Colombia Club

[Mononoke28 135]

I had a feeling I was wrong.

[parkpapa 0]

Mike's list is correct. You should also take a look at the embassy's website: http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsck3k4instructions.shtml This link is to the list of items in the K3 packet. It is slightly different than the K1. Along with the proof of support documents (I-134 or I-864) that the US sponsor must supply, it appears that the single most important document in Packet 4 is the appointment letter. You can't get into the embassy without it. All the other documents can be found or reproduced elsewhere and replaced if necessary.

[lucho562 0]

Hello all. My spanish is not that great and I am confused with the instructions for the K1. Should my fiance sign or not sign the documents that we will be faxing in tomorrow and mailing in as well (packet 3) forms DS-230 part 1 and OF-169. Also it says to duplicate them....make copys or fill them out twice. Please help. Below is what confuses me.

2. Llene (en duplicado) pero NO FIRME, los formularios adjuntos OF-156 (Solicitud de Visa

de No-Inmigrante), junto con una copia del formulario DS-156 (K) adjunto (Solicitud de Visa

de no-inmigrante para prometido/a). Debe contestar todas las preguntas en los formularios

DS-156 y DS-156 (K). Si uno de sus hijos (menores de 21 años) solicitáran visa con usted,

deberá llenar dos (2) formularios DS-156 por cada uno y traerlos completamente

diligenciados el día de su cita.

[Mike and Adriana 0]

Lucho!!!!

Yes, she should sign the DS-230, part I and the OF-169. Her signature on the OF-169 confirms that she has gathered the appropriate documents and is ready for her interview.

The information below pertains to the DS-156 and DS-156K. You fiancee will need to complete TWO of each of these. She should not sign them (not yet). She will take the DS-156 and the DS-156K to the Banco Credito when she pays the $100 interview fee. The Banco Credito will use DS-156 to get the information they need to provide you with the barcode. When we took the DS-156 to the bank, they also put a little ink stamp on it. She will then take ONE of the DS-156s with her to the medical exam. In my wife's case, the doctor put the DS-156 in the sealed envelope with the rest of the medical information (we did not have to do the DS-156K, so I am not sure whether the doctor will want to include that form in the packet as well). Your fiancee will then take the other DS-156 (the duplicate) with her to the interview.

So, don't worry about the DS-156 instructions for now (you can refer to my second paragraph later). Focus on packet 3 (see my first two sentences above).

Mike

Hello all. My spanish is not that great and I am confused with the instructions for the K1. Should my fiance sign or not sign the documents that we will be faxing in tomorrow and mailing in as well (packet 3) forms DS-230 part 1 and OF-169. Also it says to duplicate them....make copys or fill them out twice. Please help. Below is what confuses me.

2. Llene (en duplicado) pero NO FIRME, los formularios adjuntos OF-156 (Solicitud de Visa

de No-Inmigrante), junto con una copia del formulario DS-156 (K) adjunto (Solicitud de Visa

de no-inmigrante para prometido/a). Debe contestar todas las preguntas en los formularios

DS-156 y DS-156 (K). Si uno de sus hijos (menores de 21 años) solicitáran visa con usted,

deberá llenar dos (2) formularios DS-156 por cada uno y traerlos completamente

diligenciados el día de su cita.

[lucho562 0]

Thanks otra ves mike.

We will be faxing and mailing the infamous packet 3 tomorrow. I'll keep you posted. Will packet 4 be received in a week or so? I hope so, I need to start planning my trip.

[HAL 9000 96]

Got the medical on Wednesday May 30 with Dra González... that gives us enough time for her to put the documents together and be set for the June 4 date... we'll probably stay at a family member's home on a variation of a home swap...

Good luck everybody! I'm at the 11 day mark for traveling so TONIGHT I start packing clothes and paperwork!

[olafgypsy 0]

OK, here's my situation:

On Monday we FINALLY got word that the last document we needed (a German police certificate) would be available, and translated into English, by next week, so we decided to fax the cover letter, front page of his passport, DS-230 Part I, and OF-169, to the embassy, immigrant visa unit. He sent it to 571-315-4155, the fax number listed for the immigrant visa unit. We did not follow up with courier, figuring it was unnecessary.

This morning I called the visa information line, and the woman I spoke with told me that they had no record of receiving his information. I hope this just means that they have not entered it in their system yet, but I'm worried . . . today he is faxing them a letter asking them to call him to confirm their receipt of his documents. If he does not hear from them by 3, he will send the documents via courier.

Do you think this means they really did not receive his information? I would be so upset if that were the case, because it means we likely have missed the cut-off for a June interview date.

[Mononoke28 135]

Anything can happen. That's why Mike keeps insisting on faxing the documents AND sending them via courier as well just in case. It's always good to mail in the stuff because you never know.

Edited May 18, 2007 by Mononoke28

[lucho562 0]

Hello all,

Wendy just faxed packet 3 I'm not really sure what to do next. But I have questions on the 3 below bullet points.

* Information about required immunizations

Can the required immunizations be done at any clinic?

* Information about medical exam and names of the two doctors

The general physical exam can only be done by these 2 doctors?

* Information about the lab tests

The lab tests can only be done by the '2 doctors'? Or can they be performed at any clinic?

The general physical exam and lab tests can be done on the same day?

Please advise, thank you all for your help

Diana,

Has NVC forwarded your case yet?

[lucho562 0]

Also,

Can the medical exams and lab tests be scheduled the day before the interview??? Or would it be too hard to get scheduled for the exams?

The reason I am asking is because my fiance does not live no where near Bogota. We dont want to make 2 seperate trips, one for the exams then another for the interview.

Thanks/Gracias

[Mike and Adriana 0]

Lucho!!!!

Answers below.....

Wendy just faxed packet 3 I'm not really sure what to do next. But I have questions on the 3 below bullet points.

First, to answer a question a few posts up.....my wife faxed her packet 3 stuff on a Wednesday. We left for our honeymoon on Friday. By the time we returned the following Friday, packet 4 was waiting for her at her house in Bogota. Obviously, if your fiance lives outside of Bogota....the wait will be longer....because the mail system in Colombia is reportedly not so hot. Maybe some of the other folks on the board can comment on their recent experiences (assuming the beneficiary lives outside of Bogota).

* Information about required immunizations

Can the required immunizations be done at any clinic?

Yes. The Red Cross might be your best and cheapest option.

* Information about medical exam and names of the two doctors

The general physical exam can only be done by these 2 doctors?

Yes.

* Information about the lab tests

The lab tests can only be done by the '2 doctors'? Or can they be performed at any clinic?

No, the lab is done by a specific lab that will be listed in packet 4 (don't have it in front of me now, sorry). The lab results will be sent directly to the doctor of your choosing (one of the two).

The general physical exam and lab tests can be done on the same day?

I don't think so (if anyone knows otherwise, speak up). After all, the blood needs to be analyzed. My wife just told me that there was 1 or 2 days between the blood test/x-ray and the medical exam.

Mike

[parkpapa 0]

Hello all,

Wendy just faxed packet 3 I'm not really sure what to do next. But I have questions on the 3 below bullet points.

* Information about required immunizations

Can the required immunizations be done at any clinic?

* Information about medical exam and names of the two doctors

The general physical exam can only be done by these 2 doctors?

* Information about the lab tests

The lab tests can only be done by the '2 doctors'? Or can they be performed at any clinic?

The general physical exam and lab tests can be done on the same day?

1. The immunizations can be done anywhere, for example a Red Cross office that is nearby. However, you should double check about dates and timing because some vaccinations require two shots with an interval inbetween.

2. The two doctors listed are the only ones authorized. Their names are listed on the embassy's return letter.

3. The lab tests are done at the laboratory listed on the embassy letter. This is the only place to have it done.

I'm not sure how tight the scheduling is at the doctor's office for the exam, and the doctor needs the lab results. You should be calling the doctor now to schedule the exam.

Edited May 18, 2007 by parkpapa

[parkpapa 0]

Things are moving along! Lorena received packet 4 in the mail today (it was mailed from the embassy on May 2). Judging by the luck I've been having in the US recently, I'm thinking the mail system is better in Colombia!

She is now working on passports for the boys. She tells me that a passport in Colombia only takes a day or two (in Bogota). The boys' father has said he will approve their travel - though he has yet to sign the permission document. Finally, she is planning to tavel to Bogota roughly 10 days prior to the interview in order to have enough time to do all the last minute detail stuff, lab tests, medical exam, passport photos, visa photos, etc. If 10 days seems like a lot, consider weekends in the mix along with all the usual bureaucratic snafus that will certainly occur and 10 days is very reasonable. This applies, of course, to someone who lives outside of Bogota or one of the major cities.

[parkpapa 0]

Got the medical on Wednesday May 30 with Dra González... that gives us enough time for her to put the documents together and be set for the June 4 date... we'll probably stay at a family member's home on a variation of a home swap...

Good luck everybody! I'm at the 11 day mark for traveling so TONIGHT I start packing clothes and paperwork!

Best of luck to you!! You'll be there around the same time I am. When's your interview date?

[parkpapa 0]

Got the medical on Wednesday May 30 with Dra González... that gives us enough time for her to put the documents together and be set for the June 4 date... we'll probably stay at a family member's home on a variation of a home swap...

Good luck everybody! I'm at the 11 day mark for traveling so TONIGHT I start packing clothes and paperwork!

Best of luck to you!! You'll be there around the same time I am. When's your interview date?

Well, duh!! And here I was worried about Lorena's English skills. I can't even read what's right in front of me! Good luck on the 4th!!!