Colombia Club

[Mike and Adriana 0]

They could send it to you, but the problem is that they will send it to Bogota. Based on the packet 3 that I was sent...I am guessing that they gather all the mail bound for the U.S. and send it bulk to the U.S., where it is then mailed. Not sure how quickly you'd get the packet. I remember that my packet 3 arrived several weeks after my wife got her. Does she know anyone in Bogota that can pick it up? I wish I could give you other options, but there are not many that I know of (or have read about here).

Mike

That's the good news. My wife still has not received packet 4 so now I'm trying to see if there is any way that I can get it so that I can bring it with me for her interview. I know that a copy can be picked up by her or a designated person, but our opportunities to do so in a timely way are running thin on time (she lives 10 hours from Bogota). Do you guys think they would send me a copy?

[parkpapa 0]

They could send it to you, but the problem is that they will send it to Bogota. Based on the packet 3 that I was sent...I am guessing that they gather all the mail bound for the U.S. and send it bulk to the U.S., where it is then mailed. Not sure how quickly you'd get the packet. I remember that my packet 3 arrived several weeks after my wife got her. Does she know anyone in Bogota that can pick it up? I wish I could give you other options, but there are not many that I know of (or have read about here).

Mike

That's the good news. My wife still has not received packet 4 so now I'm trying to see if there is any way that I can get it so that I can bring it with me for her interview. I know that a copy can be picked up by her or a designated person, but our opportunities to do so in a timely way are running thin on time (she lives 10 hours from Bogota). Do you guys think they would send me a copy?

You're probably right. Yeah, she has a good friend that could pick it up. I just hate to ask because she's done so much for us already. But, we're this close to success, so I hate to see it fall apart because of the post office.

[lucho562 0]

I have just learned that NVC has forward my application to Bogota. Bogota should receive it by wed/thur?

[parkpapa 0]

I have just learned that NVC has forward my application to Bogota. Bogota should receive it by wed/thur?

I understand it takes three or four days to get there, so you'd be safer to assume Friday or next Monday.

[HAL 9000 96]

Any info on Dra González? We've been trying to reach her for two days now and no one seems to want to answer the phone... for the money they make from these processes its odd how one of two medics is letting all this money go to the other Dr...

[parkpapa 0]

A minor update and information that others might find useful...

Lorena still has not received packet 4 from the embassy. So I first called Visa Information Services with DoS. (http://travel.state.gov/visa/about/how/how_1463.html) I told the woman there our situation and she said they could not send me a copy of the packet. I questioned her a bit about contacting the embassy in order to schedule a time to pick up the packet. She said that, according to her information, the embassy IS taking phone calls on Wednesdays from 2 to 4. This same information is shown on the embassy's website. I said that I had heard they only accepted faxes at the embassy and she said "no". In the end, she suggested scheduling an appointment through the embassy's Visa Information Center. http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwscivinformationcenter.shtml

So, I bit the bullet and spent the $16 for a phone call. I didn't get what I wanted but I did find out a couple of things. Don't bother calling the Visa Information Center to schedule an appointment to pick up packet 4 until there are two weeks or less remaining before your interview. They simply will not schedule the appointment. The man I talked to said that "we need to make sure the mail has had enough time to arrive at your wife's home."

The other thing I learned, which has been partially covered here, is that I can call to make the appointment from the US for a friend of my wife to pick up the packet. The only stipulation being that the freind needs to have a notarized letter from my wife authorizing the friend to get the packet. The only reason for doing this, instead of having the friend make the appointment, is that I don't want the friend to have to spend her own money on the phone call.

I realize this is all sort of convoluted, but every little bit of information helps. And keep in mind that the only essential item in that packet is the cover letter. Everything else can be copied from elsewhere, but the cover letter is what gets you into the embassy in the first place.

[parkpapa 0]

Any info on Dra González? We've been trying to reach her for two days now and no one seems to want to answer the phone... for the money they make from these processes its odd how one of two medics is letting all this money go to the other Dr...

My wife called her office last week and made an appointment without any trouble. I'd suggest trying again tomorrow.

[lucho562 0]

I have just learned that NVC has forward my application to Bogota. Bogota should receive it by wed/thur?

I understand it takes three or four days to get there, so you'd be safer to assume Friday or next Monday.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm having Wendy fax in packet 3 on Friday, and mail it off same day as well. Hopefully we can get a late June or early July interview.

How long to hear back from the embassy after we fax packet 3 in?

[parkpapa 0]

I have just learned that NVC has forward my application to Bogota. Bogota should receive it by wed/thur?

I understand it takes three or four days to get there, so you'd be safer to assume Friday or next Monday.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm having Wendy fax in packet 3 on Friday, and mail it off same day as well. Hopefully we can get a late June or early July interview.

How long to hear back from the embassy after we fax packet 3 in?

Not sure but it should be a pretty quick turnaround. At least it was for us. Don't forget that you can call the National Visa center after a week or so and they should have your interview date, in case packet 4 doesn't show up in a timely way.

[lucho562 0]

I have just learned that NVC has forward my application to Bogota. Bogota should receive it by wed/thur?

I understand it takes three or four days to get there, so you'd be safer to assume Friday or next Monday.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm having Wendy fax in packet 3 on Friday, and mail it off same day as well. Hopefully we can get a late June or early July interview.

How long to hear back from the embassy after we fax packet 3 in?

Not sure but it should be a pretty quick turnaround. At least it was for us. Don't forget that you can call the National Visa center after a week or so and they should have your interview date, in case packet 4 doesn't show up in a timely way.

Great tip! I didnt even know that NVC would know the interview date.

[parkpapa 0]

I have just learned that NVC has forward my application to Bogota. Bogota should receive it by wed/thur?

I understand it takes three or four days to get there, so you'd be safer to assume Friday or next Monday.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm having Wendy fax in packet 3 on Friday, and mail it off same day as well. Hopefully we can get a late June or early July interview.

How long to hear back from the embassy after we fax packet 3 in?

Not sure but it should be a pretty quick turnaround. At least it was for us. Don't forget that you can call the National Visa center after a week or so and they should have your interview date, in case packet 4 doesn't show up in a timely way.

Great tip! I didnt even know that NVC would know the interview date.

I may have used the wrong terminology. You need to call the number on this webpage: http://travel.state.gov/visa/about/how/how_1463.html

[HAL 9000 96]

We'll keep trying today. Hopefully they didn't all go to Santa Marta all of a sudden...

Any info on Dra González? We've been trying to reach her for two days now and no one seems to want to answer the phone... for the money they make from these processes its odd how one of two medics is letting all this money go to the other Dr...

My wife called her office last week and made an appointment without any trouble. I'd suggest trying again tomorrow.

[lucho562 0]

Anyone have a copy of packet 4?

thanks

[Mononoke28 134]

I think packet 4 is just the letter from the embassy containing your interview date. I could be wrong though.

[Mike and Adriana 0]

Lucho!!!!!

Yes, I have a copy of packet 4. It is the one I got from April, 2005. Most of it is still valid, although the prices of the lab work and the medical example, for example, have gone up. I have NOT scanned my packet 4 from December. You might want to PM Tony S or Oskaryandrea (you'll find posts from them on this thread). I believe they both scanned their packet 4 and could probably e-mail it to you. If you don't have any luck, PM me again with your e-mail and I'll send you the packet 4 that I have....along with some idea of the differences between that packet and the current version. Keep in mind that there are slight differences between packet 4 for a K-1 and packet 4 for a K-3.

Example of items included in packet 4:

* Cita (appointment letter)

* List of documents that you must bring to the interview

* Information about required immunizations

* Information about medical exam and names of the two doctors

* Information about the lab tests

* Information about photo specifications

* I-134 stuff

* Copy of DS-156

* Copy of DS-156K (for K-1)

Mike

Anyone have a copy of packet 4?

thanks