Bogota Embassy

[Mike and Adriana 0]

I am continuing to prep for things in advance. Two things I found when poking around the Bogota embassy web site:

1) I read that visas are now delivered 7-10 days via a courier...and that you have to pay the courier fee the same day at the interview. The threads that I've read indicated that, at least in the past, the K visa can be picked up the next day. What gives? Can you still pick up the visa the next day? Or MUST (as the web site seems to indicate) you wait for the visa to be delivered? For me, this will be signficant. If I go for the interview, then I must wait 7-10 days to take my wife home with me....which might not be an option with my work schedule.

2) In a listing of documents for the interview, the Embassy identifies an "authenticated" copy of the folio of the Registro Civil de Nacimientok. The page also mentions "certified" copies of civil registries of birth and marriage. Does "authenticated" simply mean the copy is verifiable by the Embassy employment through inspecting the original of the document that you brought with you to the embassy? What is certified in Colombia? Is it similar to "apostilled" in the U.S.? Again, can you bring a copy and the original for the embassy employ to verify? is that "certified"? The use of these terms concerns me...because I am not sure I understand them.

Thanks for the feedback.

Mike

[dougyceci 0]

As to your first question, look at this post, it was here earlier in the week, does not match what the embassy site says. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=35195

they picked their visas up. As to the birth and marriage docs and authenicated and certified. Not sure but anything you get here that is certified comes from the source which is our government office. I have my my wife's birth certificate and it is stamped by the office she got it in and our civil registro is the same, has the notary seal. These are authentic and my guess is this is what they are speaking of when they say authenticated. Not 100% sure but this is what we are using for everything. Hope this helps, My I-130 is only a few weeks ahead of yours. Good luck with all.

Doug

[Peter Miami 0]

Hi Mike,

On your first question the reason the website says that is because that was the procedure that the U.S. Embassy use to use up to the middle to end part of last year.

On you second point I forgot the actual Spanish word used but it means that when your fiancée gets her birth certificate from the government she must get the long form that has her parents name and it has some margin or side notes. Just make sure she tells them is for a fiancée visa and that it is the long form. The local government in her city will know.

Good luck,

Peter Miami

[Mike and Adriana 0]

Thanks, Peter. You've been a big help to us already. I am sure going to try to your use suggestions to quicken the process. I have actually already printed the forms off the Bogota embassy website...and will get them completed.

Based on my timeline, do you think it is too early for me to have my wife get her medical exam and police report? Also, I can complete by I-134 at any time - I have all the info. Do you think it is too early to complete, sign, and date that form. I guess I'm just anxious and want to have everything ready to go. But I know it's not smart to have it done TOO far in advance (don't want them to reject anything because of "old age").

Thanks,

Mike

Hi Mike,

On your first question the reason the website says that is because that was the procedure that the U.S. Embassy use to use up to the middle to end part of last year.

On you second point I forgot the actual Spanish word used but it means that when your fiancée gets her birth certificate from the government she must get the long form that has her parents name and it has some margin or side notes. Just make sure she tells them is for a fiancée visa and that it is the long form. The local government in her city will know.

Good luck,

Peter Miami

[erporsche 0]

Peter Miami

Also interested in you advice. Already married and applying for 130 and 129F for K3, should I get my wife to complete medical and police report, just got NOA on I-130, since I am visiting on Thanksgiving and Xmas or by getting to info/exams to early am I wasting her time. Does med report and police report have time frame for expiration on processes ??

Thanks erporsche

[Peter Miami 0]

Thanks, Peter. You've been a big help to us already. I am sure going to try to your use suggestions to quicken the process. I have actually already printed the forms off the Bogota embassy website...and will get them completed.

Based on my timeline, do you think it is too early for me to have my wife get her medical exam and police report? Also, I can complete by I-134 at any time - I have all the info. Do you think it is too early to complete, sign, and date that form. I guess I'm just anxious and want to have everything ready to go. But I know it's not smart to have it done TOO far in advance (don't want them to reject anything because of "old age").

Thanks,

Mike

Hi Mike,

On your first question the reason the website says that is because that was the procedure that the U.S. Embassy use to use up to the middle to end part of last year.

On you second point I forgot the actual Spanish word used but it means that when your fiancée gets her birth certificate from the government she must get the long form that has her parents name and it has some margin or side notes. Just make sure she tells them is for a fiancée visa and that it is the long form. The local government in her city will know.

Good luck,

Peter Miami

Hi Mike,

On the Doctor appointment, Lab work and paying the bank fee your fiancée can not do it until she has the “Interview Letter” that comes in packet# 4 from the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia. This is the procedure for K-1’s so I am pretty sure it applies to K-3’s also.

On completing the forms it is alright do them ahead of time but do not date them until very close to the interview. Johanna my wife, fiancée at the time and I had almost all the documents done by December 2005 and when I went to visit her for Christmas and New Years vacation I toke all the documents done and if not I finish everything that I could. So when I left after that vacation almost everything was done. Except the DAS report, Doctor, Lab work and paying the bank fee because this had to be done in Bogota and we could not do it without the interview letter. Johanna lived in Armenia which is about eight hour bus ride to Bogota. Johanna finally got her interview on March 3, 2006.

Get everything done and do not date it or future date something like that “Letter of Intent” and other documents. Wait until it gets closer for her to get the DAS report.

Good luck,

Peter Miami

Peter Miami

Also interested in you advice. Already married and applying for 130 and 129F for K3, should I get my wife to complete medical and police report, just got NOA on I-130, since I am visiting on Thanksgiving and Xmas or by getting to info/exams to early am I wasting her time. Does med report and police report have time frame for expiration on processes ??

Thanks erporsche

Hi erporsche,

Read what I wrote above to Mike some of this advice will help you also. Your wife can not complete the Doctor or Lab work until she gets the "Interview Letter" that comes in Packet# 4. Get most if not all the documets done and take them on your vacation.

Good luck,

Peter Miami

Edited October 20, 2006 by Peter Miami