Colombia Club

[TonyS 0]

HOLA..........................

Bad news= I just came back from Colombia today. I was visiting my my wife..

Good News = I called the US Embassy. They told me that our interview is on Thursday. Feb 15, 2007. I told them that we had not received no letter or Packet 4. The lady on the phone said she would send it to my address in the USA.

I hopefully be joining my wife at the interview but the airline tickets round trip MIA -BOG are at $781.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What the hell???? I do not know why the airline tickets have gotten so expensive these days....

Any advice from the group???

Hola

You you please tell me how you got through to the Embassy. I tried to call for hours the last two wednesdays but only busy tones!!!!!

Tony

[Yadira's Man 0]

HOLA..........................

Bad news= I just came back from Colombia today. I was visiting my my wife..

Hola

You you please tell me how you got through to the Embassy. I tried to call for hours the last two wednesdays but only busy tones!!!!!

Tony

Hi..

That happened to us too. What I did I called at 1:51PM and told the nice lady that I have been calling for two weeks now with no luck. She told she could keep on hold for 9 minutes until it was time for 2:00PM when they start answering questions..

Try that method to see if you can get someone nice there to help you all.

[TonyS 0]

HOLA..........................

Bad news= I just came back from Colombia today. I was visiting my my wife..

Hola

You you please tell me how you got through to the Embassy. I tried to call for hours the last two wednesdays but only busy tones!!!!!

Tony

Hi..

That happened to us too. What I did I called at 1:51PM and told the nice lady that I have been calling for two weeks now with no luck. She told she could keep on hold for 9 minutes until it was time for 2:00PM when they start answering questions..

Try that method to see if you can get someone nice there to help you all.

Gracias! I will give it a try.

[bradyvicky 0]

Regarding airlines....typically, American Airlines has been more expensive that Avianca. However, part of that could be explained by AA including the departure tax in the price, while Avianca did not. More recently, I noticed that AA has been matching the typical price of Avianca.

Not sure I understand that... American is significantly less expensive to travel to Bogota all the time, taxes included. I have watched from about 2001 to now, and visited there several times, and never been able to beat the AA price....however Avianca definitely blows away almost all other airlines for flying to other cities in Colombia.

At any rate, I cut his rate in half....hopefully it will help!

[bradyvicky 0]

Hola

You you please tell me how you got through to the Embassy. I tried to call for hours the last two wednesdays but only busy tones!!!!!

Tony

We have literally sat there on Skype and called no less than a hunderd times, starting at 1:55. Maybe we're lucky, or maybe the Skype redial is unusually fast, but we have never had a problem getting through within the first 30 minutes.

[Mike and Adriana 0]

Regarding airlines....typically, American Airlines has been more expensive that Avianca. However, part of that could be explained by AA including the departure tax in the price, while Avianca did not. More recently, I noticed that AA has been matching the typical price of Avianca.

Not sure I understand that... American is significantly less expensive to travel to Bogota all the time, taxes included. I have watched from about 2001 to now, and visited there several times, and never been able to beat the AA price....however Avianca definitely blows away almost all other airlines for flying to other cities in Colombia.

At any rate, I cut his rate in half....hopefully it will help!

Interesting. I have flown to Colombia 11 times since May - 9 of those times to Bogota. There was only one time (for my Christmas flight) that AA was cheaper. AA has always been more expensive, other than the last time I flew....in which case the fare was identical to Avianca. Of course, I am comparing fares directly from the AA.com and Avianca.com websites.

I guess it just depends on when you go and how far in advance you want to book.

Mike

[TonyS 0]

Hola

You you please tell me how you got through to the Embassy. I tried to call for hours the last two wednesdays but only busy tones!!!!!

Tony

We have literally sat there on Skype and called no less than a hunderd times, starting at 1:55. Maybe we're lucky, or maybe the Skype redial is unusually fast, but we have never had a problem getting through within the first 30 minutes.

Yes! I tried redial for hours. I will also try your method too! Thanks

[mystery 0]

Hey, guys we're supposed to go and pick up my fiance's visa today at 4pm.

Question: anyone know if important documents such as the Certificado Judicial del DAS are returned along with the passport??? Or does the embassy keep all these documents for their record??

Thanx

PS. BradnVicky - I spoke to the owner of the apt and he told me that he does not have anyone renting his apt this Sunday, whcih i when you told me you would come. Just wanted to let you know in case you had made the reservation with him but he forgot about it or something....

[OjosAzules 0]

OH HAPPY DAY

I just got off the phone with the state department and they said that they have assigned us an interview date of February 28th! I'm looking to book my tickets down now.

For those people who just want to see if they have an interview date set up in the system, you don't have to wait until the wednesday afternoons to call the visas section of the Bogota Embassy. You can call the state department visa helpline in washington and they have everything in their system. They are surprisingly very helpful and friendly as well. When I had a question about vaccines that I wanted to clear up, the woman put me on hold and went to research it.

202-663-1225

[paisita411 0]

BlueEyez...that's some GREAT information. Thanks for passing it on on and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

[OjosAzules 0]

BlueEyez...that's some GREAT information. Thanks for passing it on on and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Thank you Andrea! and best of luck on your upcoming interview as well.

I thought that info might be helpful...you just need your BGT case number and they can access everything.

[TonyS 0]

OH HAPPY DAY

I just got off the phone with the state department and they said that they have assigned us an interview date of February 28th! I'm looking to book my tickets down now.

For those people who just want to see if they have an interview date set up in the system, you don't have to wait until the wednesday afternoons to call the visas section of the Bogota Embassy. You can call the state department visa helpline in washington and they have everything in their system. They are surprisingly very helpful and friendly as well. When I had a question about vaccines that I wanted to clear up, the woman put me on hold and went to research it.

202-663-1225

Blue Eyes

You are da man!!!!!! I just called...took 10 minutes. The interview date is Feb 26 and the package 4 was sent Jan 22. Thanks dude.

[OjosAzules 0]

YES! Nice Tony. Now we're getting places!!

Maybe I'll see you on the plane to Bogota if you leave from JFK

[TonyS 0]

YES! Nice Tony. Now we're getting places!!

Maybe I'll see you on the plane to Bogota if you leave from JFK

I always go from JFK. I really like the airport...of course the Van Wycke is a pain. Well i'm checking flights now. Hey did you get my reply to the personal message?

[bradyvicky 0]

Hey, guys we're supposed to go and pick up my fiance's visa today at 4pm.

Question: anyone know if important documents such as the Certificado Judicial del DAS are returned along with the passport??? Or does the embassy keep all these documents for their record??

Thanx

PS. BradnVicky - I spoke to the owner of the apt and he told me that he does not have anyone renting his apt this Sunday, whcih i when you told me you would come. Just wanted to let you know in case you had made the reservation with him but he forgot about it or something....

Hmm...THANK YOU for the information. We are now scrambling to contact them and create a contingency plan in case this gets all screwed up!

PS... CONGRATS to the both of you!!!!!!

Edited January 26, 2007 by bradyvicky