Colombia Club

[Scott n Yenifer 0]

Lucho...you beat me by about 1 second...that post is very important for newcomers excellent info for "santamartachicago"

[santamartachicago 0]

Lucho...you beat me by about 1 second...that post is very important for newcomers excellent info for "santamartachicago"

BIG Thanks to you too Scott...I am loving this site and the folks like you, and Lucho make it special. Thnaks again you guys. I am missing Dayfenix so much. It feels like this process is designed to wrench your heart. I joined the US MArine Corp and did a year tour in Sadi, Kawait, and Iraq with less complications

[buck501 0]

Scott, CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Things will move quickly now. NVC should know within a week, 2 at the very most when your interview date will be. I found the people I talked to at NVC very polite and helpful.

P.S. Paola never did receive Pkt 3 or Pkt 4 in the mail. I found outt he interview date from NVC, got the forms off of the Embassy site and never did see Pkt.3 or Pkt.4.

[santamartachicago 0]

Reposting the guide I wrote back in August, also with updated links to Packets 3 & 4.

The following guide is intended to help K1 visa applicants going

through Bogotá, Colombia. Also this guide is only that, a guide.

Always check the embassy's website and call the embassy as well.

This guide was written for K1 visa applicants, both beneficiary

and petitioner that have no kids, have never been arrested and have never been

married.

1. Once your I-129F is approved (NOA2), your case will

be forwarded to the National Visa Center. Normally

it will take about 1 to 2 weeks to get from CSC/VSC to NVC.

2. Start calling NVC everyday about 1 week after

your I-129F has been approved. You will need to reach

a live person to get information on your case since

the NVC’s automated system does not handle K1 visas.

Give this person your receipt #, they will let you know

the status of your case, whether it has not yet been

received, already received, or already sent out to

the embassy in Bogotá. Once NVC receives your case, they

will assign a new case # that will begin with BGTXXXXXXXXXX.

A. If it has not been received.

Keep calling until they receive it. Don’t pay attention

to their script. They will tell you it may take 4 weeks

for them to receive your case.

B. If your case has been received.

Ask them when it was received and if it has been forwarded

to the embassy. If your case has been received but not

forwarded, wait 2 to 3 days from the day NVC received it

to call back and ask again. If it has been forwarded, most

often than not cases will be sent out in 2 days after NVC

receives it.

C. Once you know when your case has left NVC to Bogotá. You

can now calculate when it should arrive via DHL at the

embassy. Our case arrived in only 2 days, however the norm

is 3 business days. For example, if your case was sent on

Monday, it should arrive at Bogotá by Thursday, the latest.

3. Now that your case is in Bogotá. Do NOT wait for the embassy

to send your fiancée the packet 3. Wait 2 business days to use

the following shortcut. Using the example days in section 2C:

If your case has arrived on Thursday it is best to use the

shortcut on Monday. The reason to wait 2 days is to give the

embassy time to input your information in their system. You can

also call NVC and they will let you know if the embassy has

received your case.

Shortcut - Fax packet 3 to the embassy. This will save you at

least 2 weeks if not more by doing so. I would advise to send the

packet 3 via courier as well (i.e. Servientrega)

Packet 3 Contents:

1. Cover letter

2. Copy of fiancée's passport (biographical data page)

3. DS-230 Part 1 (pages 1 & 2)

4. OF-169

The cover letter should be simple and brief. Include the BGT case #

on the cover letter.

4. Two or three days after the embassy has received packet 3, they would have

already scheduled you for the interview. You can wait until your fiancée

receives packet 4 to find out the date of the interview. OR you can

use another shortcut. The shortcut is to call NVC and ask them the

interview date. Once the embassy schedules your interview, NVC is

automatically notified of the date.

Packet 4 Contents:

1. Passport

2. Baptism Certificate (Partida de Bautismo)

3. Birth Certificate (Registro Civil)

4. Police Certificate (Certificado Judicial del DAS)

5. Migratory Certificate (Carta del DAS, entradas/salidas)

6. I-134 Affidavit of Support and evidence.

7. DS-156 (2 copies)

8. DS-156K (1 copy)

9. Laboratory/Medical exams/Vaccinations

10. Evidence of your relationship (photos, e-mails, boarding passes, etc.)

11. Four passport style photos, 5cm x 5cm.

Embassy:

Finally the big day is here. You will want to be at the embassy no later than 6 a.m.

I suggest 5:45 a.m. At 6 a.m. there will already be a small line. At 6:30 a.m. you will

not be able to see the front of the line. There will be 3 lines at the front gate of the embassy.

You will want to get into line 3. Do not follow everyone that gets into line 1.

K1, K3, CR1/IR1 visa petitioners need to get into line 3. This may get you in and out of

the embassy quicker.

Tips:

If your fiancée lives outside of Bogotá, have her start getting the Police

and Migratory certificates ASAP. As it may take several weeks to receive

the certificates for people living outside of the capital. If your fiancée

lives in Bogotá, she can get the certificates in a few days.

Try to schedule the laboratory and medical exam 2 days before the interview.

This will allow an extra day just in case any mishaps should occur.

You will need an English translation of the birth certificate, get it done in

Colombia. It will be a lot cheaper and faster.

LINKS

Packet 3 and Forms (Note some forms on this link are for Packet 4)

http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/co1/wwwsc...tructions.shtml

Packet 4

http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/co1/wwwfck1cita_temp.pdf

DAS

http://www.das.gov.co

You will need to go to SERVICIOS and then click on CERTIFICADO JUDICIAL and EXTRANJERIA (migratory)

Lucho...I got it. If it is not asking to much can you send me a copy of the cover letter you referenced in packet 3. I want to follow your lead on this endevour my email is hnmsinc@hotmail.com

[Mononoke28 135]

Hello everybody,

Sorry I haven´t had a chance to read your posts in detail but I´m here in Bogotá at a café internet and time is limited, you know how it is.

Anyway... just wanted to give you and update and a big heads up. Hubby had his lab work done this morning, we got there at 6:30AM, the nurses didn´t get there until 7:20AM, they were late for work and he was done by 8:30AM. They open at 7AM, no need to be there early but I highly recommend it so you don´t have to wait in line and so that the lab results can make to the doc on time.

We just went to get his medical done, everything went well EXCEPT for the damn vaccines. We went to Dr. Roa, they didn´t let me in the building so I had to wait outside on the street. The doctor said everything looked good except he asked why he had taken his vaccines back in June. My husband said it was to be ready because we were wainting for the appointment at any minute. So this idiot looks at his card, then says he needs his TD shot AGAIN. My husband said he would go to the Red Cross and come back, the doctor said that he couldn´t do that and had to be done at his office at 6PM. No matter what my husband said (even the fact that he´s got a cold, the nurse even got into an argument with the doctor about getting the shot while he´s sick), the doctor said, can´t do it, gotta have it done. So this numb nuts kept the vaccine card and we gotta kill about 2 more hours so he can get his TD shot.

So with this in mind here goes: 1. Do not get the shots in advance, I´d wait until a couple of weeks before the appointment so that these jerks don´t get more money out of you. 2. DO NOT go to Dr. Roa. This guy is a thief and a total a-hole. I´m basing this on personal experience and just want to help you guys out. But we gotta do what we gotta do to get that damn visa and go home together next week, right?

Ok, I´m done venting. To all of you who wished us luck... a big thanks from us both!

Take care and see ya soon,

Diana

[buck501 0]

Hello everybody,

Sorry I haven´t had a chance to read your posts in detail but I´m here in Bogotá at a café internet and time is limited, you know how it is.

Anyway... just wanted to give you and update and a big heads up. Hubby had his lab work done this morning, we got there at 6:30AM, the nurses didn´t get there until 7:20AM, they were late for work and he was done by 8:30AM. They open at 7AM, no need to be there early but I highly recommend it so you don´t have to wait in line and so that the lab results can make to the doc on time.

We just went to get his medical done, everything went well EXCEPT for the damn vaccines. We went to Dr. Roa, they didn´t let me in the building so I had to wait outside on the street. The doctor said everything looked good except he asked why he had taken his vaccines back in June. My husband said it was to be ready because we were wainting for the appointment at any minute. So this idiot looks at his card, then says he needs his TD shot AGAIN. My husband said he would go to the Red Cross and come back, the doctor said that he couldn´t do that and had to be done at his office at 6PM. No matter what my husband said (even the fact that he´s got a cold, the nurse even got into an argument with the doctor about getting the shot while he´s sick), the doctor said, can´t do it, gotta have it done. So this numb nuts kept the vaccine card and we gotta kill about 2 more hours so he can get his TD shot.

So with this in mind here goes: 1. Do not get the shots in advance, I´d wait until a couple of weeks before the appointment so that these jerks don´t get more money out of you. 2. DO NOT go to Dr. Roa. This guy is a thief and a total a-hole. I´m basing this on personal experience and just want to help you guys out. But we gotta do what we gotta do to get that damn visa and go home together next week, right?

Ok, I´m done venting. To all of you who wished us luck... a big thanks from us both!

Take care and see ya soon,

Diana

Diana, hang in there!!! Colombia, the US and the Embassy seem hell bent on making things as hard as they can. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

[HAL 9000 96]

Hello everybody,

Sorry I haven´t had a chance to read your posts in detail but I´m here in Bogotá at a café internet and time is limited, you know how it is.

Anyway... just wanted to give you and update and a big heads up. Hubby had his lab work done this morning, we got there at 6:30AM, the nurses didn´t get there until 7:20AM, they were late for work and he was done by 8:30AM. They open at 7AM, no need to be there early but I highly recommend it so you don´t have to wait in line and so that the lab results can make to the doc on time.

We just went to get his medical done, everything went well EXCEPT for the damn vaccines. We went to Dr. Roa, they didn´t let me in the building so I had to wait outside on the street. The doctor said everything looked good except he asked why he had taken his vaccines back in June. My husband said it was to be ready because we were wainting for the appointment at any minute. So this idiot looks at his card, then says he needs his TD shot AGAIN. My husband said he would go to the Red Cross and come back, the doctor said that he couldn´t do that and had to be done at his office at 6PM. No matter what my husband said (even the fact that he´s got a cold, the nurse even got into an argument with the doctor about getting the shot while he´s sick), the doctor said, can´t do it, gotta have it done. So this numb nuts kept the vaccine card and we gotta kill about 2 more hours so he can get his TD shot.

So with this in mind here goes: 1. Do not get the shots in advance, I´d wait until a couple of weeks before the appointment so that these jerks don´t get more money out of you. 2. DO NOT go to Dr. Roa. This guy is a thief and a total a-hole. I´m basing this on personal experience and just want to help you guys out. But we gotta do what we gotta do to get that damn visa and go home together next week, right?

Ok, I´m done venting. To all of you who wished us luck... a big thanks from us both!

Take care and see ya soon,

Diana

Hmmm... Diana... IF you have a chance... perhaps while waiting for your hubby to get his visa, you could enter the US Citizen side of the Embassy to try to get a hold of someone to respond to you how these MDs get everything so messed up.

BTW... how much did Dr. Roa charge?

Very interesting indeed...

[Bill y Bella 0]

Wow. Suddenly there is a lot going on!

First, Congratulations Scott! That is great news.

I am also in Bogota. At the moment I am in our apartment drinking coffee con leche and eating Cocosette while Bella cooks dinner. Life is not so bad.

We will go to ICBF in the morning and hopefully obtain the certificates of abandonment. Thanks a lot for mentioning that document Buck. I had never heard of it until you did. Without going into details, I think it might eliminate at least one large potential problem we were facing. That one little tidbit of information might make the difference. Thanks again!

Does anyone know how to do a search within this thread only? I know the information I need is in here, but when I do a VJ search I get buried in posts and can´t find the ones I want.

Diana, your account of Dr. Roa´s antics are incredible. That really infuriates me. He needs to be reported as soon as possible. I know you have higher priorities now, but maybe after you have your visa safely in hand you might want to send a letter to someone. I bet if you wrote to your congressman or senator they would take care of notifying the right person in the embassy. If a couple of people did the same thing that might be enough to get Dr. Roa bounced. Maybe the Colombia forum could make this our class project.

Keep the faith Buck. I know you are nervous and I would be also. Tell Paola to walk in there with an air of confidence. She should tell anyone she talks with that she is there to drop off her police certificate and pick up her approval slip. I am becoming convinced that some of the CO´s are really school yard bullies. If they sense that she is nervous and unsure of herself they might decide to put her through the whole process again. She has to jump through whatever hoops they put in front of her of course, but I think a polite protest would be in order if they start interviewing her again. ¨I am sorry sir, there must be some confusion. I was already interviewed by _______ . He told me as soon as I brought my police certificate that they would issue my visa. I am confident my file has that notation.¨

Santamarta, don´t worry too much about the 60 day time period they quoted. That strikes me as the amount of time they quote to give themselves plenty of cushion and to stop people from bugging them. The reality is that I have seen lots of approvals that come very quickly once the RFE is returned. I think the hold up in your situation is more likely to be due to the general VCS slowdown. There are lots of May VSC filers without RFE´s that have not been approved either.

Well, that´s enough from me for a while. Chao!

Edited September 24, 2007 by Bill y Bella

[Chester y Monica 2]

Does anyone know how to do a search within this thread only? I know the information I need is in here, but when I do a VJ search I get buried in posts and can´t find the ones I want.

On the last post of this thread, on the lower left hand corner you will see a search box. Type in the text you would like to search here.

Buck and Paola, good luck on your upcoming interview!

[Chester y Monica 2]

Ok, I´m done venting. To all of you who wished us luck... a big thanks from us both!

Take care and see ya soon,

Diana

Wow, I can't believe on how inconsistent these folks are. I too had to wait outside the building and when I finally get cold I went inside one of the restaurants.

[Chester y Monica 2]

Lucho...I got it. If it is not asking to much can you send me a copy of the cover letter you referenced in packet 3. I want to follow your lead on this endevour my email is hnmsinc@hotmail.com

Here's the link in the VJ forum K1 Guide section http://www.visajourney.com/examples/Cover_..._for_I-129F.doc

[Chester y Monica 2]

WE'RE APPROVED !!!!

We received email conformation today that our case was approved last Friday!!!!! Checked USCIS and that is updated too. HOORRAAYY!!!!

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT!!!

Scott

Congratulations Scott. It might take about a month until NVC gets and sends the case to Bogota. Use this time to prep all the documents that you will need. Once it hits Bogota, it goes really fast afterwards.

[Juan Carlos 0]

Good evening!

Scott, Byron, Buck, Charles, Bill.. thanks for the warm welcome. And by the way, Scott, CONGRATULATIONS on the great news!! Seems to me you've already been through the toughest part of the wait.

- Diana, your story about Dr. Roa is really upsetting. He wanted more money, right? I hope your husband won't get sick just before his big BIG day. I loved that idea of making this club's "project" to get Dr. Roa moving to a different job.

Ok... the night is young and I still have 150+ pages to read. I'll let everyone know if I find any commonalities among the posts (for example, could it be that your probabilities of being rejected during the interview increase if you don't go with your spouse on his/her first interview? hmm... maybe I am already over-analyzing the only two pages I've read)

[Bill y Bella 0]

Does anyone know how to do a search within this thread only? I know the information I need is in here, but when I do a VJ search I get buried in posts and can´t find the ones I want.

On the last post of this thread, on the lower left hand corner you will see a search box. Type in the text you would like to search here.

Ah, so that is where they hid it, right in plain sight. That is going to save me a lot of time and help me avoid repeating questions that have already been answered.

Thanks!

[buck501 0]

Does anyone know how to do a search within this thread only? I know the information I need is in here, but when I do a VJ search I get buried in posts and can´t find the ones I want.

On the last post of this thread, on the lower left hand corner you will see a search box. Type in the text you would like to search here.

Ah, so that is where they hid it, right in plain sight. That is going to save me a lot of time and help me avoid repeating questions that have already been answered.

Thanks!

Bill. I think it is ok to ask the questions. Certainly it is good to do some research on your own, however, this thread has become very active and the info you need can be buried very deep in the thread.

I know others in the past have become a little impatient with those of us who ask the same question over and over. My take on this is that the new folks that come on board here will not have to go back through several hundred pages of reading for the answear. I do think it is a good idea to read the post's but sometimes you do not have a week to wait for an answear while you read all the info. I read through about 90 some pages 3 times and I still had questions. (I am a little slow!!!)

What has made this thread so good and informative for us going through the embassy in Colombia is the fact that the participation is high, info accurate and the common bond we all share in our goal. Not many other folks on this site have what we have in this thread.