Colombia Club Part IV

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Question for all of you, does my fiancee need to send her passport or take her passport to Bogota for the visa?

Your Fiance needs to carry her Passport to the US Embassy. This becomes the most important document, as the US Embassy inserts a special visa stamp which allows your beneficiary to leave Colombia and come to the US. Definitely have your Fiance bring her Passport to the Embassy in Bogota.

Edited August 28, 2012 by Ken y Leidys

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Is it absolutely necessary to get the employment letter? If yes, can it be a scanned copy or does it need to be the original? Just afraid the original won't get there on time/gets lost.

Thanks

I had mine - you want to come to the Embassy 100% prepared. Your director of Human Resources can prepare this. I had mine ready within one week. Supply the copy, but keep the original in case it gets asked for at a later time.

[ucaggie 0]

I made a big mistake when I scheduled my fiancee's appointment. I entered her cedula as her passport number (so confusing). However, it is the red number. I can't change it and I already paid the MRV fee. Would a simple call work to change her passport number?

Thanks

[Mononoke28 135]

I made a big mistake when I scheduled my fiancee's appointment. I entered her cedula as her passport number (so confusing). However, it is the red number. I can't change it and I already paid the MRV fee. Would a simple call work to change her passport number?

Thanks

I'm sure they're used to people making this mistake since most passports have the wrong info printed on them as passport number. I would just send the embassy an email explaining what happened to see what they say.

Diana

[ucaggie 0]

I'm sure they're used to people making this mistake since most passports have the wrong info printed on them as passport number. I would just send the embassy an email explaining what happened to see what they say.

Diana

Thanks, it worked! They told me the same, that it's a very common mistake. It got changed with no hassle. I just had to call them.

[justwaiting4her 0]

Your Fiance needs to carry her Passport to the US Embassy. This becomes the most important document, as the US Embassy inserts a special visa stamp which allows your beneficiary to leave Colombia and come to the US. Definitely have your Fiance bring her Passport to the Embassy in Bogota.

Thanks.

[Ryan76 46]

Yes, use the new address on all the AOS forms so they have the new address. But since you used your parents' address during the K1 process and that's what the USCIS currently has, you need to file form I-865 to notify them of the address change and your wife will need to file form AR-11 online.

Diana

Okay, so we just got back from the wedding / honeymoon and everything was wonderful. Even got a nice "wedding gift" on our flight home saturday. The flight was delayed and we had to switch planes, so they gave us 2 free round trip tickets anywhere in the US.

Anyway, i'm just getting back to checking out this thread, and I was curious where do i send the I-865. I assume we can immediately (later tonight) log on and to the AR-11. Do we email the I-865 along with the AOS package, or will that form be sent somewhere else? And if it gets sent somewhere else, should we do it now then wait a few days before sending the AOS package? We haven't even started the AOS package yet so i'm sure we won't be able to get it all finished up until this weekend anyway. I just want to make sure i do this as fast as possible, but also as efficiently. My fiancee is the type who will want to sit at home alone all day and she's anxious to work ASAP.

I also have questions about her name change, and if/when we should start using her new name. Should we on these forms or should we keep using her "old name" that's on her passport and previous visa documents / paperwork. The lady at the Clerk's office where we got married said something about us needing to have her name changed on her passport before we can start using the "new name".

This all seems really confusing, and of course i'm just busy as heck at work since i've been gone over a week. Any advice you can give me concerning all this would be much appreciated!! Thanks!!

[Mononoke28 135]

Okay, so we just got back from the wedding / honeymoon and everything was wonderful. Even got a nice "wedding gift" on our flight home saturday. The flight was delayed and we had to switch planes, so they gave us 2 free round trip tickets anywhere in the US.

Anyway, i'm just getting back to checking out this thread, and I was curious where do i send the I-865. I assume we can immediately (later tonight) log on and to the AR-11. Do we email the I-865 along with the AOS package, or will that form be sent somewhere else? And if it gets sent somewhere else, should we do it now then wait a few days before sending the AOS package? We haven't even started the AOS package yet so i'm sure we won't be able to get it all finished up until this weekend anyway. I just want to make sure i do this as fast as possible, but also as efficiently. My fiancee is the type who will want to sit at home alone all day and she's anxious to work ASAP.

I also have questions about her name change, and if/when we should start using her new name. Should we on these forms or should we keep using her "old name" that's on her passport and previous visa documents / paperwork. The lady at the Clerk's office where we got married said something about us needing to have her name changed on her passport before we can start using the "new name".

This all seems really confusing, and of course i'm just busy as heck at work since i've been gone over a week. Any advice you can give me concerning all this would be much appreciated!! Thanks!!

The I-865 does not get sent with the AOS package. You need to send it separately to the address listed in the instructions, since it all depends on the state where your new address is located. The instructions also tell you to keep a copy of the form with evidence that you mailed it, ex.: certified mail, so read them carefully.

For her name change, she can start using her new last name as soon as you get your marriage certificate. Make sure every form of your AOS has her new name so her green card arrives with the correct information, same for her SS card. Otherwise, you will have to pay an additional fee to have it changed. And don't worry about having her name changed in her Colombian documentation, most women keep their maiden name in Colombia since it's a complete pain in the neck to do it.

Diana

[Ryan76 46]

The I-865 does not get sent with the AOS package. You need to send it separately to the address listed in the instructions, since it all depends on the state where your new address is located. The instructions also tell you to keep a copy of the form with evidence that you mailed it, ex.: certified mail, so read them carefully.

For her name change, she can start using her new last name as soon as you get your marriage certificate. Make sure every form of your AOS has her new name so her green card arrives with the correct information, same for her SS card. Otherwise, you will have to pay an additional fee to have it changed. And don't worry about having her name changed in her Colombian documentation, most women keep their maiden name in Colombia since it's a complete pain in the neck to do it.

Diana

So do we need to immediately do the I-865 first (and AR 11) first, before we send in the AOS paperwork? Or can we just send them off to their (separate) addresses at about the same time. I just wasn't clear on if the address change with the I-865 (and AR 11) forms needs to be sent in and entered into the system before we send in the AOS.

Also, with the whole name change / marriage certificate issue...this has confused me since the moment we signed it at the Clerk's Office. She signed it with her old / maiden name, as we were instructed to do by the Clerk. There is no documentation with her new name on it. The lady working at the clerk's office who did our paperwork said not to start using the new name until we had it changed on her passport. So you're saying that even though we have no documentation with the new name, it's okay to start using it and we should use it on the AOS paperwork (and the I-865 / AR 11 paperwork i assume) ? And she can always just keep her original name on her colombian passport? This won't cause problems down the road when she wants to travel to visit her family?

[Mononoke28 135]

So do we need to immediately do the I-865 first (and AR 11) first, before we send in the AOS paperwork? Or can we just send them off to their (separate) addresses at about the same time. I just wasn't clear on if the address change with the I-865 (and AR 11) forms needs to be sent in and entered into the system before we send in the AOS.

Also, with the whole name change / marriage certificate issue...this has confused me since the moment we signed it at the Clerk's Office. She signed it with her old / maiden name, as we were instructed to do by the Clerk. There is no documentation with her new name on it. The lady working at the clerk's office who did our paperwork said not to start using the new name until we had it changed on her passport. So you're saying that even though we have no documentation with the new name, it's okay to start using it and we should use it on the AOS paperwork (and the I-865 / AR 11 paperwork i assume) ? And she can always just keep her original name on her colombian passport? This won't cause problems down the road when she wants to travel to visit her family?

The main reason for changing your address after you move is so that the USCIS has it in their system, that's all. It doesn't matter if it's before you send your AOS package or after, especially since you will be filling out all AOS forms with the new address. What's important is that you can have proof that you changed it before they issue her green card (in about 4-6 months) in case it gets lost in the mail.

As for the marriage certificate, the reason why she had to sign it with her maiden name is because that was her legal name at the time you guys got married. Her married name will not appear anywhere on the certificate because she became Mrs. Ryan76 after that date. So... from the day she got married going forward she will need to start using her new name if that is what she wants to do. She will need to use it when filing for her Social Security number, driver's license, whenever she opens her bank account, applies for a credit card, etc. Also, the info the lady at the court gave you is incorrect because your wife can start using her new name any time she wants, especially because changing her name on her passport starts by changing her name on her birth certificate, followed by her cédula and then her passport. It's extremely time consuming and a huge hassle.

Diana

[Ryan76 46]

The main reason for changing your address after you move is so that the USCIS has it in their system, that's all. It doesn't matter if it's before you send your AOS package or after, especially since you will be filling out all AOS forms with the new address. What's important is that you can have proof that you changed it before they issue her green card (in about 4-6 months) in case it gets lost in the mail.

As for the marriage certificate, the reason why she had to sign it with her maiden name is because that was her legal name at the time you guys got married. Her married name will not appear anywhere on the certificate because she became Mrs. Ryan76 after that date. So... from the day she got married going forward she will need to start using her new name if that is what she wants to do. She will need to use it when filing for her Social Security number, driver's license, whenever she opens her bank account, applies for a credit card, etc. Also, the info the lady at the court gave you is incorrect because your wife can start using her new name any time she wants, especially because changing her name on her passport starts by changing her name on her birth certificate, followed by her cédula and then her passport. It's extremely time consuming and a huge hassle.

Diana

Okay thanks for the great info. So on the AOS we DO put her new name or will we continue with her old name?

And it's basically unnecessary for us to change any of her colombian documents? She can just keep them the way they are and this won't cause any issues? Would it cause issues when she flies home to visits and then tries to come back? What about when we fly domestically, like if we go on vacation over christmas. Would we get the tickets under her new name even though her passport and all her ID cards still have her old name?

[Mononoke28 135]

Okay thanks for the great info. So on the AOS we DO put her new name or will we continue with her old name?

And it's basically unnecessary for us to change any of her colombian documents? She can just keep them the way they are and this won't cause any issues? Would it cause issues when she flies home to visits and then tries to come back? What about when we fly domestically, like if we go on vacation over christmas. Would we get the tickets under her new name even though her passport and all her ID cards still have her old name?

Every form you send for her AOS needs to have her new name so her work permit and green card are issued under that name, the USCIS will issue her cards with whatever name you put on the forms.

In the US your wife will be Mrs. Married Name, so she will use that here. Remember that when flying within the US, her ticket needs to match her driver's license. When flying internationally, her ticket needs to match the name on her passport. So use whatever name is on the form of ID she will be using at the airport and carry a copy of your marriage certificate just in case, but most airline/immigration people are used to dealing with the whole maiden/married name issue.

Diana

[Ryan76 46]

Every form you send for her AOS needs to have her new name so her work permit and green card are issued under that name, the USCIS will issue her cards with whatever name you put on the forms.

In the US your wife will be Mrs. Married Name, so she will use that here. Remember that when flying within the US, her ticket needs to match her driver's license. When flying internationally, her ticket needs to match the name on her passport. So use whatever name is on the form of ID she will be using at the airport and carry a copy of your marriage certificate just in case, but most airline/immigration people are used to dealing with the whole maiden/married name issue.

Diana

Okay, thanks so much. So then in the short-term, before she gets her green card and documents from USCIS, should we go get her an ID card with her new name on it? And if so would we just take our marriage certificate and her passport as "proof" of who she is and that we are married?

[Ryan76 46]

Every form you send for her AOS needs to have her new name so her work permit and green card are issued under that name, the USCIS will issue her cards with whatever name you put on the forms.

In the US your wife will be Mrs. Married Name, so she will use that here. Remember that when flying within the US, her ticket needs to match her driver's license. When flying internationally, her ticket needs to match the name on her passport. So use whatever name is on the form of ID she will be using at the airport and carry a copy of your marriage certificate just in case, but most airline/immigration people are used to dealing with the whole maiden/married name issue.

Diana

Okay, thanks so much. So then in the short-term, before she gets her green card and documents from USCIS, should we go get her an ID card with her new name on it? And if so would we just take our marriage certificate and her passport as "proof" of who she is and that we are married?

Also, in the future when flying back and forth, obviously the K-1 Visa stamp in the passport will be expired...will she then just use her Green Card to get her back into the US through customs? And it won't matter that the Green Card will have the new name and the Passport will have the maiden name?

[Mononoke28 135]

Okay, thanks so much. So then in the short-term, before she gets her green card and documents from USCIS, should we go get her an ID card with her new name on it? And if so would we just take our marriage certificate and her passport as "proof" of who she is and that we are married?

Also, in the future when flying back and forth, obviously the K-1 Visa stamp in the passport will be expired...will she then just use her Green Card to get her back into the US through customs? And it won't matter that the Green Card will have the new name and the Passport will have the maiden name?

For her I.D. card you will need to contact your local DMV office to see what their requirements are. Most states ask for at least the work permit in order to issue an I.D. card or driver's license. The problem with using a work permit is that it expires within a year which means the I.D. card/DL also expires on the same date. But like I said, call them first since each state may have different rules and regulations.

Your wife's K1 visa expired the moment she used it to enter the US, think of it as a plane ticket which is not valid as soon as it is used. If she wants to travel outside of the US now, she will need her advance parole travel document so that immigration can let her re-enter the country, that's why you need to send form I-131 with her AOS. Once her AOS is approved, she will get a green card which is what she will need to travel internationally (along with her passport). Again, it doesn't matter if her green card has her married name and her passport has her maiden name, it's a very common situation.

Diana