Colombia Club Part IV

[ucaggie 0]

Yea, I scheduled my interview within 2 or 3 weeks of receiving the NOA2. I think the "passport number" on the passport is the cedula. That's NOT the passport number you use to register an account.

I think glued or stapled should be ok. What my fiancee did was get 10 passport photos just in case and that was more than enough for her.

Sorry I misspoke. According to my fiancee, DO NOT staple the pics or anything else. Write full name on the back of each picture. Use glue for the pictures and paper clip for paperwork.

Edited September 24, 2012 by ucaggie

[Mononoke28 134]

Wow thanks so much for that! Are you saying you scheduled your interview within 3 weeks of receiving your NOA2? That would be awesome to get an interview that quick. Yes I am still waiting for my NOA2 but since the CSC is moving so fast it could be any day now--they are already approving July petitions. And a question...what is the number under passport number, if it isn't the passport number? I am sure that would have confused me too.

Other simple questions I have...you said the passport photo needs to be glued to the DS-156 form? Or could it be stapled? And another confusion I have is the number of photos required. In the packet it says 6 photos required, but 2 are needed for the DS-156 forms, and you need 2 for the medical and lab right? So that only leaves 2 photos left. Does it mean they want 6 photos IN ADDITION to the photos already glued to the DS-156 and the ones given to the doctors for the exams (meaning 10 photos)? Sorry if I am overthinking this, just want to be well prepared for the interview, in fact over prepared.

The old passports used to show the cédula's number in the passport number field, which is incorrect. Don't know why they did it but they did and it was extremely confusing. So don't use that number, use the one in red or if you're still not sure, use the number printed on each page (the one with the holes) which is the same number.

The total number of photos is six, just as the instructions indicate. One for the lab, one for her medical, I believe it's one per DS-156 and the last two she takes to the embassy the day of her interview.

Diana

[Mononoke28 134]

Another question I have...first of all I am planning on attending the interview with my fiancee. However I am still in classes and it may be difficult to travel the closer it gets to Thanksgiving break--exams, presentations, etc. My question is, if I can't go, then I need to send the documents to my fiancee for her interview. I have heard bad things about the mail system in Colombia and so never wanted to mail anything there, what is the best way to send important documents to my fiancee? And how long does it usually take?

You can use any of the private companies like FedEx, UPS and DHL if you don't have an Avianca close to you. Those guarantee delivery in a very short amount of time.

Diana

[Mononoke28 134]

Wow! What did you say on your email to the embassy? Just asking because I got my BGT number over a week ago and was told by the NVC that they sent the petition to the Embassy on 9/13 (I even received a letter in the mail today from NVC confirming that) and when I sent an email to ivbogota@state.gov this morning they came back with - "There is no record of the Immigrant Visa Unit having received a petition on behalf of your fiancée. As soon as we receive the approved Form I-129F, we will send you the packet of instructions"

Congratulation on your approval! That's great news!!!

Keep bugging them, they should have it by now, so make them look for it. LOL. I mean, the longer you wait for them to do their job the longer you will have to wait for an interview and they don't care about that, but you do. Give them detail info of your case, date of when the NVC said they mailed it to them, names, dates of birth, BGT#, etc.

Diana

[justwaiting4her 0]

Keep bugging them, they should have it by now, so make them look for it. LOL. I mean, the longer you wait for them to do their job the longer you will have to wait for an interview and they don't care about that, but you do. Give them detail info of your case, date of when the NVC said they mailed it to them, names, dates of birth, BGT#, etc.

Diana

Absolutely keep bugging them, the type of answers you get from that embassy highly relate to the person that actually answered. We had much confusion from the embassy in our process, a couple of people that are clueless, and a couple extremely helpful.

[Karen85 2]

Diana Please Help,

After years of waiting, my 19 year old sister and 3year old nephew are coming to the US this Saturday. They are going from Cali to Bogota via LAN (Friday night), then Delta from Bogota to JFK, then to Chicago, QUESTION: Is there a tax that they will have to pay to leave bogota??? anything else I should anticipate.FYI, the father was not ever in the Picture, embassy just asked why he wasnt on the birth certificate, she explained. She got all her papers/passport. Ready to Fly. So excited, want to make sure all goes ok.

Thanks,

Karen

[falburq 4]

Diana Please Help,

After years of waiting, my 19 year old sister and 3year old nephew are coming to the US this Saturday. They are going from Cali to Bogota via LAN (Friday night), then Delta from Bogota to JFK, then to Chicago, QUESTION: Is there a tax that they will have to pay to leave bogota??? anything else I should anticipate.FYI, the father was not ever in the Picture, embassy just asked why he wasnt on the birth certificate, she explained. She got all her papers/passport. Ready to Fly. So excited, want to make sure all goes ok.

Thanks,

Karen

Not really sure if this applies to your case since the father was not listed in the birth certificate, but just in case take a look at this information from Bienestar Familiar: Permiso de salida del país para niños, niñas o adolescentes

[Mononoke28 134]

Diana Please Help,

After years of waiting, my 19 year old sister and 3year old nephew are coming to the US this Saturday. They are going from Cali to Bogota via LAN (Friday night), then Delta from Bogota to JFK, then to Chicago, QUESTION: Is there a tax that they will have to pay to leave bogota??? anything else I should anticipate.FYI, the father was not ever in the Picture, embassy just asked why he wasnt on the birth certificate, she explained. She got all her papers/passport. Ready to Fly. So excited, want to make sure all goes ok.

Thanks,

Karen

Hi Karen,

Yes, they will most likely have to pay an Air Passenger Departure Tax when they fly out, and I say "most likely" because some airlines ask for it even if it was included in the total price of the ticket, others don't. That happened to my husband and we had no choice but to pay it when he first left Colombia with his CR1 visa. Back then was like $70.000 pesos.

As for the travel permit for your nephew, she will need to have one on Saturday or the DAS will not let the child leave the country. Call them NOW to find out if she will need one, which she will probably do. The fastest way to get one is to find the father wherever he is and ask him to go with her to a notary to get it done, they should know what the permission slip looks like and what it needs to say, it will be notarized and signed by all the parties involved. Without the father's permission to leave the country, your nephew won't be able to travel. If the notary doesn't have any idea on how to issue the permit (which they should), call the DAS offices to see if they can recommend one that does.

Diana

Edited September 26, 2012 by Mononoke28

[D N Medellin COL 75]

Hi Karen,

Yes, they will most likely have to pay an Air Passenger Departure Tax when they fly out, and I say "most likely" because some airlines ask for it even if it was included in the total price of the ticket, others don't. That happened to my husband and we had no choice but to pay it when he first left Colombia with his CR1 visa. Back then was like $70.000 pesos.

As for the travel permit for your nephew, she will need to have one on Saturday or the DAS will not let the child leave the country. Call them NOW to find out if she will need one, which she will probably do. The fastest way to get one is to find the father wherever he is and ask him to go with her to a notary to get it done, they should know what the permission slip looks like and what it needs to say, it will be notarized and signed by all the parties involved. Without the father's permission to leave the country, your nephew won't be able to travel. If the notary doesn't have any idea on how to issue the permit (which they should), call the DAS offices to see if they can recommend one that does.

Diana

Let me re-state this important document that Diana spoke about - For one parent to travel outside Colombia with a child YOU MUST have the expressed written notarized APPROVAL of the bio dad! Anything short of this and the child WILL NOT be leaving Colombia.

[Skyler and Silvia 1]

A minor question that I've been wondering: how far out is the earliest available interviews generally when you get online to schedule? Is it usually booked up for a month? 2 weeks? 2 months? We have a lot of flexibility and should be able to schedule an appointment as soon as possible once we are to that point, I'm just curious how long to expect for there to be open interview slots.

[Mononoke28 134]

A minor question that I've been wondering: how far out is the earliest available interviews generally when you get online to schedule? Is it usually booked up for a month? 2 weeks? 2 months? We have a lot of flexibility and should be able to schedule an appointment as soon as possible once we are to that point, I'm just curious how long to expect for there to be open interview slots.

For K1 visas, many VJ members have said that they've been able to book their appointments within a couple of weeks after paying the visa fee.

Diana

[Skyler and Silvia 1]

For K1 visas, many VJ members have said that they've been able to book their appointments within a couple of weeks after paying the visa fee.

Diana

Awesome, that's better than I expected!

[aws&ndd 103]

That's what I heard too, and I'm excited because we just receive our NOA2 so hopefully will be able to book an appointment soon.

[falburq 4]

A minor question that I've been wondering: how far out is the earliest available interviews generally when you get online to schedule? Is it usually booked up for a month? 2 weeks? 2 months? We have a lot of flexibility and should be able to schedule an appointment as soon as possible once we are to that point, I'm just curious how long to expect for there to be open interview slots.

I just booked my appointment !!

I received the email from the embassy yesterday afternoon with the Packet 3/4 info. I created my fiancee's account on the visa portal, paid the fee and was able to book the appointment for October 22, which is just 3 weeks away!!!!!

[falburq 4]

Let me re-state this important document that Diana spoke about - For one parent to travel outside Colombia with a child YOU MUST have the expressed written notarized APPROVAL of the bio dad! Anything short of this and the child WILL NOT be leaving Colombia.

Not entirely accurate. If the bio dad is in the picture then yes you are correct, but in those cases where the father is not in the picture - was never registered in the birth certificate or the mother doesn't know the whereabouts - Bienestar Familiar will intervene and grant the permission after they confirmed that there is no objection or legal reasons to deny.

Here's a link for more info (in spanish): http://www.gobiernoenlinea.gov.co//tramite.aspx?traID=2310