US Embassy in bogota doing interviews for Cuban

[YandJ 40]

3 hours ago, SazKap said:

Hi Team Cuba,

 

In the data-driven spirit of VJ, trying to aggregate a list of Cuba filers and their status/updates on NVC/Visa Interview in Colombia. Hoping our collective knowledge can land us answers and maybe even an estimated timeline.

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T92HV6FyMPMY5N68eQ-Iz7Mmf_eWVWIsT3nXO1MTLxQ/edit#gid=0

 

Here's a list of folks I believe are planning to have their visas processed in a 3rd-party embassy. Would appreciate if ya'll indicate your status and respective dates/milestones.

 

@DiamondEyes490 

@CubaAndChill 

@VeredAK

@Marianatomas

@Kirenia

@AriSmith 

@Sarah&Michel

@pukka

@YandJ

@pukka

@Raulandlisa

 

Am I missing anyone?

 

Feel free to edit/add columns with any other important milestones I'm missing like date of receipt for Bogota Instructions email, etc.

Hi everyone! 

 

I added my info to the spreadsheet. I'm nowhere near scheduling since I'm an October filer but I have been working on gathering all the paperwork needed to move forward. Curious to see some sort of timeline in dealing with the embassy in Bogotá. Especially for medical, since Ari mentioned in takes 3 days to complete medical and they need to be completed before the interview and the how long do they take to issue the visa. I think so far she is the closest one as I believe she is scheduled for interview at the end of this month. 

[pukka 11]

All, I do want to keep chatting and sharing info, but given the public and searchable nature of VJ posts, I have some privacy concerns. At this point the info we may share given the unique situation we find ourselves navigating may be identifiable/revealing. Is there any way we could create a private group chat (on VJ) and keep any docs private to us/others applying who ask to join our group? What do you think? 

[JacNCoke 20]

1 hour ago, pukka said:

All, I do want to keep chatting and sharing info, but given the public and searchable nature of VJ posts, I have some privacy concerns. At this point the info we may share given the unique situation we find ourselves navigating may be identifiable/revealing. Is there any way we could create a private group chat (on VJ) and keep any docs private to us/others applying who ask to join our group? What do you think? 

I completely agree with that.  I haven't seen a way to do that on VJ, but there are other options through Facebook or maybe a Google Hangout/shared drive. 

[AriSmith 11]

Update. The U.S. Embassy in Bogota CANCELED our K1 visa interview 10 DAYS before we were scheduled to attend. We had this interview booked for a month! I want to cry but I have too much fight in me to sit down and cry. 

 

So upset. 

 

I emailed the consular section IVBOGOTA@ state.gov to ask why our appointment got cancelled for no reason. I'm waiting for their reply. This is really saddening. 

[LoveBird 64]

Hi all,

 

First @AriSmith I almost cried when I just read your post and I don't even know you, but I've been following your story.  I am so sorry.  That is unbelievably frustrating.  

 

I'm super new to this and the probably the last one in line in this group.  Just mailed our I129F last week.  I really appreciate that there is a website like VJ and subgroups like this one for people going on this stressful journey with the added complications of poor diplomatic relations.  So, hello!  And great job organizing yourselves.  The information here is so helpful. And count me in for any future groups or spreadsheets. 

 

Best everyone, and happy holidays.  I am traveling to Cuba after xmas for a few weeks

[JacNCoke 20]

4 hours ago, AriSmith said:

Update. The U.S. Embassy in Bogota CANCELED our K1 visa interview 10 DAYS before we were scheduled to attend. We had this interview booked for a month! I want to cry but I have too much fight in me to sit down and cry. 

 

So upset. 

 

I emailed the consular section IVBOGOTA@ state.gov to ask why our appointment got cancelled for no reason. I'm waiting for their reply. This is really saddening. 

OMG...I'm so sorry @AriSmith.  My heart breaks for you.  I've watched your videos on Facebook so I know you have the strength to get through this.  Hopefully you will get a quick response from Bogota and I pray it was just an error that can be reversed.  Thinking of you!

[pukka 11]

I don't think it's a fluke. It happened to me too. I followed the same steps Ari took. I also emailed and the response from the embassy was that everyone must wait for instructions first. 

[AriSmith 11]

Awww thanks so much @JacNCoke 

 

I've been emailing the Embassy in Bogota and they asked me

 

"

Good afternoon, please let us know if you received the Packet of Instructions from the Embassy in Bogota to do that process. If you are processing a K visa, you need to wait instructions from us.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

	Immigrant Visa Unit Unidad de Visas - Sección Consular U.S. Embassy - Bogota
	Email: ivbogota@state.gov
	http://bogota.usembassy.gov/
	http://spanish.bogota.usembassy.gov     I told them I didn't receive a packet and was told by the NVC to go ahead and just schedule my appointment with the Embassy in Bogota which I did!

[pukka 11]

8 minutes ago, AriSmith said:

Awww thanks so much @JacNCoke 

 

I've been emailing the Embassy in Bogota and they asked me

 

"

Good afternoon, please let us know if you received the Packet of Instructions from the Embassy in Bogota to do that process. If you are processing a K visa, you need to wait instructions from us.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

	Immigrant Visa Unit Unidad de Visas - Sección Consular U.S. Embassy - Bogota
	Email: ivbogota@state.gov
	http://bogota.usembassy.gov/
	http://spanish.bogota.usembassy.gov     I told them I didn't receive a packet and was told by the NVC to go ahead and just schedule my appointment with the Embassy in Bogota which I did!

Let is know what their response is.

[pukka 11]

The previous comment from @CubaAndChill who is processing in argentina leads me to believe there are some special steps to take in terms of paperwork that will be different from that of a colombian processing in Colombia (so different from the packet you found online), so perhaps they are writing special instructions for Cuban K visa applicants going to Colombia...

[CubaAndChill 389]

'@AriSmith I believe the packet their speaking of is the packet 3... Argentina sent me this packet stating what documents I need to gather and where my fiance can get his medical done since they only work with a couple clinics/doctors. You'll have to wait for Colombia to send you these instructions before you can move forward. Most likely they'll have you send copies, like Argentina is making us do, before they send you an interview date. 

 

It's a very frustrating process, especially for y'all. But it truly is a waiting game. We're at the government's mercy and any loopholes will just end up biting us in the ###.. unfortunately.

 

My heart goes out to you and hopefully they'll send you a notification soon. It took Argentina about a week from the time the case was asked to be transferred for them to send me packet 3. I also advise to go to Colombia's sub-forum on VJ and read around to get an idea of their process.

 

Please let me know if I can do anything to help or support.

[pukka 11]

13 minutes ago, CubaAndChill said:

'@AriSmith I believe the packet their speaking of is the packet 3... Argentina sent me this packet stating what documents I need to gather and where my fiance can get his medical done since they only work with a couple clinics/doctors. You'll have to wait for Colombia to send you these instructions before you can move forward. Most likely they'll have you send copies, like Argentina is making us do, before they send you an interview date. 

 

It's a very frustrating process, especially for y'all. But it truly is a waiting game. We're at the government's mercy and any loopholes will just end up biting us in the ###.. unfortunately.

 

My heart goes out to you and hopefully they'll send you a notification soon. It took Argentina about a week from the time the case was asked to be transferred for them to send me packet 3. I also advise to go to Colombia's sub-forum on VJ and read around to get an idea of their process.

 

Please let me know if I can do anything to help or support.

You can actually find that packet online, Ari found and posted it somewhere I think, and also one of the doctors I wrote to emailed it to me, so it's in pretty good circulation. It is the same packet as Colombian applicants receive.  But I am wondering if maybe the embassy in Columbia is going to send us something special since we are transfer cases And that's why we have to wait. Was your packet different from that Argentinians get? It is interesting that you have to send so many documents directly to the embassy that one would normally just bring to the interview appointment. Or is that just standard in Argentina? I am wondering if maybe this packet they are talking about is going to be something special just for the Cuban applicants with how we should prepare and send some paperwork in advance… 

[CubaAndChill 389]

10 minutes ago, pukka said:

You can actually find that packet online, Ari found and posted it somewhere I think, and also one of the doctors I wrote to emailed it to me, so it's in pretty good circulation. It is the same packet as Colombian applicants receive.  But I am wondering if maybe the embassy in Columbia is going to send us something special since we are transfer cases And that's why we have to wait. Was your packet different from that Argentinians get? It is interesting that you have to send so many documents directly to the embassy that one would normally just bring to the interview appointment. Or is that just standard in Argentina? I am wondering if maybe this packet they are talking about is going to be something special just for the Cuban applicants with how we should prepare and send some paperwork in advance… 

Yea the packets are always circulating around. Ours was exactly the same as any other Argentinian (or really anyone else) applying for a K1. I already knew what was needed beforehand but you can't do anything until you get that packet from the embassy. Which is Packet 3. I don't believe it'll be different than what any other Colombian, or any other beneficiary from wherever, would receive but I could be totally wrong at the least you may not have to send copies to the embassy like us.. it is kind of crazy they ask us to send copies and then bring the originals to the interview.. It's just double work for nothing, but it's necessary for us to do to get an interview date...

 

You can prepare some of the paperwork though, especially asking for the police certificate since it takes about a month or more to receive but you have to keep in mind the certifications expire. I would just advise not to get them too early because you might have to get them again if the us embassy in bogota takes too long to schedule people.

[pukka 11]

31 minutes ago, CubaAndChill said:

Yea the packets are always circulating around. Ours was exactly the same as any other Argentinian (or really anyone else) applying for a K1. I already knew what was needed beforehand but you can't do anything until you get that packet from the embassy. Which is Packet 3. I don't believe it'll be different than what any other Colombian, or any other beneficiary from wherever, would receive but I could be totally wrong at the least you may not have to send copies to the embassy like us.. it is kind of crazy they ask us to send copies and then bring the originals to the interview.. It's just double work for nothing, but it's necessary for us to do to get an interview date...

 

You can prepare some of the paperwork though, especially asking for the police certificate since it takes about a month or more to receive but you have to keep in mind the certifications expire. I would just advise not to get them too early because you might have to get them again if the us embassy in bogota takes too long to schedule people.

Thank you for this info.  We already have everything including the certificates, reports, and even the medical, because our interview in Havana was canceled with only 24 hours notice.  so i guess it's just  waiting game! Keep us posted.

[Sarah&Michel 6]

On 12/12/2017 at 2:20 PM, SazKap said:

Hi Team Cuba,

 

In the data-driven spirit of VJ, trying to aggregate a list of Cuba filers and their status/updates on NVC/Visa Interview in Colombia. Hoping our collective knowledge can land us answers and maybe even an estimated timeline.

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T92HV6FyMPMY5N68eQ-Iz7Mmf_eWVWIsT3nXO1MTLxQ/edit#gid=0

 

Here's a list of folks I believe are planning to have their visas processed in a 3rd-party embassy. Would appreciate if ya'll indicate your status and respective dates/milestones.

 

@DiamondEyes490 

@CubaAndChill 

@VeredAK

@Marianatomas

@Kirenia

@AriSmith 

@Sarah&Michel

@pukka

@YandJ

@pukka

@Raulandlisa

 

Am I missing anyone?

 

Feel free to edit/add columns with any other important milestones I'm missing like date of receipt for Bogota Instructions email, etc.

Hi- my husband and I are already done with our visa process (he became a citizen last year.) Since I work in US-Cuba relations, I check back in from time to time with any info I might think helpful to others going through the process. 

 

Good luck everyone! Hope your loved ones get to come to the US soon! 

Edited December 18, 2017 by Sarah&Michel