CR-1/IR-1 Colombia Club

[cartagena2112 0]

Hi everybody,

My wife and I entered the USA in Miami, last Friday.

It was a bit of a shock for me as ALL of the US Homeland Security

officers in the POE there spoke English as a second language.

There were US Gov't billboards there promising good service.

Reality was quite different. The service is incredibly slow and the

officers seemed more interested making jokes and ridiculing the

people who mistakenly entered the room, looking for the baggage

dept. (The baggage signs there are very confusing.)

We arrived through customs ok and we went to the POE together.

There room was only 1/4 full of people in the chairs and there were

5 officers on duty, so we figured it would be a breeze. This was

at 1:00pm.

Well, pretty soon there was only one officer processing the cases.

It took all of three hours to process my wife. The place on a busy day

must be a total nightmare.

So plan to spend some time if you need to catch a connecting flight.

Cheers!

George

JK, yes, some people did not get their VISAs, a familily, and some

fiancees, the fiancees were denied because the man was not present,

that is what my wife told me.

[Mononoke28 134]

Welcome home George!!!

[jediknight 0]

glad you made it home safe. we'll be traveling in aug and our poe will be jfk so i'll let you know how things go. take care you two.

JK

[Mononoke28 134]

Man, this place is dead since you got your visas...

Anyway, I have a couple of questions for you guys. Our case should be completed soon at the NVC since I sent the DS-230 on Tuesday with all the other paperwork. I know that the automated message will say when they close our case at the NVC, but how did you find out the date of the interview? Did you call the NVC and talk to a live person? Or did you call the Department of State and talk to a live person? I'm still confused about this.

Also, does the NVC tell you when packet 4 is mailed out? And if so, is it a live person or automated message?

Thanks guys!!!

Diana

[jediknight 0]

diana, unfortunately it seems you are the only one carrying the torch now but you still have lots here who are rooting you guys on. some of the couples approved before us don't post here as much but i know that they all wish everyone here the best.

the answer to both questions is yes, the nvc told me. i remember that i was calling every day and finally one early evening i called and the rep told me that we had been given the interview date. he told me when it was and was also kind enough to take the time to suggest and explain that i fax the interview letter to my wife since i would surely get it before she did(she still hasn't gotten it here in barranquilla). as i'm sure you already know, your husband will need the letter to show at the lab and doctors office. same for the packet 4, i called the nvc and a live rep told me that it was mailed to me and to bogota at the same time.

you're almost there. i know that there are more people in the K visa thread but try and keep this thread alive. take care

JK

[Mononoke28 134]

Thanks JK!!! You're awesome. I'm going to hound those NVC people every day until they give me the interview date. I was just confused about it.

I know, I'm the only CR1 visa peep in this old town, but that's alright because I know you guys are still wishing us well.

Diana

[jediknight 0]

diana, about the appt letter. make a copy of it just in case, especially if you plan on sending the original overnight by fedex to your husband. i reposted a copy of it in "my photos" so that if you need to you can generate yours using word as soon as you get your appt date. it's a regular document, nothing fancy so all you have to do is personalize it and email it to your husband. once he gets it he can print it out and it'll look just like the original. this is an option if sending it by fedex is too expensive or you don't want to risk faxing him a copy and then have the lab or doctors say that they need the original. the seal is also there with the letter so you can resize it and add it on top.

JK

[Mononoke28 134]

Oh my gosh, I didn't know we could do that! Thank you so much. I'll definitely tell him to generate it since the one I get might not get to him in time for his medical.

So the barcode is the same as the other barcodes we generated using James' shortcuts? And where the Agent info would be the choice of agent? In our case me?

Thanks PAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diana

[jediknight 0]

yes that was my concern also that i wouldn't get it before the medical. in fact, when my wife went to her medical the doctor asked her how she got it so quickly. he knew of the changes and that there was less time to get things.

so yes, the barcode is the same as always and the agents name and address is the choice of agent, which is you. don't forget to change the date the letter was written. in my case it was the date that the letter was mailed to me which was 2 days after i found out the interview date. i remember the nvc telling me that these letters are usually mailed out on thur and fri, they can tell you the date it was mailed to you.

JK

Edited July 31, 2007 by jediknight

[cartagena2112 0]

Man, this place is dead since you got your visas...

Anyway, I have a couple of questions for you guys. Our case should be completed soon at the NVC since I sent the DS-230 on Tuesday with all the other paperwork. I know that the automated message will say when they close our case at the NVC, but how did you find out the date of the interview? Did you call the NVC and talk to a live person? Or did you call the Department of State and talk to a live person? I'm still confused about this.

Also, does the NVC tell you when packet 4 is mailed out? And if so, is it a live person or automated message?

Hi Diana,

We haven't forgotten about you!

But now I spend all day eating New Jersey pizza, so I have no time for anything else.

Yes, JK has explained it right, I got all the info. from calling the NVC over and over again.

Yeah, you can use a copy of the appointment letter when you get to the embassy.

You know (from this Webpage) everything already, so you will be fine at the interview, just be prepared

to stay a few days extra in Bogota and you will be ok!

Best,

George & Leydi

[Mononoke28 134]

Thank you guys! I know you're always there for me. We're just the three CR1 musketeers.

Man, that sounded stupid.

Diana

[dougyceci 0]

Diana, don't think we all have forgotten. Those of us before the change can't help as much as George and JK as they have gone through the new process. I watch and if and when I can help I do or will. I have answered a lot of personal emails asking for help. JK is right, we are rooting for you, as you will see, once your spouse arrives, the board here unfortuanately becomes lesser a priority in your life. I guess it is the law of nature.

[Mononoke28 134]

Doug is so nice to see you around here!

I totally understand, I think it will also be hard for me to come back once we are done with the process. But I'll try to pop in every now and then.

I hope your wife is liking her new life in the States and that the heat in Vegas is not driving her crazy.

Diana

[jediknight 0]

hey kids, we just arrived in the US. in barranquilla my wife was asked for her passport(visa inside) and the brown envelope. they didn't open it but wanted to check the info on the printed sheet on the outside. our poe was jfk, the red eye from barranquilla to nyc. flight was ok, crew was nice as always and we arrived on time...5:30am. we filled out one customs form for the 2 of us, the blue one. before going through immigration, i asked the officer there that was guiding people which one we should goto and we were told the visitors line. we waited about 5 mins, the officer was pleasant. he didn't ask my wife any questions but did ask me the usual, what i did for a living, where, when did i travel, etc. we were told about the 2 year conditional removal thing, we then went to another room on the side for fingerprinting, all of 15 minutes and we were done, nothing exciting thank God. we got our luggage, came home and slept. things are great.

good luck all

JK

[lucho562 0]

Congrat Steve and your wife!!! (sorry dont know her name)

Glad to read that everything went smooth at POE. Let me know how your wife is adjusting to the states. Wendy is from Barranquilla as well. She is only adjusting OK.