is a long time. But keep the faith. It will get here eventually!

[NArocks 13]

Hi everyone, My Stepkids will be going through the Embassy in Bogota ( hopefully by November ) for the Visa interview as Relatives of a U.S. Citizen based on marriage to their Dad. Any suggestions for them? ME? My husband is stuck in name check so we can not go ( unless it cleras soon, stuck since 8/23/07 so far ) and be with them there. I may try , but the thing is the kids barely know anything about me. Any suggerstions? help?

Muchas Gracias.

[HAL 9000 96]

I will make a request for the Cocosette coconut chocolate wafers for you. And to make it easy for you, I will eat them for you also. laughing.gif

Make sure to first separate the layers one by one and pick out the filling inside gently. Should any of it fall from your hands its blasphemy!

Arrrgghhh!! Nestle should do something about the lack of Cocosette in the States!!

[Bill y Bella 0]

Bill,

You will for sure need the registro civiles translated into english, but that can be done here.

Give me a few minutes to think of anything else

Thanks Lucho. I knew you wouldn't let me down.

I already have 2 translated copies of the registros.

I doubt if we ever need the baptism certificates but wonder if I should get them translated just in case. I am thinking it would be a waste of time and money but since I am not catholic I have zero experience with baptism certificates. I was thinking maybe they might be helpful in proving identity for the driver's license but in NJ they do not accept religious documents.

In reference to an earlier discussion regarding driver's licenses, in NJ only individuals with tourist visas can drive for a year with an international license. Everyone else has to apply for a driver's license. That is going to slow things down a little because it will take a while for Bella to accumulate all the various forms of identification they require.

[Bill y Bella 0]

Hi everyone, My Stepkids will be going through the Embassy in Bogota ( hopefully by November ) for the Visa interview as Relatives of a U.S. Citizen based on marriage to their Dad. Any suggestions for them? ME? My husband is stuck in name check so we can not go ( unless it cleras soon, stuck since 8/23/07 so far ) and be with them there. I may try , but the thing is the kids barely know anything about me. Any suggerstions? help?

Muchas Gracias.

My first thought is that you need to be there. Even though I assume there is no need to "prove a relationship" as there is with unmarried couples you might need to be there to make sure the CO is interpreting the regulations properly. Look above for a post I copied from a man who had a major problem in Bogota regarding one of his fiancee's children.

I also think that the presence of a US citizen might help protect them from some rough treatment. Some of these CO's can be tough. One would hope that they would be gentle with children but who knows?

Maybe you could go a week early and begin to form a relationship with the kids?

What are their ages?

[NArocks 13]

They are 11 and 15. But my gosh between the moines for the visa, the monies for my hubby ( I-485, I-765 and I-130 ) I am on thin ice. I will speak to my husband tonight. I do not see the post you are reffering to. Is it possible to re post?

Thanks

My first thought is that you need to be there. Even though I assume there is no need to "prove a relationship" as there is with unmarried couples you might need to be there to make sure the CO is interpreting the regulations properly. Look above for a post I copied from a man who had a major problem in Bogota regarding one of his fiancee's children.

I also think that the presence of a US citizen might help protect them from some rough treatment. Some of these CO's can be tough. One would hope that they would be gentle with children but who knows?

Maybe you could go a week early and begin to form a relationship with the kids?

What are their ages?

[Bill y Bella 0]

They are 11 and 15. But my gosh between the moines for the visa, the monies for my hubby ( I-485, I-765 and I-130 ) I am on thin ice. I will speak to my husband tonight. I do not see the post you are reffering to. Is it possible to re post?

Thanks

Sure. I copied it in this forum but here is a link to the original thread so you can see all the replys and updates.

I understand about the money but luckily air fares are back down. At least they were when I booked my next flight.

They are well under 18 so that is good. Presumably they will not ask the 15 year old to "prove" she is not married.

What visa is being applied for? Sounds like this is not a K2 situation.

Just in case you are not aware, if the mother is still alive DAS will not allow the kids to leave the country without the mother's permission. They are also real fussy about when the permission was granted. It needs to be very recent and its validity documented. If the mother is deceased you will need to prove it to DAS. Don't ignore this. DAS will turn them away at the airport if the documents are not perfect.

Hopefully you will also get some input from people who have been in similar situations. They will be able to give you better insight I think.