CR-1/IR-1 Colombia Club

[cartagena2112 0]

Just a quick note to let everyone know Ceci got approved today. Because of some glitch that was giving everyone fits at the embassy no visas until Monday

Let me be the first to say Congratulations!!!!!!!!!! But obviosly it is a bummer, having to wait a few days more

for the actual paper. So, did you return to the States or are you both waiting together in Bogota??

From your experience and that of others here recently, I will plan to stay a few more days in Bogota!

To everybody: A general i-864 question:

Which papers from the i-864 need to be sent in? The guide here sez, ALL pages in order 1,2,3,4,5,6, etc...

that makes no sense, the 864 form come with 19 pages but only 5 or 6 are pertinent..

What did you all do as far as sending in your 864 forms???

Sorry if this is a silly question, but I don't wanna risk "anything". hahaha

Thanks in advance!

Best,

George

Edited April 13, 2007 by cartagena2112

[Looking4Wife 0]

Just a quick note to let everyone know Ceci got approved today. Because of some glitch that was giving everyone fits at the embassy no visas until Monday

Let me be the first to say Congratulations!!!!!!!!!! But obviosly it is a bummer, having to wait a few days more

for the actual paper. So, did you return to the States or are you both waiting together in Bogota??

From your experience and that of others here recently, I will plan to stay a few more days in Bogota!

To everybody: A general i-864 question:

Which papers from the i-864 need to be sent in? The guide here sez, ALL pages in order 1,2,3,4,5,6, etc...

that makes no sense, the 864 form come with 19 pages but only 5 or 6 are pertinent..

What did you all do as far as sending in your 864 forms???

Sorry if this is a silly question, but I don't wanna risk "anything". hahaha

Thanks in advance!

Best,

George

Sorry if this is a silly answer but, Dude, you send in the pages that you fill out... you don't send in the instructions that accomany the form... B)

[Looking4Wife 0]

Actual Visa Interview Questions 4/10/2007 (not necessarily in order)

NOTE: We were interviewed extensively for a total of about 30 minutes. 1st her, then me, then both of us together. I noticed that ALL the interviews were taking an extremely long time. In fact, I couldn't tell if other people were receiving approvals or not. Many people were being interviewed, then going back to sit down, maybe to be called up again to the window(s) again much later. I was thinking, people of VJ always talk about identifying who's getting approved/denied, but I couldn't tell anything.

The interviewer, who appeared a white American male, was very friendly with us. He spoke to me in English, and he spoke to my wife in Spanish.

Most questions the interviewer asked both me and my wife the same question separately, i.e. to be able to compare our answers.

1 What is your husband's address? (the only question asked at the first window, prior to the interview)

2 Does your wife have any family in the USA?

3 How many siblings do you / does your wife have?

4 What do you do for a living?

5 Have you guys discussed having kids?

6 How many kids do you / does your wife want?

7 How many times have you been here to visit her?

8 What other places (cities) have you and your wife visited together inside of Colombia?

9 What will your wife do when she gets to the USA?

10 How do you communicate?

11 Do you speak Spanish?

12 Does she speak English?

13 Do you know his parents?

14 When did you two first meet?

15 What made you come to Colombia to find a wife?

16 To my wife (weird question to a Colombian woman): Do you know how to dance Salsa and Vallenato?

17 Did his parents come to the wedding?

18 What was special about your wife that made you want to marry her?

19 How did you two meet?

20 How many Spanish classes have you taken?

21 Have you guys discussed relgion, is that important to you?

22 What religion are you?

23 What religion is she?

Evidence of Relationship

NOTE: We had a Photo Album, and a Large Notebook with 3 sections: Phone Bills, Email, Chat

Photos (100+) - Interviewer asked, "Please explain your photos"

Phone Bills (approx. 10 pgs) - Interviewer asked, "Please explain your phone bills"

- NOTE: most phone bills were MCI bills showing numbers called, a few were Yahoo Voice receipts not showing

numbers called

Emails (100+ pgs) - The interviewer saw these in our notebook, but didn't have enough time to review

Chat log (66 pgs) - The interviewer saw these in our notebook, but didn't have enough time to review

[Mononoke28 135]

I think some of those questions were a bit personal, I understand that he just wanted to match both of your answers but the whole thing about religion and what made you want to marry her...? Uhmm... I don't know.

Anyway, bottom line is that she got her visa and the whole thing will be over with as soon as she lands.

[Mike and Adriana 0]

The I-864 is basically a contract between you and the U.S. government, without which you will not get a visa for the beneficiary. So, like any contract, you need to provide ALL pages. I am not an IR-1/CR-1 guy, but I have to submit one for my K-3 wife's AOS....and I submitted all pages. Why risk it?

To everybody: A general i-864 question:

Which papers from the i-864 need to be sent in? The guide here sez, ALL pages in order 1,2,3,4,5,6, etc...

that makes no sense, the 864 form come with 19 pages but only 5 or 6 are pertinent..

What did you all do as far as sending in your 864 forms???

[dougyceci 0]

as the choice agent, does my wife now have to send me the supporting documents for the DS 230 instead of taking them to the interview

excuse the mistakes am in Bogota on the foreign keyboard. As for the DS230 you need to take part 1 and 2 to the medical exam. Both filled out and part 1 signed by your spouse. The receptionist asked my wife to sign part 2 at the doctors office. It will then be put in the envelope you pick up at the doctors office the next day and take to the interview. I took an extra copy, both unsigned to the interview with me just in case but was not needed.

I have everything except the police records, should she get this now and send it to me? doesn't she have to get one from bogota where she lived for 2 years also? and doesn't this police record have to be a few months old(3 maybe) and not older?

My wife got her DAS in September and she tells me they are good for one year. It does not matter where they are issued as it is issued for the entire country. We had no problem with anything we did. Am going to post our experience in the Embassy forum shortly. I am returning to the states tomorrow so if you have any questions feel free to PM me.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3190.html

Edited April 13, 2007 by dougyceci

[Mike and Adriana 0]

I wish I had the time and the data to do a study to see if there are correlations between the number/type of questions asked versus certain other variables (e.g., ages of beneficiary and petitioner, length of marriage, length of time known each other, financial status of petitioner, education of petitioner, etc.). I find it interesting that so many of us with seemingly similar situations...have such different experience at the embassy. As I have said before, the CO asked my wife no questions. Yes L4W was interviewed with his wife for 30 minutes? Why? Certain red flags in the petition? Preference of the CO? Change in embassy policy? Or random selection of who to "grill"?

I wish I knew. Frankly, I find this fascinating.

Mike

PS - COngrats to you...and to Doug and Cecy.

Actual Visa Interview Questions 4/10/2007 (not necessarily in order)

NOTE: We were interviewed extensively for a total of about 30 minutes. 1st her, then me, then both of us together. I noticed that ALL the interviews were taking an extremely long time. In fact, I couldn't tell if other people were receiving approvals or not. Many people were being interviewed, then going back to sit down, maybe to be called up again to the window(s) again much later. I was thinking, people of VJ always talk about identifying who's getting approved/denied, but I couldn't tell anything.

The interviewer, who appeared a white American male, was very friendly with us. He spoke to me in English, and he spoke to my wife in Spanish.

Most questions the interviewer asked both me and my wife the same question separately, i.e. to be able to compare our answers.

1 What is your husband's address? (the only question asked at the first window, prior to the interview)

2 Does your wife have any family in the USA?

3 How many siblings do you / does your wife have?

4 What do you do for a living?

5 Have you guys discussed having kids?

6 How many kids do you / does your wife want?

7 How many times have you been here to visit her?

8 What other places (cities) have you and your wife visited together inside of Colombia?

9 What will your wife do when she gets to the USA?

10 How do you communicate?

11 Do you speak Spanish?

12 Does she speak English?

13 Do you know his parents?

14 When did you two first meet?

15 What made you come to Colombia to find a wife?

16 To my wife (weird question to a Colombian woman): Do you know how to dance Salsa and Vallenato?

17 Did his parents come to the wedding?

18 What was special about your wife that made you want to marry her?

19 How did you two meet?

20 How many Spanish classes have you taken?

21 Have you guys discussed relgion, is that important to you?

22 What religion are you?

23 What religion is she?

Evidence of Relationship

NOTE: We had a Photo Album, and a Large Notebook with 3 sections: Phone Bills, Email, Chat

Photos (100+) - Interviewer asked, "Please explain your photos"

Phone Bills (approx. 10 pgs) - Interviewer asked, "Please explain your phone bills"

- NOTE: most phone bills were MCI bills showing numbers called, a few were Yahoo Voice receipts not showing

numbers called

Emails (100+ pgs) - The interviewer saw these in our notebook, but didn't have enough time to review

Chat log (66 pgs) - The interviewer saw these in our notebook, but didn't have enough time to review

[dougyceci 0]

George I sent in the 6 pages or whatever there before my signature. I did not send in the directions. Do as you wish but that is all I sent in. I am leaving tomorrow to go home. Ceci will becoming in on Wednesday alone from Bogota to Atlanta and then I will meet her in Atlanta to fly with her to Vegas. I would suggest staying two days after the interview. For us yesterday, and I cannot comment on L4W but only one couple were told to come back today for the visa. All the others we talked to were told to come back on Monday. Said something was wrong with the system to clear and print the visas. Not sure but all I know is we have a piece of paper to get back into the embassy on Monday at 4 for the visa. I would say if you have a Tuesday interview go back on weekend, for Wednesday the same, thurs-fri, not sure what I would do. But I am going home alone. Good luck

Doug

[cartagena2112 0]

Which papers from the i-864 need to be sent in? The guide here sez, ALL pages in order 1,2,3,4,5,6, etc...

that makes no sense, the 864 form come with 19 pages but only 5 or 6 are pertinent..

What did you all do as far as sending in your 864 forms???

Best,

George

Sorry if this is a silly answer but, Dude, you send in the pages that you fill out... you don't send in the instructions that accomany the form... B)

Thanks, it is kinda obvious which papers I have to fill out and which are instructions, so it was strange

to read here, to send "all" the papers in. Common sense dictates only the 5 or so, but we are dealing with the

US Government, where common sense is not part of our system. I know Ben Franklin (maybe it was Thomas Payne) wrote a pamphlete called "Common Sense" but none ever made it into our government in general so...

It's funny, I cought some flack for what was perceived to be too casual an attitude and now I get some flack for trying

to be thorough. Woe is me I need a hug...damn, my wife is not around...

Mike and Adriana say they sent all the 864 pages in. Maybe more peeps can chime in or otherwise I will simply

split the difference and send in 11 pages!

Looking4Wife, thanks for posting all the questions, that's a big help as to what to expect. Sure sounds like a bunch

of questions and some very personal ones as well. Sorry you had to go through all that. but...

Congrats on getting the VISA!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers!

George

Edited April 13, 2007 by cartagena2112

[cartagena2112 0]

L4W was interviewed with his wife for 30 minutes? Why?

Because he showed up in his Captain America outfit! They drew a bit of extra suspicion.

Thanks for replying to my 864 question, btw...

Best,

George

[cartagena2112 0]

I am leaving tomorrow to go home. Ceci will becoming in on Wednesday alone from Bogota to Atlanta and then I will meet her in Atlanta to fly with her to Vegas. ..... But I am going home alone.

Doug

Hi Doug,

Thanks for the 864 info. Nuff said. Ok... you are gonna stay till Monday to get the actual VISA...

Since you are already staying the extra days why not stay with her, 2 more days so you can both

enter the USA together! Unless in those 2 days, they will forclose your house or sell your business

to the Chinese, I would pay the penalty and stay the extra two days..

The two of your entering the USA together, how can it be any better than that???

Call me confused.

Best,

George

P.S. Enjoy the weekend. P.S.. II don't forget to load up on Cuban cigars before you go... if "You"

don't smoke, give 'em to your friends, thet will love you for it...

[dougyceci 0]

Call it fascinating or frustrating, either way it keeps us guessing. As to our interview on the 12th, it could not have been easier. I will try to explain the whole day so as to help all those going next.

We arrived right at 6, remember it is not in the front but at the side. When we arrived there must have been 30 - 40 people in line 1, 3 in line #3. Line 1 is for the tourist visas and at 615 when they announced this people moved to line 3, some tried to butt in but that did not work too well. A short while later we were let in, passed through security and into the waiting embassy. You will be directed to the right when enter the actual area. There are some windows there, the last 3, 30, 31, 32 are where they will call you to give them your folder you have prepared.

Once to the right they had about 6 chairs for 30 or 40 us. Each will be given a green folder and instructions on how to organize your folder. Here is the funny part, when they give instructions everyone bunches around the lady to hear and then they have to get back in line and sign in for the folder. Seems the order at the window you get called in is from that sign up sheet, as we were called about 20 minutes later. Organize your documents the night before as per the instructions in packet 4 for cr1, the order in the folder is the same.

They will call you to the window, but be sure to listen. Only your spouse can go. I tried but they made me sit down. They give you back what they do not want, and then send you to windows 2, 3, 4 to wait. I guess this is where the fingerprinting prior to the interview gets done but for us we sat and sat and sat. They kept calling people up and they left. We found out later they were having computer troubles so the people who were missing documents were being sent home to come back another day.

About 11 the lady next to us got called and a few minutes later she came back with an approval and note to pick up the visa Monday. We got called to the window a short time later. I thought it was for the fingerprinting but the lady had Ceci pick up the phone and started asking her questions.

1. How did we meet? Ceci responded on the internet and then got asked where which she answered. The lady looked at her strangely but went on. It seemed to me she was concerned about the length of our relationship, only five months before we got married.

2. When did we meet?

3. Where had we visited on my trips?

4. How many times I had visited and for how long?

5. Date of our wedding?

6. How many kids I had and how old they were?

7. Where her parents lived?

8. I think one question about what I did for a living as well.

9. Whether she had relatives living in the US?

She then had Ceci pass the phone to me she asked me

1. When and how we met?

2. How many times she had been to the US?

3. How many times and when was the first time we met in person?

4. If I had met her parents?

5. How we communicated, what language?

6. If I had ever been to Cartagena with Ceci?

My questions were simply to reinforce what she had asked Ceci to see if we matched. After that she typed something into her computer, reached for a white piece of paper and said we could pick the visa up on Monday. I tried to get it the next day and even went back to the window one more time to check but to no avail. In any event, we walked away from the window looking as if we had been denied, the people we were talking to thought that anyway. We were just disappointed not to be able to pick up the visa on Friday since I was leaving Saturday. All this is fine as I just used some of my miles and bought a ticket to meet her in Atlanta to bring her home after she passes through POE and customs.

We spoke with a few people but to be honest there was only one other American, natural born, anyway, there. The rest were American citizens, most Colombianos, if not all, bringing there spouses or other family members over. I wish I could shed more light for you but they did not even look at one piece of evidence I brought. I had a full backpack and another large briefcase or small suitcase, full of chats, emails, photos, phone records. and more, You name it I had it, we were ready.

I hope this helps and would be glad to answer any questions for you about any part of the process. My paying forward for all the help I have received from others. I want, and Ceci as well, to thank all of you. Some have asked questions that made me think, others answered, which made me wiser or more curious. In any event, thanks to all here at VJ. I only hope your day at the embassy will be as easy as ours.

Chao

Doug

[Mike and Adriana 0]

George:

Let me clarify....sorry to give you the impression that I sent in the instructions. I submitted pages 1-8. Page 8 was the signature page. I believe there were two pages in there that had no information from me on them, but I sent them anyway. I guess I thought your question whether to send ALL pages up to the signature page...or just the ones where you provided information. I would definitely assume there's no need to send the instructions.

Mike and Adriana say they sent all the 864 pages in. Maybe more peeps can chime in or otherwise I will simply

split the difference and send in 11 pages!

[Looking4Wife 0]

Mike (and others):

Just for the record I DON'T think that my wife and I were singled out by having a long interview. As cartagena2112 mentioned, I too at first thought I was being "profiled" because of my Captain America outfit (as a "Super-Abled American"), until I noticed they treated Spiderman and Batman (and their spouses) the same way.

Seriously, as I indicated in my post: "I noticed that ALL the interviews were taking an extremely long time."

So I think that, for whatever reason, ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY, they decided to interview the majority of people for a long time (20+ minutes). Is this a new trend? I don't know. It will be interesting to see what details Doug and Ceci report, since they had their interview 2 days after ours.

It was very confusing the way people were being interviewed, sitting down, and then having to go back up to the window. In fact, I didn't notice anyone leave immediately after their interview EXCEPT my wife and I. Maybe a couple people slipped by that I didn't notice. Maybe they had a lot of people trying to get some different visas beyond the scope of my knowledge so they had a different process. All I can tell you is what I experienced and what I saw... or at least what I "remember" seeing.

I wish I had the time and the data to do a study to see if there are correlations between the number/type of questions asked versus certain other variables (e.g., ages of beneficiary and petitioner, length of marriage, length of time known each other, financial status of petitioner, education of petitioner, etc.). I find it interesting that so many of us with seemingly similar situations...have such different experience at the embassy. As I have said before, the CO asked my wife no questions. Yes L4W was interviewed with his wife for 30 minutes? Why? Certain red flags in the petition? Preference of the CO? Change in embassy policy? Or random selection of who to "grill"?

I wish I knew. Frankly, I find this fascinating.

Mike

PS - COngrats to you...and to Doug and Cecy.

Actual Visa Interview Questions 4/10/2007 (not necessarily in order)

NOTE: We were interviewed extensively for a total of about 30 minutes. 1st her, then me, then both of us together. I noticed that ALL the interviews were taking an extremely long time. In fact, I couldn't tell if other people were receiving approvals or not. Many people were being interviewed, then going back to sit down, maybe to be called up again to the window(s) again much later. I was thinking, people of VJ always talk about identifying who's getting approved/denied, but I couldn't tell anything.

The interviewer, who appeared a white American male, was very friendly with us. He spoke to me in English, and he spoke to my wife in Spanish.

Most questions the interviewer asked both me and my wife the same question separately, i.e. to be able to compare our answers.

1 What is your husband's address? (the only question asked at the first window, prior to the interview)

2 Does your wife have any family in the USA?

3 How many siblings do you / does your wife have?

4 What do you do for a living?

5 Have you guys discussed having kids?

6 How many kids do you / does your wife want?

7 How many times have you been here to visit her?

8 What other places (cities) have you and your wife visited together inside of Colombia?

9 What will your wife do when she gets to the USA?

10 How do you communicate?

11 Do you speak Spanish?

12 Does she speak English?

13 Do you know his parents?

14 When did you two first meet?

15 What made you come to Colombia to find a wife?

16 To my wife (weird question to a Colombian woman): Do you know how to dance Salsa and Vallenato?

17 Did his parents come to the wedding?

18 What was special about your wife that made you want to marry her?

19 How did you two meet?

20 How many Spanish classes have you taken?

21 Have you guys discussed relgion, is that important to you?

22 What religion are you?

23 What religion is she?

Evidence of Relationship

NOTE: We had a Photo Album, and a Large Notebook with 3 sections: Phone Bills, Email, Chat

Photos (100+) - Interviewer asked, "Please explain your photos"

Phone Bills (approx. 10 pgs) - Interviewer asked, "Please explain your phone bills"

- NOTE: most phone bills were MCI bills showing numbers called, a few were Yahoo Voice receipts not showing

numbers called

Emails (100+ pgs) - The interviewer saw these in our notebook, but didn't have enough time to review

Chat log (66 pgs) - The interviewer saw these in our notebook, but didn't have enough time to review

[jediknight 0]

Mononoke28, i've also seen that link that you posted but if you notice it is old, dated Nov 2005. Look at the first link below: select BGT for bogota, click on Request Instructions and then open the PDF file on the bottom that says "Download all the immigrant visa instructions on Appointment NVC Processing"

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3176.html

or for a direct link, click below

http://travel.state.gov/pdf/APP_instructions.pdf