Colombia Club

[paisita411 0]

Mike, thank you for keeping us up on your wife's process so far. The information you consistently give us is very useful and personally, I'm very greatful to you for taking the time to share so many important details. I'm making a list of the cost breakdown you provided and forwarding it to my husband.

I want all of the VJers in Colombia Club with upcoming interviews to know that I am praying for each of you, as well as for Oscar and myself, that we be united with our loved ones very soon.

Thanks Again Mike!

dRE

[Mike and Adriana 0]

Glad to help in any way possible. I figure that I'll be spending most of my time on the AOS forum beginning in another week or so...so wanted to share as much info as I can.

Good luck to all of those who have interviews soon. If I remember right, Dre and Oskar and Tony and Olga have their interviews a week from Monday. Our interview is next Friday....so if I discovered anything of interest or value, I'll post it next weekend.

Mike

[TonyS 0]

Thanks the information has been very valuable! I hope to have my fiancee's interview next month. Looks like many of us will be with our love ones shortly and will be moving on from the Colombia Club to other forums. On another note, I know there will come a period of adjustment and culture shock. Maybe this will be lessen if one lives in Miami or other cities with thriving/growing Colombian or latin communities. Here in New England, Central Falls near Providence, RI has a large Colombian community and of course going south, there is Queens, NY. I'm hoping to make friends and contacts in the north and throughout the country. Any suggestions how?

Edited January 15, 2007 by TonyS

[Yadira's Man 0]

I AM GOING TO COLOMBIA TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TO BE WITH MY WIFE!!!!!!!!!

LOOK OUT CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA!!!

[Tony & Olga 0]

Hello all!

Well I am back from another beautiful trip to Colombia and wonderful time with my wife and her family. Unfortunately as luck would have it, I will be calling the Bogotá Embassy again today. After faxing, sending the packet 3 info and then calling back in the first two (2) weeks of December to find out our interview date was January 22, we now have received two (2) packet 4's. The first packet 4 with the interview letter dated January 22 we received finally on January 6 or 7th. Then a week later we received a second packet 4 with interview letter dated for January 30th! #######! I checked out their (Embassy) Web Page and sure enough it says the interview date is January 30th. Well the main problem with this is that we have already made hotel, medical schedules and arrangements for January 22. My wife is now in Bogotá running down the DAS letters, getting her physical and has taken time off from work to complete all of this. This does not take into account flight arrangements from Cali to Bogotá.

I can only assume that the Embassy people will be understanding to our situation and honor our first appointment letter. I hope or I know there will be one P.O Pastosa! And things were rolling along so well!

Well that is all for now. I hope everyone reports back how their interviews went, I know we will.

Best of luck to everyone!

Tony

[sjoefl01 1]

I really doubt you will have a problem. The guys at the gate only look at the letter. As far as I could tell they didn't check it against anything.

[Tony & Olga 0]

After talking with a representative at the embassy yesterday, she explained to me politely that we missed our initial appointment on 12/22/06, and therefore they scheduled a second interview date for 01/30/07. Well, I politely explained to her that she must be wrong because we did not receive the initial packet 4 with an interview letter dated January 22, 2006 until January 6 or 7. So she said she needed to talk to a supervisor and put me on hold for a couple of minutes and came back and said we had two options. WE could come in Thursday at 1:00 P.M. and pick up a new packet 4 with an interview letter dated for January 22 or if we indeed had a letter dated January 22, we could just show up on the 22nd as planned. Well I talked to my wife who is now in Bogota and had her verify the date and she said for sure it is dated January 22. So I am not sure what went wrong here but at least we can keep the date we originally planned.

I have a question for those who have already been through the K3 process or are where we are in the process and have purchased or who have checked on airlines to see if it is a requirement for the immigrant to purchase a round trip ticket from Colombia. My wife is under the impression that she must purchase a round trip ticket because this is mandated by the airlines because she is not a U.S. Citizen. I think she is wrong about this, especially with a K3 VISA. If she is coming to the U.S. to live and work, why would you have to buy a round trip ticket. THis would be a big waste of money and not only that but what date would she use for a return flight? I plan to call the embassy or have her ask at the interview but I thought I would throw the question out here to see what others have learned or know.

Thanks,

Tony

Edited January 17, 2007 by Tony & Olga

[Mike and Adriana 0]

Tony:

I bought a one-way ticket for my wife and step-daughter for January 26. I, of course, am assuming she gets approved on January 19. I had no problems and no questions were asked. What does the airline care? They are getting a premium fare....and if there is not a proper visa, the U.S. government would turn her away at immigration.

Mike

PS - the cost fo the one-way ticket was about as much as I usually pay for round-trip.

[mystery 0]

Mystery:

Yes, I am aware of the need for the appointment sheet (cita), which is part of packet 4. I ready on another post a while back about someone's experience in Cartagena. I believe the packet had been sitting in the Cartagena post office for 3 weeks before the guy and his fiance finally went to the post office and helped them search for it....and they actually found it.

So, you might want to go to the post office. If it's not there and you find someone to go to the embassy for you, you'll probably need to send them with a letter of permission and a copy of the beneficiary's passport and/or cedula. I can't imagine the embassy handing a copy of the cita to just anyone.

Good luck,

Mike

Thanx for the suggestion Mike. We actually ended up sending a friend of my fiance's that lives in Bogota to pick it up for us last Thursday.....

For those that might have to go that route. You need a letter with the person's name and cedula number, giving permission for that person to pick up your packet 4.

And according to them you can only do it Thursdays at 12:30pm.

Our friend went and was out in less than 30 minutes.

[mystery 0]

Mystery....Mike is right about that previous VJrs experience. I read that post too. I also made friends with another VJer from Cali and her interview is the 29th and she hasn't recieved PK4 either. She called the embassy and they told her she could have someone pick it up for her on THURSDAYS AT 12:30PM ONLY. Send your fiance's passport and cedula (copies) with a friend or relative, if you have someone there. Otherwise, you may have to schedule your trip for an earlier date so you can pick it up yourself. Or try the Postoffice suggestion. Best of Luck.

Brad and Vickie, Thanks for signing on. We wish you the best at your interview on the 30th. Let us know how things go.

Thank you OskaryAndrea.... We ended up sending a friend of my fiance's to Bogota to pick it up last Thursday.

Good luck.

[mystery 0]

I just realized that my fiance only has el Certificado Judicial de DAS, but NOT el Certificado Migratorio.

Thing is that my fiance has NEVER left Colombia and I'm wondering if she still needs it.

Either way I just sent my fiance to el DAS to inquire and see if she can get it.

Anyone have any knowledge in regards to this?? Does she still need it?? Does she even have one since she never left Colombia???

My interview is on 1/24 and I'm super worried about this now.....

Thanx

[jpine 0]

Just a quick note to all going through bogota. i just finished the proccess in october, one thing that what make life a bit easier is have your fiance ask the doctor during the medical exam for a sealed envelope of her immunization records. and to put them on a form 693-a it could save you time in the future during your AOS proccess, feel free to drop me a msg if you guys need any info about interview etc...

good luck to all of you

[Tony & Olga 0]

A quick note to those who are still in the process of getting their lab work and medical completed in Bogotá. My wife suggested I tell everyone that you need about 10-12 passport photos instead of the 4 they suggest in the packet 4. She said the lab requires one for their paper work and the Doctor needs 2 for his/her paper work. And for all those with K3 VISA Applicants, you definitely do need a migratory letter (letter that details your exits and entrances from Colombia), this can be obtained in Bogotá in three (3) working days. The address that my wife and I went to in Bogotá was:

Calle 100 No 11b-27 Hours: Monday -Thursday 7:30 A.M.-4:00 P.M. and Friday 7:30 A.M. to 3:00 P. M.

If you apply for this letter any where else in Colombia, so I am told, it can take up to 3 weeks to get.

I am not sure if this letter is required for all Fiancé Visa's (K1 & K3) or only K3 Visa's. Maybe someone can verify whether or not it is need for the K1 Visa. The letter costs 38.000 Pesos or approximately $19.00 dollars. I hope this helps some of you!

Buena Suerte....Tony

[mystery 0]

Thanx for the info Tony. And thanx again for getting back with me in the PM....

My fiance read the Packet 4 instructions for the K-1 that she picked up last week and YES it is there (Migratory DAS paper). I think its #10 in the list.

I emailed Racerx07 and he went through the same thing, he got lucky to get the Migratory paper but when they were at the interview he said the DID NOT ask him for it. So who knows.

But it is in the K-1 list of things to take to the interview that is found in Packet 4. That requirement is NOT in the Packet 4 that PeterMiami has provided and is floating around. Its a NEW packet 4 with that requirement added to it.....Everything else is the SAME from what I can tell.

My fiance is flying as I type this to Bogota and will be in DAS hopefully this afternoon to request it. I'm praying they can give it to us b4 Wed 1/24 which is our interview date!!

[paisita411 0]

Mike & Adriana - Good Luck tomorrow!!!! I can't wait to hear the good news.

FYI...Brain, a fellow K3 VJer posted this review on the Bogota Embassy Review Page. His wife's interview was January 17, 2007.

THANKS BRIAN!!!!

Review Topic: K3 Visa

a four hour wait but a painless interview. Asked typical questions:

How did you meet

What was spouse's phone number

Please provide photos.

All in all, it took five minutes and K3 was granted.

Edited January 18, 2007 by OskaryAndrea