Colombia Club

[HAL 9000 96]

Good luck lucho, but you won't need it anyway.

[lucho562 0]

Good luck lucho, but you won't need it anyway.

Thanks, i'm here at LAX bored out of my mind. I dont board for another 2 hours. I will be posting report on Tuesday about the lab and medical exam experience.

Steve, George...where are you guys???

[TonyS 0]

Good luck lucho, but you won't need it anyway.

Thanks, i'm here at LAX bored out of my mind. I dont board for another 2 hours. I will be posting report on Tuesday about the lab and medical exam experience.

Steve, George...where are you guys???

Yeah, I remember being bored stiff during a LAX layover to Sydney LOL. Anyway,good luck but I know you won't need it.

[jediknight 0]

lucho hermano, espero que tuviste un buen viaje a barranquilla, por lo menos el vuelo a bogota no sera tan largo y aburrido. vamos a llegar a bogota el mismo dia de tu entrevista, asi que estoy seguro que nos van a dar las buenas noticias esa tarde cuando hablemos, te estare llamando. me imagino que van a ir al lab y medico en estos dias, por favor cuando tengan tiempo, manteganos informado de como les fue. suerte con todito

cuidate y saludos a tu esposita

steve

[Mike and Adriana 0]

Lesson to be learned....never get too comfortable with the process.....never assume....be on your toes and anticipate what could happen and how you'll deal with it (at the interview or otherwise). For you newbies, look back at posts by Dre (Oskaryandrea). She did just about everything right. Should have had no problems....but did. She's still fighting the fight. Never get over-confident...no matter how much research you've done or how strong you believe your case. Be prepared.....and hope for good luck too.

Good luck lucho, but you won't need it anyway.

[HAL 9000 96]

Mike is right... yet if one follows all instructions properly, gets near-expert advice (here), and does things with a clear mind, there is nothing short of a denial that a CO can do to reject a legitimate application. We went to our interview with such a clear conscience and the CO obviously told us our case was much more than convincing. Leave discomfort outside the Embassy complex but Mike is right- do not leave your brain outside as well.

[parkpapa 0]

Good luck lucho, but you won't need it anyway.

Thanks, i'm here at LAX bored out of my mind. I dont board for another 2 hours. I will be posting report on Tuesday about the lab and medical exam experience.

Steve, George...where are you guys???

Best of luck, lucho. Stay calm, stay focused, and be prepared..... and you'll do fine.

[Mononoke28 135]

Good luck Luchitooooooooooooooooo!!!

[KathyB 0]

Good luck lucho! My best advice is to relax and be confident in your answers.

Kathy

[Chester y Monica 2]

Buena suerte Lucho!

[paisita411 0]

Lucho, I wish you the very best. Mike's right....and I'm the voice of experience on this one...you can never be too prepared. The night before our interview we 'talked' about going over some of the potential questions and we decided to go to the movies and later a LONG walk instead.....because, of course, we knew EVERYTHING about each other and we didn't need to review. At about noon on the day of our last interview, we regreted that decision. Mas sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo..dice mi mama!!!!

Guys and gals....I NEED YOUR INPUT ON THIS....I'm copying from another post... Maybe those of you with late July interviews are thinking of this too...

Has anyone in this group gone through the K3 (spouse/fiance visa) process successfully and then moved on with the CR-1/IR-1 INSTEAD of the AOS route? I'm trying to find a way around this price increase ($450 to $1010) for AOS. My husband's interview is July 23 and he cannot travel until after August 1st when the increase goes into effect. Our I-130 arrived at NVC in May and we were issued a case number June 13th. NVC responded to my email inquiry yesterday saying that the Fee Bill has been generated and mailed to us, so theirs a good chance I can get it back to NVC prior to the price increase on July 30th (by the way, does anyone know if the FEE BILL for the I-130 is being impacted by the price increases, I couldn't find anything on the ICIS site that talks about CR-1/IR-1 being impacted). Anyway, I think that moving forward with the CR-1/IR-1 process may be the best alternative for us to avoid the spike for AOS. If and when my husband is issued his K3 visa, he can just stay in Colombia and wait for the next process. If anyone has any thoughts on this please share.

Thanks,

[Mike and Adriana 0]

Very interesting. I have not heard of this since the process changed last fall. As I am sure you remember, those pursuing the K-3 used to have the option of pursuing the IR-1/CR-1 after receiving the K-3 visa and coming to the U.S. Of course, if the beneficiary was already in the U.S., that would mean he/she would have to fly back to Bogota for the IR-1/CR-1 interview. With the change in process last fall, that option was supposedly eliminated....the I-130 was held at the NVC under the assumption that the K-3 visa holder would adjust status once in the U.S.

I am surprised you got this option. Maybe this has to do with your initial trouble....someone at the NVC noted that a K-3 visa had not been issued....so your husband was moved into the IR-1/CR-1 process. Very interesting.

Here is my opinion. You've already gone through the K-3 process....as painful as it was. It appears as if you are on the verge of getting approval....and getting your husband here in August. If it were me, I would pay the extra $600 books and forget the IR-1/CR-1. Keep in mind that you do not have to adjust status right away if money is an issue. The K-3 visa is good for, I believe (don't have my stuff in front of me), two years. So you have time to adjust his status. He can still work right away by filing for EAD....if that's what you and he want to do.

I really don't know if the cost of the IR-1/CR-1 fee bill is going to go up. I imagine it would. Seems like everything is going up. The primary issue to me is time....how much longer will you have to wait if you change processes? How will the embassy view you and your husband if you miss/cancel your K-3 appointment? Will you end up going through the same painful process again? All for $600? I know it's a lot of money, especially since you have kids.....but I think in this case it might be worth the extra investment.

Mike

Guys and gals....I NEED YOUR INPUT ON THIS....I'm copying from another post... Maybe those of you with late July interviews are thinking of this too...

Has anyone in this group gone through the K3 (spouse/fiance visa) process successfully and then moved on with the CR-1/IR-1 INSTEAD of the AOS route? I'm trying to find a way around this price increase ($450 to $1010) for AOS. My husband's interview is July 23 and he cannot travel until after August 1st when the increase goes into effect. Our I-130 arrived at NVC in May and we were issued a case number June 13th. NVC responded to my email inquiry yesterday saying that the Fee Bill has been generated and mailed to us, so theirs a good chance I can get it back to NVC prior to the price increase on July 30th (by the way, does anyone know if the FEE BILL for the I-130 is being impacted by the price increases, I couldn't find anything on the ICIS site that talks about CR-1/IR-1 being impacted). Anyway, I think that moving forward with the CR-1/IR-1 process may be the best alternative for us to avoid the spike for AOS. If and when my husband is issued his K3 visa, he can just stay in Colombia and wait for the next process. If anyone has any thoughts on this please share.

Thanks,

[Mononoke28 135]

Dre,

If I were you, I would keep going with the CR1 to see how far I could get with it, especially since you already filed the I-824 to have it processed. I'm sure that if your husband is given the K3 visa instead and you already paid the $70 for the AOS beforehand, they will take that amount of the $1010 that you would have to pay when he gets here. If not, I would fight for that.

Like I said, I would keep going with it until his interview to see what happens. If you still have to file for AOS when he gets here, I'm sure you will find a way to pay the high costs of it somehow. The important thing is that you'll be together and the whole visa nightmare will be behind you.

Diana

[TonyS 0]

Lucho, I wish you the very best. Mike's right....and I'm the voice of experience on this one...you can never be too prepared. The night before our interview we 'talked' about going over some of the potential questions and we decided to go to the movies and later a LONG walk instead.....because, of course, we knew EVERYTHING about each other and we didn't need to review. At about noon on the day of our last interview, we regreted that decision. Mas sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo..dice mi mama!!!!

Guys and gals....I NEED YOUR INPUT ON THIS....I'm copying from another post... Maybe those of you with late July interviews are thinking of this too...

Has anyone in this group gone through the K3 (spouse/fiance visa) process successfully and then moved on with the CR-1/IR-1 INSTEAD of the AOS route? I'm trying to find a way around this price increase ($450 to $1010) for AOS. My husband's interview is July 23 and he cannot travel until after August 1st when the increase goes into effect. Our I-130 arrived at NVC in May and we were issued a case number June 13th. NVC responded to my email inquiry yesterday saying that the Fee Bill has been generated and mailed to us, so theirs a good chance I can get it back to NVC prior to the price increase on July 30th (by the way, does anyone know if the FEE BILL for the I-130 is being impacted by the price increases, I couldn't find anything on the ICIS site that talks about CR-1/IR-1 being impacted). Anyway, I think that moving forward with the CR-1/IR-1 process may be the best alternative for us to avoid the spike for AOS. If and when my husband is issued his K3 visa, he can just stay in Colombia and wait for the next process. If anyone has any thoughts on this please share.

Thanks,

Hello Andrea

I'm glad to see things are moving forward for you. I have quietly followed your case over the past 6 months or so. I told my wife about your situation and she always asks how things are going. I wish you luck and justice...finally.

TonyS

[paisita411 0]

Great input. I though about it some more last night and I'm still on the fence about the whole thing...and YES MONEY IS A BIG ISSUE. Since our denial in February I've spent $900 on lawyers, $200 to move the I-130 to NVC via the I-864, and another $2,000 on my last trip..and of course, a week later I had to spring another $500 for yet another plane ticket to Bogota and that's not counting all the money Oscar has spent there!!! Soooooo here's my though process:

1. We HAVE to interview on the K3 in July, there's NO OPTION to cancel the appointment. Otherwise, we have to wait for the Intent to Revoke letter and ANSWER the consul's initial concers from interviews 1 and 2 and that is a 12-18 month process, a step that they have allowed us to bypass by issuing a 3rd interview.

2. If Oscar gets the visa on July 23rd, he could wait in Colombia for the IR1/CR1 interview and change his status in Colombia. I think that using the shortcuts, he could have an interview in about 2 months, which will put us into September. I've seen other people in this forum do that, only difference being that most traveled to the US on their K3 and then RETURNED to Colombia for the IR1/CR1 interview. This could potentially save us the $600 and Oscar could start working immediately instead of having to sit around the for 3 months waiting for the approved EAD.

3. That takes me to my next question. MIKE...you mentioned that the K3 is valid 2 years and that Oscar can work immediatly after he files for the EAD? Will the Social Security Admn issue him number based on his K3 and application? That is REALLY my main concern. This has cost us both a large sum of money and when he arrives, he would like to begin working as soon as possible. (and I really need the help at this point!!). If this is so, than we can forget about the IR1 process and just do the AOS when he arrives (or as soon as we save up the money).

Thank you to everyone for your input, which as always is invaluable. And thank you for your well wishes also. We'll need all the positive vibes for this next go-round!!

I hope I'm not making you all work too hard on your holiday!

Happy 4th to All...God Bless America.

Dre

Edited July 3, 2007 by OskaryAndrea