Paying Visa Fee - Colombia

[Jon&Clau 1]

Hi, we are preparing to schedule the interview and medical in Bogota and was wondering how folks have been paying the visa fee. The Embassy mentions three options...1)pay at Helm Bank, 2) pay with credit card on-line, 3) pay with credit card over the phone. Since my fiance' lives in Barranquilla, I am not sure there is a Helm bank in Barranquilla, but if there is not, the only option left is to pay with a credit card, which I(the petitioner) will have to do, so is there any issue with me paying the visa fee and scheduling the interview?

Thanks for your help!!

Jon & Clau

[OZ62 17]

Hi, we are preparing to schedule the interview and medical in Bogota and was wondering how folks have been paying the visa fee. The Embassy mentions three options...1)pay at Helm Bank, 2) pay with credit card on-line, 3) pay with credit card over the phone. Since my fiance' lives in Barranquilla, I am not sure there is a Helm bank in Barranquilla, but if there is not, the only option left is to pay with a credit card, which I(the petitioner) will have to do, so is there any issue with me paying the visa fee and scheduling the interview?

Thanks for your help!!

Jon & Clau

I plan to pay with my VISA and schedule the appointment. Once I have the appointment, I will ask my fiancée to call and set the lab appointment and the medical appointment about 4 days before the VISA appointment. I will then fly down from Miami. She will fly out of Barranquilla. We will meet in Bogota. Once the approved. We both plan to return, me to Miami, she to Barranquilla and wait for the VISA package. Once she has it, I will fly down to pick her up.

[Jon&Clau 1]

I plan to pay with my VISA and schedule the appointment. Once I have the appointment, I will ask my fiancée to call and set the lab appointment and the medical appointment about 4 days before the VISA appointment. I will then fly down from Miami. She will fly out of Barranquilla. We will meet in Bogota. Once the approved. We both plan to return, me to Miami, she to Barranquilla and wait for the VISA package. Once she has it, I will fly down to pick her up.

Thanks OZ62, the reason I asked this question was because since the embassy sends the beneficiary the instructions, I was not sure if the petitioner could pay and schedule the interview, so I'm also hoping I can do basically what you are planning to do.

Jon & Clau

[OZ62 17]

Thanks OZ62, the reason I asked this question was because since the embassy sends the beneficiary the instructions, I was not sure if the petitioner could pay and schedule the interview, so I'm also hoping I can do basically what you are planning to do.

Jon & Clau

I believe the bank payment is done in Bogota, but somehow you have to print something from the website and take this paper to the bank to pay for the VISA. Sounds like too much of a hassle. You can go to the website and read.

All I know, for the interview, you must bring the 156k, I already printed that document. Another one must be done online and you have to print 2 copies per person you are sponsoring. For what I have read in the package, you must have 6 passport pictures of her.

Each document gets one attached with a stapler, be careful, staple at the edge of the picture. So 1 for the 156k, 2 for the 156 (2 copies). 1 for the lab folks. 1 for the medical examination. I can't figure what the 6th is for? She has 8 pics just to be safe.

Found a place to stay that is within walking distance, approx 150 meters from the embassy. I hope they have a room when I get there, sounds like a great place. If you are going to stay for a several days, you can try to set a deal with the host.

It's a bed and breakfast place. Hot water, breakfast included. Please let us know how things go your way and Wish you the best of luck! The Cat is almost in the bag!!!

Osmin

http://www.viva2100.com/

Hotel Doña Flor

Carrera 44C #22A-16

Barrio Quinta Paredes

Bogotá, Colombia

011-57-1-269-8694 or 011-57-1-269-7436

[Jon&Clau 1]

I believe the bank payment is done in Bogota, but somehow you have to print something from the website and take this paper to the bank to pay for the VISA. Sounds like too much of a hassle. You can go to the website and read.

All I know, for the interview, you must bring the 156k, I already printed that document. Another one must be done online and you have to print 2 copies per person you are sponsoring. For what I have read in the package, you must have 6 passport pictures of her.

Each document gets one attached with a stapler, be careful, staple at the edge of the picture. So 1 for the 156k, 2 for the 156 (2 copies). 1 for the lab folks. 1 for the medical examination. I can't figure what the 6th is for? She has 8 pics just to be safe.

Found a place to stay that is within walking distance, approx 150 meters from the embassy. I hope they have a room when I get there, sounds like a great place. If you are going to stay for a several days, you can try to set a deal with the host.

It's a bed and breakfast place. Hot water, breakfast included. Please let us know how things go your way and Wish you the best of luck! The Cat is almost in the bag!!!

Osmin

Hi Osmin, thanks for the info, I did see the instructions you list above from the embassy WEB site. So are you going to complete those 3 forms for your fiance'? My fiance' does not have a printer in her house, so I might have to do that also.

I have some Hilton points from my business travel, so trying to see how far Embassy Suites is from the U.S. embassy. Let me know which week you will be there, maybe we will run into each other.

Jon & Clau

http://www.viva2100.com/

Hotel Doña Flor

Carrera 44C #22A-16

Barrio Quinta Paredes

Bogotá, Colombia

011-57-1-269-8694 or 011-57-1-269-7436

[stefan y karen 23]

Jon&Clau, I booked it all and paid with my MasterCard about two weeks ago. You can do the same.

[Jon&Clau 1]

Jon&Clau, I booked it all and paid with my MasterCard about two weeks ago. You can do the same.

Hi Stefan y Karen, thanks for the get back. I will move forward and pay the fee tomorrow. One question, did YOU, the petitioner complete the three forms they require you to have at the interview? I'm still not sure if I am allowed to complete those for my finace'

Thanks again!!

Jon & Clau

[andrea y arturo 14]

Pay the visa fee online, you can then book the appointment right away. The packet is mailed to both the petitioner's and beneficiaries email addresses. I scheduled the medical first when asked if I already ad an appointment I said yes. Tis better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Then before the packet got to the embassy I paid for the interview fee and selected a desired interview date. Two days after I scheduled the interview I received packet3/4 email from the embassy. If I could do something different it would have been to have booked the interview as soon as the NOA2 was received. But I would only advice doing this if you foresee no red flags in your petition.

[Jon&Clau 1]

Pay the visa fee online, you can then book the appointment right away. The packet is mailed to both the petitioner's and beneficiaries email addresses. I scheduled the medical first when asked if I already ad an appointment I said yes. Tis better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Then before the packet got to the embassy I paid for the interview fee and selected a desired interview date. Two days after I scheduled the interview I received packet3/4 email from the embassy. If I could do something different it would have been to have booked the interview as soon as the NOA2 was received. But I would only advice doing this if you foresee no red flags in your petition.

Hi Andrea y Arturo, my fiance' actually just got an eMail from the embassy yesterday (2/14). I did get a notice from the NVC that the visa was mailed to the embassy. But in any event, we are good to go, so I'm going to attempt to schedule a Monday medical with a Friday Interview in the same week if possible.

Thanks!!

Jon & Clau

[andrea y arturo 14]

Hi Stefan y Karen, thanks for the get back. I will move forward and pay the fee tomorrow. One question, did YOU, the petitioner complete the three forms they require you to have at the interview? I'm still not sure if I am allowed to complete those for my finace'

Thanks again!!

Jon & Clau

You, the petitioner can complete all the forms with the beneficiaries input, of course. The 156 has a section where you fill out the information as the person filling out the form on behalf of the beneficiary.

[Jon&Clau 1]

Pay the visa fee online, you can then book the appointment right away. The packet is mailed to both the petitioner's and beneficiaries email addresses. I scheduled the medical first when asked if I already ad an appointment I said yes. Tis better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Then before the packet got to the embassy I paid for the interview fee and selected a desired interview date. Two days after I scheduled the interview I received packet3/4 email from the embassy. If I could do something different it would have been to have booked the interview as soon as the NOA2 was received. But I would only advice doing this if you foresee no red flags in your petition.

Andrea y Arturo, when you created an account on the embassy WEB site before paying the fee, the account creation asks for name, passport #, nationality, eMail. Did you put your info(Petitioner) on this page or the info of the beneficiary? It seems this screen is geared more towards the beneficiary.

Thanks,

Jon & Clau

[stefan y karen 23]

You, the petitioner can complete all the forms with the beneficiaries input, of course. The 156 has a section where you fill out the information as the person filling out the form on behalf of the beneficiary.

I did complete the form 156 and printed up 2 copies of all three pages for both my fiance and her daughter. I also printed up 1 copy of the 156K for my fiance. There is a field at the bottom of the form where you can say that you filled it in for your fiance. I signed that form stating I completed it for her and I am sending her those copies, plus many more pieces of evidence, so that she has them for her interview. GOOD LUCK!

Andrea y Arturo, when you created an account on the embassy WEB site before paying the fee, the account creation asks for name, passport #, nationality, eMail. Did you put your info(Petitioner) on this page or the info of the beneficiary? It seems this screen is geared more towards the beneficiary.

Thanks,

Jon & Clau

Assuming that you are the US Citizen and she is the applicant for the visa, then you put HER passport and nationality information in there.

[stefan y karen 23]

I didn't see you mention this, but I will give you one more piece of information just in case: In case your fiance has a child and is planning to bring that child to the US, then you will need to sign them up on the account as well, pay an additional visa fee and schedule them for the interview too. NOTE: While this does mean you have to pay a second visa fee, this does NOT mean you have to schedule a second interview. The system schedules the interview for the child at the same time as your fiance.

[Jon&Clau 1]

I didn't see you mention this, but I will give you one more piece of information just in case: In case your fiance has a child and is planning to bring that child to the US, then you will need to sign them up on the account as well, pay an additional visa fee and schedule them for the interview too. NOTE: While this does mean you have to pay a second visa fee, this does NOT mean you have to schedule a second interview. The system schedules the interview for the child at the same time as your fiance.

Hi Stefan y Karen, my fiance does not have a child. So I'm still not clear when I create an account on the on-line visa site, do I enter my personal info or the info of my finance?

Thanks!!

Jon & Clau

[Jon&Clau 1]

I called the Immigrant Hotline and found my answer...I set up the account with her info, not mine. I only asked that question since I am paying the visa fee with my credit card, but the lady told me in ADDITION to the $350.00 visa, when her visa is approved, they want another $404.00 USD!!! I knew there was another fee at the time of the approval, but did not think it was that high, so just wanted all of you who are about to go through this to be aware!!

Jon & Clau