Colombia Club

[SteveSandyHill 0]

Bill, Not sure where you are traveling from, yet here is the way I just did it and it was fairly inexpensive. I booked round trip flight to be in Bogota 5 days before the interview (help Sandy prepare, medical, etc.) and scheduled my return flight one week after the interview. Then I also booked one way tickets for Sandy and her daughter on the same flight I was returning to USA on.

My ticket was JFK to Bogota / Bogota to FLL $ 645.00 (all taxes included)

Sandy's Bogota to FLL $ 343.00 (all taxes included)

Her Daughter Vania (under 2 years) of age $117.00

I checked in case I would need to change my reservation (Avianca) Change fee $ 100.00 + differance in airfare from time of purchase for my round trip ticket, and $ 35.00 for Sandy's ticket.

Thanks Steve, that is very helpful! I usually fly from Philadelphia through Miami or Ft Lauderdale via Delta, US Air/Avianca or American. American is my preferred carrier although there are certain times of year when their fares go through the roof. I have most of my frequent flyer miles with them.

Steve, thanks for the tip. I understand how to fax packet 3 to the embassy, but I don't know if I should fax ONLY Margarita's DS230, or her daughter's also. The woman on the phone told me that I only need to send Margarita's ds230, but she also told me that Daniela (the 8 year old daughter) needs to attend the interview. I read on the embassy site that a child under 14 years of age that is listed under his/her parent on the same petition is not required to attend the interview. I don't trust what the woman on the phone told me.

John,

I faxed both Sandy' & her daughters DS-230 (part 1)

Additionally I did not see any young children at the Embassy last Friday.

I assume the child is riding her mothers K1 visa? Her's is then a K2.

Good luck!

[M&J 0]

HOLA!!

I'm home in PA!! I arrived to NYC/JFK on Sunday at 5 am, POE was easy I was out with my luggage by 5:30 waiting for my fiance. They didn't ask any question and I got EAD stamp! I'm very happy to be here!

Saludos,

Marcela

[Bill y Bella 0]

HOLA!!

I'm home in PA!! I arrived to NYC/JFK on Sunday at 5 am, POE was easy I was out with my luggage by 5:30 waiting for my fiance. They didn't ask any question and I got EAD stamp! I'm very happy to be here!

Saludos,

Marcela

Welcome to the USA!

[margara&john 0]

HOLA!!

I'm home in PA!! I arrived to NYC/JFK on Sunday at 5 am, POE was easy I was out with my luggage by 5:30 waiting for my fiance. They didn't ask any question and I got EAD stamp! I'm very happy to be here!

Saludos,

Marcela

Welcome to the USA!

Congratulations and welcome Marcela.

Steve, it is a K2 for the girl. Thanks for responding. I will have Margarita fax a ds230 for each of them.

[CamyCar 0]

HOLA!!

I'm home in PA!! I arrived to NYC/JFK on Sunday at 5 am, POE was easy I was out with my luggage by 5:30 waiting for my fiance. They didn't ask any question and I got EAD stamp! I'm very happy to be here!

Saludos,

Marcela

Marcela,

Congratulations and welcome. You are hpe and an inspiration to the rest of us!!

Cameron

[Bill y Bella 0]

Steve, it is a K2 for the girl. Thanks for responding. I will have Margarita fax a ds230 for each of them.

It will probably not hurt anything to do so, but as I stated yesterday it is not necessary to send the DS-230 for children accompanying the beneficiary when requesting an interview appointment. The embassy becomes aware that there will be accompanying children from line 21a of the beneficiary's DS-230. I did not send a DS-230 for the children and DOS confirms that the embassy has noted that they will also be applying for visas.

[Mononoke28 134]

Welcome to the US Marcela and congratulations once again!

Diana

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Lucho Congrats !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scott Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill where are you in the process?????????

Have not been here for a while......i have just been enjoying having Leidy and Daniel here with me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just went last Friday and got my Marriage license so now i am just waiting to get it in the mail and then will be going to take the plunge!!! ...lol

I have to start getting ready for the AOS process!!!!!!!!!!! I have nothing ready, but it will be a much easioer process ik sure with Leidy here with me!!!

Take care everyone and i will be touching base soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bill y Bella 0]

Bill where are you in the process?????????

We are marking time until our interview on Feb 29th.

I am glad to hear things are going well for you. The forums have been a little quiet since Leidy arrived.

[Scott n Yenifer 0]

I thought this could be interesting for those who are planning their weddings in USA within the AOS time frame. We got married the 23rd in SF City Hall, and we where planning to apply for AOS right the way, but we wont be getting our marriage certificate for at least 2 weeks (they said between 2 and 4) I don’t now if that applies for all places but if it does but it means that people should get married as soon as possible in order to keep everything within the 3 months time frame . So that ups at least 15 days to the waiting time for us!!!

CONGRATS NEWLYWEDS!!!!!

We have the same concern...it will be 4-6 weeks for us to receive our marriage certificate but we do have a copy of the completed marriage license. We have'nt started the AOS documents yet but we will keep you posted on what is necessary when we begin. Maybe someone can help us answer this question...pretty pleeeeeeeeeeeeease!

PS. Just caught up on all the latest and greatest news... CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL !!!!!

[NArocks 13]

Hi Everyone, I am silent reader from last year. I have a question for those of you who have brought the children over with the parent on the visa. What was requested from you at the embassy? Did they need the baptismal certificate? What about the DAS? We have a letter from the Colombian Embassy that we will have authorized in Bogota so the kids can leave. Any help would be great. The boys are 16 and 11.

[margara&john 0]

Hi Everyone, I am silent reader from last year. I have a question for those of you who have brought the children over with the parent on the visa. What was requested from you at the embassy? Did they need the baptismal certificate? What about the DAS? We have a letter from the Colombian Embassy that we will have authorized in Bogota so the kids can leave. Any help would be great. The boys are 16 and 11.

Byron, first of all, congratulations!! I read somewhere (I think on this site) that when you get married it is best to ask the minister or judge if you can take the license to wherever it is you take it. This way you can ask for a notarized copy right away, before it gets sent to some other office and you have to wait an aditional few weeks. here is the link http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1k2visa-aos.html item number 6.2.3

[NArocks 13]

Hi Everyone, I am silent reader from last year. I have a question for those of you who have brought the children over with the parent on the visa. What was requested from you at the embassy? Did they need the baptismal certificate? What about the DAS? We have a letter from the Colombian Embassy that we will have authorized in Bogota so the kids can leave. Any help would be great. The boys are 16 and 11.

Bumping Please, trying to get everything together. I am in my busy season at work ( I work in Flowers, yes ironic seeing as I married a Colombian ) and need all the help I can get.

Thanks A Million

[Bill y Bella 0]

Hi Everyone, I am silent reader from last year. I have a question for those of you who have brought the children over with the parent on the visa. What was requested from you at the embassy?

Did they need the baptismal certificate? What about the DAS? We have a letter from the Colombian Embassy that we will have authorized in Bogota so the kids can leave. Any help would be great. The boys are 16 and 11.

I have not been through the process yet but maybe I can help. I have studied this a lot.

The children need:

1. DS-156 (2 copies)
2. DS-230 Part I
3. 6 photos
4. Passport
5. Orignal or notarized copy of the birth certificate. Make sure that the notary's color stamps are on the copy.
6. Original or authenticated copy of the baptism certificate with notas marginales (We obtained new ones from the church.)
7. Judicial and prison records if they were ever arrested.
8. If they are 18 or older a Colombian Judicial Police Report (Does not apply)
9. If they are 16 or older and lived 6 months or more since attaining the age of 16 in another country (other than the US or Venezuela) they must have a police certificate from that country. The 6 months is cumulative. If they lived somewhere else for 4 months and then lived there again for 2 months they must obtain the police certificate. (Might apply to the 16 year old.)
10. DAS Migratorio Certificate (maybe). I think if the oldest boy is 16 1/2 months old or older I would obtain one for him. This is the document they use to determine if a police certificate from another country is required. You do not need one for the younger child.
11. Medical exam and lab tests
12. Paid visa fee
13. The 16 year old must attend the interview. The younger one does not need to attend but he can.

In addition, if there is a father on the birth certificates you must have a notarized letter from the father stating that he grants the child (children) permission to leave the country. This is enforced by DAS at the airport. The letter cannot be more than 60 days old on the day they leave the country. If the father is dead you will need a death certificate. If the father cannot be found, you will need proof of abandonment. I think that comes from ICBF. Maybe the letter from the Colombian embassy covers all of this. What does it say? Remember that the US embassy has nothing to do with this. You will want to make sure in advance that the documents will be accepted by DAS at the airport.

I hope this helps.

[margara&john 0]

Hi Everyone, I am silent reader from last year. I have a question for those of you who have brought the children over with the parent on the visa. What was requested from you at the embassy?

Did they need the baptismal certificate? What about the DAS? We have a letter from the Colombian Embassy that we will have authorized in Bogota so the kids can leave. Any help would be great. The boys are 16 and 11.

I have not been through the process yet but maybe I can help. I have studied this a lot.

The children need:

1. DS-156 (2 copies)
2. DS-230 Part I
3. 6 photos
4. Passport
5. Orignal or notarized copy of the birth certificate. Make sure that the notary's color stamps are on the copy.
6. Original or authenticated copy of the baptism certificate with notas marginales (We obtained new ones from the church.)
7. Judicial and prison records if they were ever arrested.
8. If they are 18 or older a Colombian Judicial Police Report (Does not apply)
9. If they are 16 or older and lived 6 months or more since attaining the age of 16 in another country (other than the US or Venezuela) they must have a police certificate from that country. The 6 months is cumulative. If they lived somewhere else for 4 months and then lived there again for 2 months they must obtain the police certificate. (Might apply to the 16 year old.)
10. DAS Migratorio Certificate (maybe). I think if the oldest boy is 16 1/2 months old or older I would obtain one for him. This is the document they use to determine if a police certificate from another country is required. You do not need one for the younger child.
11. Medical exam and lab tests
12. Paid visa fee
13. The 16 year old must attend the interview. The younger one does not need to attend but he can.

In addition, if there is a father on the birth certificates you must have a notarized letter from the father stating that he grants the child (children) permission to leave the country. This is enforced by DAS at the airport. The letter cannot be more than 60 days old on the day they leave the country. If the father is dead you will need a death certificate. If the father cannot be found, you will need proof of abandonment. I think that comes from ICBF. Maybe the letter from the Colombian embassy covers all of this. What does it say? Remember that the US embassy has nothing to do with this. You will want to make sure in advance that the documents will be accepted by DAS at the airport.

I hope this helps.

My fiance, Margarita, has a brother that lives in the US. He came here on a tourist visa 9 years ago,and he never left. He lives in Pensylvania,and I livein Wisconsin. Will this be a problem for us? Question 37 on the DS156 asks if she has family here, and what is there status. The answer will be working. We are too scared to lie about it. Any insite is appreciated. thanks

john