Colombia Club Part IV

[Mononoke28 135]

You can send all of those documents to her via email except for form I-134 which needs to be signed by you and the US embassy will not accept a scanned copy of it. Some people have tried to do this but their visas were put on hold until the original form was presented to them. So I'm afraid you're going to have to mail it to her.

Diana

[stefan y karen 23]

Since I am NOT going for the interview,...

... on Mar 23, I have to get some items in her hand ahead of time.

An Opinion, please...

On whether it is acceptable to SCAN AND E-MAIL to her, for her to then PRINT, the following items:

1) the actual I-134 form completed.

2) Bank statements from bank officers

3) Phone records

4) D & B report of commercial rating concern

5) Tax return

6) PHOTOS?

Ja,ja.... She wants ALL of the fotos we have taken together.

I explained to her, that I sent several (about 12-15, maybe more) good quality, nice photos of her and I in and around Bogota along with the Initial Petition and that the Embassy should have those in our/her file, and that She Should Not Need Anymore Photos.

If you think it wise to send more or the same ones again (I don't think it's even necessary, but she is semi-freaking about it), then IS IT PERMISSABLE to also send those by email so she can print to take?

WHY ALL THIS? Because Fed-Ex is going to cost about $120 usd to get it there.

Thanks for your help.

I have found Fed Ex to be fairly efficient in sending things to Colombia.

[GringoD 33]

I know, I sound like a damn rookie.

It's just that things have 'progressed' in Colombia and with the USCIS so much since I did this once about 5 years ago, now.

Stefan, how fast was Fed Ex when shipping down just a few papers overnight?

How many days before she ACTUALLY RECEIVED what envelope you sent??

Other services?? DHL?

______

What about all the other paperwork to accompany presentation at the embassy with the I-134 form?

Have any of you attempted to FAX paperwork to Colombia?

I would imagine, it has a chance of showing up UNCLEAR, NOT LEGIBLE.

Any Opinions??

[Mononoke28 135]

I know, I sound like a damn rookie.

It's just that things have 'progressed' in Colombia and with the USCIS so much since I did this once about 5 years ago, now.

Stefan, how fast was Fed Ex when shipping down just a few papers overnight?

How many days before she ACTUALLY RECEIVED what envelope you sent??

Other services?? DHL?

______

What about all the other paperwork to accompany presentation at the embassy with the I-134 form?

Have any of you attempted to FAX paperwork to Colombia?

I would imagine, it has a chance of showing up UNCLEAR, NOT LEGIBLE.

Any Opinions??

DHL could work for you as well. There are also a few shipping companies Colombians like to use like http://www.mundotransport.com/ which a few VJ members have recommended, they are fast and reliable.

I would be leery of sending anything via fax mainly because you don't know the quality of the fax machine you're faxing it to. An attachment via email would be a much better option, but since you still have to mail her your I-134 anyway, you might as well mail all the other documents with it.

Diana

[andrea y arturo 14]

I know, I sound like a damn rookie.

It's just that things have 'progressed' in Colombia and with the USCIS so much since I did this once about 5 years ago, now.

Stefan, how fast was Fed Ex when shipping down just a few papers overnight?

How many days before she ACTUALLY RECEIVED what envelope you sent??

Other services?? DHL?

______

What about all the other paperwork to accompany presentation at the embassy with the I-134 form?

Have any of you attempted to FAX paperwork to Colombia?

I would imagine, it has a chance of showing up UNCLEAR, NOT LEGIBLE.

Any Opinions??

Fed Ex can take 3 days or longer for overnight since all packages have to clear customs....

[Mononoke28 135]

Hi All - I've been working on a K1 Visa for my fiancee since last Fall. All was going swimmingly until her I129 got sent to her country's embassy, which is Colombia / Bogota. That was back in January 2012. Since then, she and I have received nothing. She's called a few times and gotten completely stonewalled. They don't appear to have any clue what they're doing, i.e. nothing computerized, no queue to look at, etc. We're going on week 8 now, which seems bizarre.

My big question is: how long has it taken other people to get their Package 3/4 from the Colombian Embassy? I presumed it would get shipped within a week or two, but we're now at two months. And getting information out of them is like getting water out of a rock. Question #2 would be: is there *any* way to get decent information from that consulate? Its completely beyond frustrating at this point...any help will be greatly appreciated!!!!

thanks,

EK50

EK50,

We've talked about the US embassy in Bogotá's personnel before and they're just a bunch of... nah, I need to be nice, they're just not efficient. So the first thing you need to do is call the NVC and get your case number which starts with a BGT and ask them when it was shipped to Bogotá. Then contact the embassy via email and ask if they have received that case which was sent to them on X date by the NVC. As soon as they say they have it go to the link they have in their package instructions (http://colombia.usvisa-info.com), pay for the visa and grab an appointment date, it's that simple.

Don't wait for the embassy to mail your fiancée anything because the Colombian mail system is extremely unreliable and she may never get it. Go to their web site and grab it from there. Follow all their instructions regarding how to make the appointment, documents she will need to bring with her to the interview, medical and lab exams, etc.

K1 Instructions Package (English)

K1 Instructions package (Spanish)

Any questions, just ask away in this thread and someone will probably have an answer for you. Also, page 1 has all the links for the previous Colombia Club threads which are filled with most of the info you may need.

Diana

Edited March 14, 2012 by Mononoke28

[GringoD 33]

Fed Ex can take 3 days or longer for overnight since all packages have to clear customs....

Just sent the supporting evidence for the I-134 by Fed Ex this afternoon. The guy said she should receive it likely on Monday, but said guaranteed by the 20th UNLESS HELD UP in customs. And, there's no reason for that.

All things are improving... WITH COLOMBIA... as time marches forward.

Her sister reminded me that "WE ARE ... COLOMBIANS... AND MORE HIGHLY SCRUTINIZED IN ANY IMMIGRATION PORT OF ENTRY... .worldwide.... especially in the USA. her sister is widely traveled. internationally. and innocent as could be.

but, I think I have read here on VJ recently about Colombians spending no more than fifteen minutes in a very polite immigration gate/room? very recently... and, I would remind people to simply be themselves, be respectful.... answer questions GRACIOUSLY.

Hell, it's like my ol' divorce attorney .... an aged lady of mexican decent said.... be honest, be humble, be gracious.

I believe the same applies here.

Just as has my own experience in Colombia.... do these things, then.... no problems.

NEXT FRIDAY.. A WEEK!

Edited March 16, 2012 by GringoD

[Mononoke28 135]

Her sister reminded me that "WE ARE ... COLOMBIANS... AND MORE HIGHLY SCRUTINIZED IN ANY IMMIGRATION PORT OF ENTRY... .worldwide.... especially in the USA. her sister is widely traveled. internationally. and innocent as could be.

but, I think I have read here on VJ recently about Colombians spending no more than fifteen minutes in a very polite immigration gate/room? very recently... and, I would remind people to simply be themselves, be respectful.... answer questions GRACIOUSLY.

I think that may be the case for people arriving with a non-immigrant visa but most people arriving with K or CR/IR visas don't seem to have much of a hassle. We arrived at MIA and the whole thing took less than 15 minutes but then again it was a Tuesday morning so they didn't have a lot of people to process. I've heard of it taking over three hours during the weekends because they get so many people they have to enter into the system.

Diana

[GringoD 33]

I think that may be the case for people arriving with a non-immigrant visa but most people arriving with K or CR/IR visas don't seem to have much of a hassle. We arrived at MIA and the whole thing took less than 15 minutes but then again it was a Tuesday morning so they didn't have a lot of people to process. I've heard of it taking over three hours during the weekends because they get so many people they have to enter into the system.

Diana

Oh! Thanks, Diana.

That is probably something to factor in: Fly in on Tues, Wed or Thur.

I myself, always seemed to feel there is more tranquility in Houston International wing, also... as compared to Miami. Plus,.. direct flight, then. No plane changes. 3 hr drive for me, .. easy.

Edited March 17, 2012 by GringoD

[Mononoke28 135]

Oh! Thanks, Diana.

That is probably something to factor in: Fly in on Tues, Wed or Thur.

I myself, always seemed to feel there is more tranquility in Houston International wing, also... as compared to Miami. Plus,.. direct flight, then. No plane changes. 3 hr drive for me, .. easy.

I think it all depends on your own personal experience. My mother, who is a naturalized US citizen, has been flying to and from Colombia for over 26 years. A few years ago she came in through the Houston International Airport and was a complete nightmare. There was a customs guy who grilled her for not having her written Rx for her high blood pressure and cholesterol medication, he made her take everything out of her suitcases as he was yelling at her. Finally a supervisor came over and told the guy to take a break and told my mom to pack everything back in her suitcases and let her go. I was FUMING to say the least because we had never had this happen to us, ever. Plus, I felt that they were taking advantage of an older lady flying alone coming from Colombia. And let me tell ya, we never go through Houston on purpose for that reason.

Diana

[GringoD 33]

Hey! Hey! Tenemos La Visa!

Auri said.... 2 minutes, 3 Questions..

Very Nice, polite young lady doing her interview.

Thanks for your help, Diana and all the rest here in the Colombia section!

[Mononoke28 135]

Hey! Hey! Tenemos La Visa!

Auri said.... 2 minutes, 3 Questions..

Very Nice, polite young lady doing her interview.

Thanks for your help, Diana and all the rest here in the Colombia section!

Congratulations!!!

Diana

[GringoD 33]

Diana, I wrote a personal message to you, but when I hit the sent button, it said you cannot receive anymore messages.

[Mononoke28 135]

Diana, I wrote a personal message to you, but when I hit the sent button, it said you cannot receive anymore messages.

Thanks for letting me know! I get so many messages daily that if I forget to clean it up, I never notice when it's full.

Diana

[GringoD 33]

Are there any episodes of colombian fiances being denied entrance through the airport,

onto the plane with ONLY A ONE-WAY TICKET ?

.

Cause it appears to have changed with the times, and for what I am finding for the dates I need right now, it looks like the One Way ticket is much cheaper. (It use to not be that way, necessarily)

She's checking today with the family members who all want to go to the airport to see her off, about dates/times.

She was awarded the visa at Friday's interview (March 23).

She and I are thinking, Saturday, April 7, first United flight out of El Dorado.

I'd like to go ahead and purchase the ticket today.

Any thoughts?

Edited March 25, 2012 by GringoD