CR-1/IR-1 Colombia Club

[Looking4Wife 0]

Lab and Medical Nightmare

Interview Date: 4/10/2007

Lab Date: Tuesday, 4/3/2007

Medical Exam: Wednesday, 4/4/2007

The lab hours were 7 AM - 10 PM. We wanted to be early, so we arrived Tuesday morning at 6:30 AM. We waited outside (under a roof, but still outside) with probably around 20 other people. Eventually, the doors were opened, and ONLY the people receiving exams were let in. This meant I had to find something else to do for about 90 minutes. I walked around, went to the nearby park, and waited for the internet cafés to open up.

The next day, Wednesday, we went to her medical exam with Dr. Gonzalez.

The first apparent obstacle occurred when I became upset with Dr. Gonzalez’s secretary who insisted to my wife that my wife must give her an “original” DS-230. Of course I had sent the “original” DS-230 to NVC. Of course I had a copy of the exact DS-230 that I had sent to NVC. So I explained to my wife that in the USA, documents are considered original so long as they have an original signature. That wasn’t good enough for the secretary (Sandra). So I bit my tongue as my wife started handwriting the DS-230 over again. If only that would have been the main problem we would encounter at the doctors office...

only to find out that her lab test had either been done incorrectly, or her results had been mixed up with someone else's that had an STD. This obviously was TOTALLY UNEXPECTED and the worst thing that could happen at that juncture. This was especially troubling for us since, being devout Christians, neither one of us has ever had sex outside of marriage (this is her first marriage, and my 2nd marriage).

The doctor told her to go the lab immediately to begin retesting. However, Thursday and Friday everything would be closed for Holy Week (Semana Santa). In addition, the new test would take 3 days (instead of less than 24 hrs like the first bogus test), since they were allegedly going to do it CORRECTLY this time.

That meant she would not receive her test results until Wednesday, 4/11/2007, but her interview date was Tuesday, 4/10/2007... the nightmare continues...

The doctor told her to go to the interview, and explain her medical results would come later. So that's what we did. Fortunately, the Consular Officer (CO) was kind enough to conduct the interview and wait for the medical results.

NOTE: The doctor's staff was rude to us during this whole trying ordeal. When the results came in, the doctor didn't even have the decency to sit down with my wife for 2 minutes to tell her "you're results are fine". She just had her secretary give her the SEALED envelope after all that agony.

We used Doctora Consuelo Gonzalez. I ADAMANTLY DO NOT RECOMMEND HER! I adamantly encourage everyone to use Dr. Roa. Unfortunately I don't have his info handy, but there are only 2 doctors approved by the embassy, so both doctor's info will be in Packet 4.

Everyone else that my wife talked to at the lab that day was going to Dr. Roa. They had lab appointments that morning, and their doctor's appointments that SAME afternoon. Then they had their visa interviews immediately the NEXT day. That is a significant time savings and customer service benefit.

With Doctora Gonzalez, we had to have the lab appointment one day, medical next day, and we were not to receive results until the 3rd day... as opposed to (potentially) same day service for everything with Dr. Roa.

Furthermore, not even so much as a "we're sorry" or an "oops" from the lab for MISTAKENLY telling my wife that she had a communicable disease right before her visa interview... and making us pay for additional test results which obviously was THEIR ERROR in the first place!

Therefore, I recommend Dr. Roa. This is his info taken directly from our Packet 4:

Dr. Jairo Roa

Centro Médico La Sabana

Cra. 7 No. 119-14, Cons. 325

Telephone Numbers: 215-1763 or 658-9366

[Looking4Wife 0]

Changing My Wife’s Plane Ticket

After having spent so much time in Bogotá already, I was forced to come back on my previously scheduled date of 4/12. I had previously purchased my wife’s ticket for about $650 from Bogotá to Ohio. Of course, given all the hell that we were experiencing, I didn’t dare confirm a date change for her ticket until she had her visa in hand. Due to the penalty to change flights ($200) and the change in fares, and the airport taxes, I had to pay an ADDITIONAL $850 to get her a flight to come to the USA the next day.

Prior to going down to her visa interview, I was trying to remain optimistic especially since we had a couple extra days built into the schedule. Who knew we’d need a whole extra week in the schedule? I figured it was a good gamble, because if things worked out according to schedule I’d save the highway robbery rates of buying a ticket to leave next day at the last minute.

In retrospect, I would not have taken that gamble. I ended up paying the highway robbery rates at the last minute. The embassy encourages you not to order your tickets until your visa approval. However, it’s was hard for me to think like that after being painfully separated from my wife for so long.

Delayed at Point of Entry in Atlanta

My wife was supposed to arrive in Ohio around 6:30 pm. She was delayed in Atlanta during questioning for her point of entry. The delay was primarily due to the number of people that they had to process at that time, it wasn't that my wife was being singled out. Fortunately, they changed her flight for her at no additional charge. She arrived in Ohio at 11:30 pm.

Thank God its Over

She has been here with me for about 1 month now, and we are so happy together! We couldn’t have made it without God’s grace.

I wish all the best to others on their Visa Journey!

[jediknight 0]

looking, thanks so much for posting such detailed and informative reports, especially your account of the interview and the questions that were asked.

i'm glad that things are going well for the two of you and wish you continued happiness. please continue to stop by from time to time and say hello, share any updates or give advice to those of us still working our way through this maze. our case was recently completed so i hope that we may get our interview for july or august.

nice hearing from you, take care

JK

Edited May 21, 2007 by jediknight

[dougyceci 0]

I guess becoming upset does not help any situationa and I have found that to be true with any Colombiano. I had to post my two cents worth on Dr. Gonzalez. My wife had a great experience with her and her staff. I sent a ds-230 with Ceci and she signed it there. That is all they needed. Looking was correct, Ceci had to go back the next day to get the packet and no the doctor did not talk with her. But then I can't say I see any compassion from Dr.'s here in the states either. Not to create a war but I just spoke with Ceci about this and she would recommend Dr. Gonzalez. Just another opinion. I would not hesitate to use her just make sure have a fresh ds-230 to sign in front the staff.

Doug

[jediknight 0]

doug, did ceci have to do the lab one day and the medical exam the next? in other words, how many days did it take from start to getting the results picked up? 2, 3 days?

also. given the choice of the 2 docters, why did you choose one over the other? was it because of availabilty, location, female doctor? i had read (i can't recall if it was in bogota or in other countries) how some male doctors have taken advantage of young women by asking them to strip naked where as the female doctors do not and conduct the exam with most or all of the clothes on.

for that reason alone i was thinking of taking my wife to see la Dra. in stead of el Dr.

any one else who has gone through this please share your experiences with both doctors.

gracias

JK

[Looking4Wife 0]

doug, did ceci have to do the lab one day and the medical exam the next? in other words, how many days did it take from start to getting the results picked up? 2, 3 days?

also. given the choice of the 2 docters, why did you choose one over the other? was it because of availabilty, location, female doctor? i had read (i can't recall if it was in bogota or in other countries) how some male doctors have taken advantage of young women by asking them to strip naked where as the female doctors do not and conduct the exam with most or all of the clothes on.

for that reason alone i was thinking of taking my wife to see la Dra. in stead of el Dr.

any one else who has gone through this please share your experiences with both doctors.

gracias

JK

JK:

I heard the same thing about female vs. male doctors concerning stripping naked. Also, I had read good reviews on Dra. Gonzalez on VJ, and she was recommended by a personal friend.

However, as the disciples said about Jesus, "I can only speak of the things that I have seen and heard (for myself)". I can only tell you that our entire experience with her and her staff was a nightmare.

A little compassion and respect after mistakenly telling my wife she had an STD would have been appreciated.

Even if it was the lab's mix-up, it was Dra. Gonzalez who was the disseminator of the bogus information... and the "non-disseminator" after the test results came back correctly.

[Mononoke28 135]

I just read your embassy review and what a nightmare not having your visa ready when they say it will be. That is one of the reasons why I'm so afraid to plan on going to the embassy with my husband and coming back together, what if the visa is not ready for a week and I have to get back to work? Horrible.

I've lived in New York and now here in Denver and the cold we have here does not compare to the weather in Bogotá. But I did go to my cousin's farm in Santuario, Antioquia where the temperature on average is about 60º-65ºF and I kept making fun of everybody because they were complainin about the cold weather. Then lo and behold comes 5PM and I was FREEZING, I couldn't even talk from the cold I felt. Turns out the weather drops in a flash to very cold temps in the afternoon and early morning due to the pressure going down. At least that's what my military cousin told me when he heard my teeth chattering from across the room. It's crazy!

Diana

[Mike and Adriana 0]

One idea.......

Our interview was on a Friday. I had to be back to work, so left on Monday morning. My wife picked up the visa on Monday afternoon, as scheduled. However, if she had been delayed, she still would have been OK....as her flight to Miami was not until Friday. I picked her up then. Not only did this build in a little cushion just in case, but it also gave her a chance to have some "goodbye time" with her relatives (not to mention that I did not have to be at the airport for "cry-fest" ).

Mike

I just read your embassy review and what a nightmare not having your visa ready when they say it will be. That is one of the reasons why I'm so afraid to plan on going to the embassy with my husband and coming back together, what if the visa is not ready for a week and I have to get back to work? Horrible.

Diana

[Mononoke28 135]

Mike,

I've also thought about cryfest 2007 at the airport when my husband leaves and I'm really dreading it. But right now it's getting to the point where we're going to have to choose, either I go for the interview or I go pick him up. I'd like to travel back with him and help him out with the layover and stuff, but yeah the whole saying good-bye to family for good will be extremely uncomfortable.

Diana

[cartagena2112 0]

Therefore, I recommend Dr. Roa. This is his info taken directly from our Packet 4:

Dr. Jairo Roa

Centro Médico La Sabana

Cra. 7 No. 119-14, Cons. 325

Telephone Numbers: 215-1763 or 658-9366

Hey Cap!

Thanks for all the details about the medical things. And thanks to you, now I know which doctor to pick. We are both very sad to hear

they treated you so horribly at the clinic. What a terrible, stressful ordeal.

Though it's great that you are both together and happy.

You are very kind to report this here so we can benefit from your experience.

Thanks.

Best Regards,

George

[cartagena2112 0]

(not to mention that I did not have to be at the airport for "cry-fest" ).

Mike

Ok out of all the posts here, "finally" some good old fashioned "logical thinking"! I agree with you Mike as you of course

would have been looked at as the "jailer" in this situation, a no win scenario for you, for sure!

Seriously...

Thanks for chiming in before and replying to my post about the 129 & 130 simultaneous approvals.

Best Regards,

George

[dougyceci 0]

Since Ceci lives in Bogota she had the lab work done several days before the medical. We chose Dra. for two reasons, one from what a couple people I correspond with said about how good their experience with her was and Ceci did say she would feel more comfortable with a female Dr. as well. And as Looking said "I can only comment on our experience" I still stand behind behind my recommendation. As for the cry fest, I dreaded that moment as well but we decided all the goodbyes would be said the night before and not at the airport to avoid that. God I was dreading that but lucked out. I would still recommend going down for the experience if you can take the time off work. Ceci really felt more comfortable with me at the embassy and again in Atlanta when we met there. I guess our karma is good, the whole journey was quick, clean and hassle free.

Doug

[jediknight 0]

thanks doug, i'm also glad for the 2 of you that things went smoothly. good idea with saying goodbyes the night before, it could help take the edge off.

JK

[Looking4Wife 0]

Scheduling flights for the POE trip to the USA...

One thing worth mentioning is that when I booked my wife's flight to the USA, I was more than happy to take the flight that would get her here by 6:30 pm as opposed to 11:00 pm.

However, that meant that she would only have 90 minutes in Atlanta to deal with POE and catch her next flight... which it never entered my mind that this would be a problem. As it turned out, she missed her flight in the 90 minute window, and had to catch a later flight because they had many people in front of her dealing with POE.

They did allow her to change her flight at no charge, so that was good.

The main point is to not get your hopes up for earlier flights, and just keep in mind that POE could take longer than expected or hoped for.

Buena suerte y Dios te bendiga

[dougyceci 0]

I will second that Looking, Ceci was in Customs for right at 2 hours, most of the time not in a the secondary interview room but in the visitors line trying to through. It seems the amount of people going through Atlanta is increasing. For anyone going through Atlanta I would schedule connections no less than 2 1/2 - 3 hours after they arrive in the US. We actually had 5 hours, a bit much but had no other choice.

Doug

Edited May 23, 2007 by dougyceci