Colombia Club Part III

[Jo & A 0]

Hi Everybody,

Our NOA is dated Sept 12 so I figured that I had better get busy preparing for the next steps. Today I've read every reply on this thread, and I'm getting lots of good information.

alt+3 you had mentioned another K1 Colombian thread out there and I am not able to locate it, any suggestions on how to find it? Also if anybody knows of other good threads to read about Colombia, I'd like to see them.

I'm guessing if all goes well we may be interviewing in December. My novia and I are planning on going to Bogota for the week prior to the interview for the medical exam, labs, and vaccinations. I also plan to get my DAS whatchamacallit for the petitioner during that week prior to the interview. Do you guys reckon that will be enough time for me to get it? Has anybody heard of any USC yet being asked for it?

Thanks,

Andy

[alt+3 0]

Hi Everybody,

Our NOA is dated Sept 12 so I figured that I had better get busy preparing for the next steps. Today I've read every reply on this thread, and I'm getting lots of good information.

alt+3 you had mentioned another K1 Colombian thread out there and I am not able to locate it, any suggestions on how to find it? Also if anybody knows of other good threads to read about Colombia, I'd like to see them.

I'm guessing if all goes well we may be interviewing in December. My novia and I are planning on going to Bogota for the week prior to the interview for the medical exam, labs, and vaccinations. I also plan to get my DAS whatchamacallit for the petitioner during that week prior to the interview. Do you guys reckon that will be enough time for me to get it? Has anybody heard of any USC yet being asked for it?

Thanks,

Andy

Hey Andy,

The K1 colombian thread i know is in Spanish, anyways i left you the link if you want to check it.

www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/301668-colombianos-con-visa-k1continuacion-4/

Good look in your process!

Edited September 27, 2011 by alt+3

[Ready to do it 101]

I walked up in person to the DAS office in Bogota last Monday and could have paid the 43,000 pesos to have it in 3-4 business days. I would have had to pick it up from them as well. I opted not to do that as I was not going to be in Bogota for 3 more business days. By the way, we went at 3pm in the afternoon and there was no line. The DAS office is pretty close and you can walk there from most of the hotels close to Parque 93. On the downside, many of the hotels in Parque 93 are an arm and a leg on weekdays, unless you book in advance. I ended up paying about $250US/night my last 2 nights there. Book at least a week ahead of time on expedia, hotels.com, etc and you can stay in most of them for close to half that price. The key... not waiting until the day before to book it. Silly me

I also plan to get my DAS whatchamacallit for the petitioner during that week prior to the interview. Do you guys reckon that will be enough time for me to get it? Has anybody heard of any USC yet being asked for it?

Thanks,

Andy

Edited September 27, 2011 by Ready to do it

[Jo & A 0]

alt+3 thanks for the link

Ready to do it, if I understood correctly, you are saying that due to not having enough time to pick up the DAS, your are going to take your chances without it, or did I miss something there?

thanks again

[Jo & A 0]

alt+3 thanks for the link

Ready to do it, if I understood correctly, you are saying that due to not having enough time to pick up the DAS, your are going to take your chances without it, or did I miss something there?

thanks again

Nevermind, I went back and found your previous post about the "poder". I'll get there a week ahead of time and make that the first thing we do.

[Brandon&Diana 1]

I walked up in person to the DAS office in Bogota last Monday and could have paid the 43,000 pesos to have it in 3-4 business days. I would have had to pick it up from them as well. I opted not to do that as I was not going to be in Bogota for 3 more business days. By the way, we went at 3pm in the afternoon and there was no line. The DAS office is pretty close and you can walk there from most of the hotels close to Parque 93. On the downside, many of the hotels in Parque 93 are an arm and a leg on weekdays, unless you book in advance. I ended up paying about $250US/night my last 2 nights there. Book at least a week ahead of time on expedia, hotels.com, etc and you can stay in most of them for close to half that price. The key... not waiting until the day before to book it. Silly me

Yikes! I opted to stay at Hotel Doña Flor - http://www.viva2100.com/ . She is a SUPER nice lady and very helpful. There were 2 other rooms besides ours that she rents but we were the only people there for 3 days during our interview. Breakfast was included. She is right around the corner from the Embassy. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again. (I'm not paid/compensated to endorse this hotel) lol.

Brandon

[Mononoke28 135]

www.welovebogota.com is another option. We stayed there after reading the high marks it got from other VJ members and absolutely loved it.

Diana

[Ready to do it 101]

I think you figured it out. 2 options... apply personally at DAS in Bogota and pick it up in 3-4 days. You, not your Colombian fiance, must pick it up (assuming there isn't a "Poder,") or Option 2... give your fiance authorization by writing a letter and then you both have to go to a notary and sign it in front of the notaria and then they put all their stamps on it etc. Fiance can then go to DAS in her/his home city (assuming one of the bigger cities) and present the poder and apply for your DAS certificate. Doing it this way takes 8 days, so I was told by DAS in Bogota.

Here is what we wrote in the typed letter. We dated it at the top and then signed by both of us. (You'll need to take an already typed out letter to the notaria)

Yo, John Doe, identificado con numero de pasaporte 123456789 de EEUU, le doy autorizacion a Jennifer Lopez, identificado con numero CC 12345678 de Cali para hacer una solicitud de Movimiento Migratorio ante las oficinas del DAS. Le doy poder para mis datos y mi firma.

Nevermind, I went back and found your previous post about the "poder". I'll get there a week ahead of time and make that the first thing we do.

Edited September 27, 2011 by Ready to do it

[Mononoke28 135]

Here is what we wrote in the typed letter. We dated it at the top and then signed by both of us. (You'll need to take an already typed out letter to the notaria)

Yo, John Doe, identificado con numero de pasaporte 123456789 de EEUU, le doy autorizacion a Jennifer Lopez, identificado con numero CC 12345678 de Cali para hacer una solicitud de Movimiento Migratorio ante las oficinas del DAS. Le doy poder para mis datos y mi firma.

Did they ask for the letter to be notarized? I also noticed that the DAS website has a similar form for the petitioner to fill out and the instructions don't mention that it needs to be notarized.

Thanks!

Diana

[Ready to do it 101]

Yes, in fact DAS was the one that told us that my only option since I was leaving Bogota in 2 days would be the "Poder." They told us what it needed to say and that it had to be notarized. They even pointed us to a notary.... 1500 pesos for the notary. Actually we paid 3k pesos because we had to go back to the hotel and type up the letter, and then we found a notary right by our hotel. They did tell my fiance that she should wait until after the appointment date has been set to determine when to go to her local DAS office with the "poder." They said the DAS certificate is only going for a certain amount of time (can't remember 30 or 60 days) but the real kicker was that I was leaving in 2 days and then I am coming back for the interview so I would have more entries and exits so it would be denied. Regarding the Poder... according to DAS there is no expiration on it... According to the notary, it's good for a year. Either way, she'll be using the Poder to get my DAS certificate in a month or so anyhow. If I have read correctly, the appointment should show up on the embassy website between the 20-30th of October for a November appointment. We just sent in the 2 docs requested in the K-3 packet.

Did they ask for the letter to be notarized? I also noticed that the DAS website has a similar form for the petitioner to fill out and the instructions don't mention that it needs to be notarized.

Thanks!

Diana

[Mononoke28 135]

See that's a huge bummer because not every petitioner can go to Colombia to get a power of attorney at a notary, nor do the live close enough to a Colombian consulate to get it. This would mean that the petitioner would have to get it notarized and apostilled here in the US before it can be used in Colombia which is hassle.

Diana

[Ready to do it 101]

yep, my sense is when they realize what a hassle this is and no one can get it they stop asking for it. Who knows how many people they ask it from anyhow. Our interview should be in November. I'll report back if I was asked for it or not.

See that's a huge bummer because not every petitioner can go to Colombia to get a power of attorney at a notary, nor do the live close enough to a Colombian consulate to get it. This would mean that the petitioner would have to get it notarized and apostilled here in the US before it can be used in Colombia which is hassle.

Diana

[Jo & A 0]

I want to confirm that I am understanding this shortcut correctly.

Our case left the NVC Tuesday the 27th for Bogota.

It will supposedly arrive in Bogota today Friday the 30th.

In 2 business days, Tuesday the 4th, I should call the U.S. State Dept. Visa office at: 202-663-1225 press 1 then 0 and they will let me know if the embassy has received our case.

If they say that the embassy has the case, I can then have my novia email the required packet 3 information.

I guess my question is what does it mean exactly if the U.S. State Dept. Visa office says the embassy has the case?

Does it mean that they can see the case was sent to the embassy?

The case has arrived and may or may not be sitting around still waiting to be entered into the embassy's system?

The case has indeed been entered into the embassy's system and ready for the packet three info to show up?

I'm understanding it to be the last, but want to be sure. I don't want the packet 3 info showing up at the embassy too early.

Thanks,

Andy

[Mononoke28 135]

I want to confirm that I am understanding this shortcut correctly.

Our case left the NVC Tuesday the 27th for Bogota.

It will supposedly arrive in Bogota today Friday the 30th.

In 2 business days, Tuesday the 4th, I should call the U.S. State Dept. Visa office at: 202-663-1225 press 1 then 0 and they will let me know if the embassy has received our case.

If they say that the embassy has the case, I can then have my novia email the required packet 3 information.

I guess my question is what does it mean exactly if the U.S. State Dept. Visa office says the embassy has the case?

Does it mean that they can see the case was sent to the embassy?

The case has arrived and may or may not be sitting around still waiting to be entered into the embassy's system?

The case has indeed been entered into the embassy's system and ready for the packet three info to show up?

I'm understanding it to be the last, but want to be sure. I don't want the packet 3 info showing up at the embassy too early.

Thanks,

Andy

Andy,

You're right, you don't want to send packet 3 too early or they will ignore it completely. The DOS won't know if they have the case at the embassy, they only know the date of your appointment once it's scheduled since they have access to the same system that's available at the embassy.

What you need to do next week is email them on Tuesday to see if they reply to let you know that they have it. I know they say they're too busy to reply to such inquiries but they still do it anyway. If you don't hear from them that day, you can call them every Wednesday from 2-4 P.M. which is when they're available by phone. Once you're 100% sure that they have the case, you can go ahead and send packet 3 if you're ready to do so.

Diana

[Jo & A 0]

Andy,

You're right, you don't want to send packet 3 too early or they will ignore it completely. The DOS won't know if they have the case at the embassy, they only know the date of your appointment once it's scheduled since they have access to the same system that's available at the embassy.

What you need to do next week is email them on Tuesday to see if they reply to let you know that they have it. I know they say they're too busy to reply to such inquiries but they still do it anyway. If you don't hear from them that day, you can call them every Wednesday from 2-4 P.M. which is when they're available by phone. Once you're 100% sure that they have the case, you can go ahead and send packet 3 if you're ready to do so.

Diana

Ok, I think the embassy info page on VJ matches better with what you are saying.

I got that info from the Colombia Club Guide entry on the VJWiki . It is either incorrect or I read it wrong.

But I have to ask, if the DOS has access to the embassy system, wouldn't the DOS also be able to see if the embassy has entered the case into their system or not, as well as having the appointment dates?

I'll start emailing them everyday come Tuesday until they tell me they have the case.

Andy