Colombia Club Part III

[Frank y Janeth 1]

OK, I take back all the snide things I said about Deprisa -- they delivered it the next day as promised, I just got the tracking number from Janeth and I actually saw a photocopy of the stamped receipt. Fair enough.

So it's just taking a while to get processed at the Embassy. August it is. I just wanted to retract what I said about Deprisa, since it seems the issue didn't lie with them after all. Good job Deprisa.

[kevandjan 0]

To let everyone know who is wondering about the new paper you need for interview (DAS Letter for petitioner IS NEEDED)

Mr. X:

Your fiancée has been scheduled for July XX,2011 at 7:00 am. Petitioner needs the DAS Letter (entries and departures from Colombia)

Sincerely,

IV Bogota

-----Original Message-----

From: X [mailto:Xman@charter.net]

Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 11:44 PM

To: IV, Bogota

Subject: case #bgt2011XXXXXX

This email is regarding the K1 Visa petition for Y. I am the petitioner X.

I have read the new K Visa Appointment Package on the website, and I

noticed it now states petitioner needs DAS Certificate. Is this true?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

X and Y

[K&M F&E 1]

To let everyone know who is wondering about the new paper you need for interview (DAS Letter for petitioner IS NEEDED)

Mr. X:

Your fiancée has been scheduled for July XX,2011 at 7:00 am. Petitioner needs the DAS Letter (entries and departures from Colombia)

Sincerely,

IV Bogota

-----Original Message-----

From: X [mailto:Xman@charter.net]

Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 11:44 PM

To: IV, Bogota

Subject: case #bgt2011XXXXXX

This email is regarding the K1 Visa petition for Y. I am the petitioner X.

I have read the new K Visa Appointment Package on the website, and I

noticed it now states petitioner needs DAS Certificate. Is this true?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

X and Y

Ha, classic. So based on post 4, ask one day in Spanish and you don't need it. Ask a few days later in English and you do.

Hmmmm... I'm leaning towards bringing it even though it might be a pain to get.

[Mononoke28 135]

OK, I take back all the snide things I said about Deprisa -- they delivered it the next day as promised, I just got the tracking number from Janeth and I actually saw a photocopy of the stamped receipt. Fair enough.

So it's just taking a while to get processed at the Embassy. August it is. I just wanted to retract what I said about Deprisa, since it seems the issue didn't lie with them after all. Good job Deprisa.

Frank y Janeth,

I was just about to say that when I read this post. It was not Deprisa's fault as they are very reliable but as we all know by now, the embassy is not. If packet 3 is sent to them via slow mail or by fax, you can be sure that 2 out of 3 times they'll say they didn't receive it, which I find hard to believe. Email is your best option, not only is it reliable but it's also the fastest way to do it.

Diana

[Mononoke28 135]

To let everyone know who is wondering about the new paper you need for interview (DAS Letter for petitioner IS NEEDED)

Mr. X:

Your fiancée has been scheduled for July XX,2011 at 7:00 am. Petitioner needs the DAS Letter (entries and departures from Colombia)

Sincerely,

IV Bogota

-----Original Message-----

From: X [mailto:Xman@charter.net]

Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 11:44 PM

To: IV, Bogota

Subject: case #bgt2011XXXXXX

This email is regarding the K1 Visa petition for Y. I am the petitioner X.

I have read the new K Visa Appointment Package on the website, and I

noticed it now states petitioner needs DAS Certificate. Is this true?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

X and Y

This embassy people are driving me CRAZY! I'm seriously thinking of writing them an email in English and Spanish so they can get their ####### together. We're just a small fraction of the people who filed for visas, so I can't imagine how confused all other applicants who are not part of VisaJourney must be. AUGH!

Diana

[kevandjan 0]

This embassy people are driving me CRAZY! I'm seriously thinking of writing them an email in English and Spanish so they can get their ####### together. We're just a small fraction of the people who filed for visas, so I can't imagine how confused all other applicants who are not part of VisaJourney must be. AUGH!

Diana

i have been on the phone with consulate of Colombia in United States, in San Francisco to be exact, all morning and they have stated petitioner needs to have beneficiary get power of attorney (I think only letter, which must be in spanish, stating beneficiary (or whoever I want) to pick up letter from DAS when they have available), which it took 45 days for my fiancee to get her letter from DAS. When my fiancee has letter, am not sure if email would work, so i could print, sign, notarized, sent to consulate of Colombia in United States (San Francisco office), they notarize, and attach apostilla, send back to me in self addressed stamped envelope, I sign and take to place they tell me where I need to get fingerprinted, then i send to fiancee in Colombia, she takes to DAS and we wait. DAS sends notification to her (i assume) to say paperwork is available. then she takes to interview, and probably never gets asked about it.

oh by the way, her appointment is 22 July. i don't know how we can get all this done, even with the assistance of FedEx to keep this appointment date.

Edited June 23, 2011 by kevandjan

[USColombia 6]

They post two versions of the list, A and B. For example, the June list they have up is the "final" version, and the file has the letter B in the title. This is just their A list for July, and I'm assuming that sometime between now and the 30th, they'll post the final list up. Now, I don't know what that holds for those of us who have 64 and 65 case numbers; I don't know how many new cases they add to the list for the B version. But there's still some hope of getting the interview in July.

I've been freaking out about it, but I reminded myself that at this point in the game, the absolute worst that could happen is our appointment being in August instead of July -- which wouldn't be horrible, since it'd give us an extra month to prepare. Still, I'd like to KNOW that and not have to call every other day till the end of the month.

I called the DOS and they gave me our interview date. Ours is August 4th. As you sound like your number is close to ours, I'm sure you have the same date. Give them a call, they were actually quite nice. Though they did give a solid, non-emotional "Good luck." I was so happy to finally have a date and so excited to tell my fiancee, I just said Thanks! and hung up

[Frank y Janeth 1]

i have been on the phone with consulate of Colombia in United States, in San Francisco to be exact, all morning and they have stated petitioner needs to have beneficiary get power of attorney (I think only letter, which must be in spanish, stating beneficiary (or whoever I want) to pick up letter from DAS when they have available), which it took 45 days for my fiancee to get her letter from DAS. When my fiancee has letter, am not sure if email would work, so i could print, sign, notarized, sent to consulate of Colombia in United States (San Francisco office), they notarize, and attach apostilla, send back to me in self addressed stamped envelope, I sign and take to place they tell me where I need to get fingerprinted, then i send to fiancee in Colombia, she takes to DAS and we wait. DAS sends notification to her (i assume) to say paperwork is available. then she takes to interview, and probably never gets asked about it.

oh by the way, her appointment is 22 July. i don't know how we can get all this done, even with the assistance of FedEx to keep this appointment date.

I wonder if it would be terribly rude of us to just ask all of the newly approved VJ members that went to Bogota if they were asked for the DAS letter for the petitioner. The most recent ones would be the best indicator of whether it's going to come up or not.

[USColombia 6]

I just called the Embassy and I was told that they had not received Packet 3 from us yet. You know how a day to God is like a thousand years? Well, "next day" to Deprisa is at least two weeks. Anyway, the lady I spoke to on the phone said it would be better to send packet 3 either by fax or email, and I REALLY wish we had just sent it by email to begin with. My question, though, is whether it's safe to send it again via other means, in case the mail gets to them sometime before the apocalypse next year? The packet says it will delay visa processing, but is that just something they say to avoid people sending them by fax, email, and regular mail all at the same time or something?

My fiancee emailed and faxed copies and there was no noticeable delay for us or consequences.

[USColombia 6]

I wonder if it would be terribly rude of us to just ask all of the newly approved VJ members that went to Bogota if they were asked for the DAS letter for the petitioner. The most recent ones would be the best indicator of whether it's going to come up or not.

Someone in the thread before this one (part II) had said they didn't need it and it was never asked of them. A Passport sufficed. I would perhaps e-mail them and ask, and if they "no you don't need it", print it out and bring it with you (if you don't have time to get one before the interview).

I asked my fiancee and in the Spanish packet of information it says the petitioner doesn't need to bring it. And the people on the Spanish version of this thread say don't worry about it.

Seems up in the air. No one has been denied for not having it, they just hold onto the visa until it arrives.

[Frank y Janeth 1]

I called the DOS and they gave me our interview date. Ours is August 4th. As you sound like your number is close to ours, I'm sure you have the same date. Give them a call, they were actually quite nice. Though they did give a solid, non-emotional "Good luck." I was so happy to finally have a date and so excited to tell my fiancee, I just said Thanks! and hung up

I just called them, and now they're saying that the embassy HAS packet 3, but they haven't scheduled an appointment yet. When I asked if they could tell me when it might be scheduled, she said she didn't have a time frame in her best "I hope this is the last question you ask me" voice. I'll call again next week and see if they've scheduled us.

Edited June 23, 2011 by Frank y Janeth

[K&M F&E 1]

I called the DOS and they gave me our interview date. Ours is August 4th. As you sound like your number is close to ours, I'm sure you have the same date. Give them a call, they were actually quite nice. Though they did give a solid, non-emotional "Good luck." I was so happy to finally have a date and so excited to tell my fiancee, I just said Thanks! and hung up

That's good to know; I think we are going to be in August as well. What DOS number did you call to get that info? Did you have to call the embassy in Bogotá?

[kevandjan 0]

I wonder if it would be terribly rude of us to just ask all of the newly approved VJ members that went to Bogota if they were asked for the DAS letter for the petitioner. The most recent ones would be the best indicator of whether it's going to come up or not.

Soooo..., my fiancee decided to call DAS today amidst all the questions regarding the DAS letter. She talked to a detective who advised her, she only needs to go to DAS local office and pickup a paper (am not sure the name of it, sorry), either she can fill out or send to me (FedEx most reliable and quickest) and I fill out. Then, I get notarized with my signature, then FedEx to consulate of Colombia in San Francisco, they put ???apostillo??? (like a mix of stamp in your passport and a notarization) on the paper, and with self addressed stamped envelope they mail back to me. I am going to see if they can FedEx back to me so will be quicker, because once I receive, I will scan, send in email to fiancee (in case she does not get the original in time for the interview 22 July) so she has proof this step is done. and God willing, all else will fall into place, and she gets Visa.... and happily ever after...

[Frank y Janeth 1]

Soooo..., my fiancee decided to call DAS today amidst all the questions regarding the DAS letter. She talked to a detective who advised her, she only needs to go to DAS local office and pickup a paper (am not sure the name of it, sorry), either she can fill out or send to me (FedEx most reliable and quickest) and I fill out. Then, I get notarized with my signature, then FedEx to consulate of Colombia in San Francisco, they put ???apostillo??? (like a mix of stamp in your passport and a notarization) on the paper, and with self addressed stamped envelope they mail back to me. I am going to see if they can FedEx back to me so will be quicker, because once I receive, I will scan, send in email to fiancee (in case she does not get the original in time for the interview 22 July) so she has proof this step is done. and God willing, all else will fall into place, and she gets Visa.... and happily ever after...

I just talked to the people who did the two most recent reviews of the Embassy, and they both said they were never asked for it, and it never came up. Worst case scenario, I figure, is that they ask for it at the interview, and the visa is just delayed until I go get the paper, and ask Janeth's sister who lives in Soacha to deliver it to the Embassy, and we're all good. It couldn't add more than another week or two to the whole process, and Janeth's not coming immediately after she gets the visa anyway, we're waiting a month or so.

And this is the WORST case scenario, I would think. I'm feeling much more confident after talking it through with everyone.

[dleeg 2]

Hello all.......

Francys was approved at her interview on 6/22!!! WOOOOOHOOOO!!! We are very very happy as you can imagine!! All went great and I will post a review next week as we are sooo busy with other things. Thanks to everyone who answered my questions, it was a BIG help to both of us. I'm sure I'll have more questions and concerns when it's time for AOS.

Regarding DAS.....

I actually went to the DAS office in Bogota on 6/21 to inquire about a certificate for me the petitioner. The person I talked to was unaware about the update in packet 4, the one requiring the petitioner to have the certification. I decided at that moment to not pursue the certificate and go the interview with Francys without it. Days before her interview I also contacted the last few petitioners who were approved to see if they had the certificate. They didn't have it though they were approved so I felt like it was a good gamble. They never did ask for it and all went well. I recently got a link from a fellow V-J'r for DAS in case any petitioner wants to pursue it getting the certificate. It's http://www.certificadojudicial.gov.co/

Thanks All!!

Edited June 24, 2011 by dleeg