K-1 Visa 221g Colombia Bogota

[Mexrik 4]

Hello community, I need some guidance my fiancé is Venezuela born living in Colombia, but her parents are colombian she had her interview on 4/8/2019 in Bogota Colombia, she was drilled for over 30min. She was asked some really crazy questions like how are you able to community with your fiancé petitioner, which she really replied both his parents are Latinos and grew up learning  both Languages. Other important docs like income proof wasn’t even asked for, but I know I make the more then required income and had given her 4 months pay stubs, 3 years of tax filings, bank info etc in the packet she took to her interview.  Anyway, here is my question/concern after interview her passport was kept, but she was given a 221g because counselor stated her criminal records for venezuela & colombia were not recent enough do to being 6 months old from the day we printed it, like to note she has a clean record as well as i. Anyway Counselor also wanted to see more proof our relationship specifically  text messages and not just pictures or phone call logs. Again her PASSPORT kept, from what others have stated this is a good sign when it comes Colombia embassy K-1 visa interview!  She was given instructions on how to submitted required evidence to proceed with K-1 Visa process. On 4/16/2018 we submitted updated criminal records & 100+ images of text various dates and times to the email provided by counselor. Its been 15 days since we submitted requested documents and there have been 2 updates on Ceac site. One on 4/22/2019 & one on 4/30/2019 still says Administrative processing. Is this normal, because the documents they requested pretty straight forward and we submitted with no issues! In terms of how Interview went and how long we’ve waited after submitting required documents? Because she had a family friend do her interview last year in Colombia and they only asked her 1 question, how did they meet and didn’t ask to see anything else and was approved on the spot and received her passport stamp with visa in the mail within 10 business days. I feel like my fiancée was singled out due to her being Venezuelan born, reason I’m saying this is in my travels, maybe I’m wrong but  I’ve seen uprise of a lot of Latin American countries being very strong with Venezuelans trying to migrate to another country. Any help or guidance would be helpful. Thanks. 

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

not really singled out 

all our criminal reports need to be within last 90 days / some even expire after 90 days

 

Let's pray she is able to get the Venezuelan report amid all the problems there

 

actual proof of relationship is face time/ I would send copy of your passport pages showing customs stamps that you visited (along with profile page) / any itinerary for your trips

if they want to see more text messages ,  provide them

all you can do is , give the embassy what they ask for

 

good news is ,  they kept her passport which usually means they intend to issue visa if you send the required documents

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

Not to be a "downer", but verbal approval in the interview, then request for other documentation, nothing is "approved" until visa is actually issued. Just for clarification. During AP an 'approval' can be over turned. And AP itself can be short or long term. At this point have to just be patient as hard as that may be.

[Mexrik 4]

Ben- this a first for me, I see where your coming from, I can only assume from what others have stated that have done the K-1 visa in Bogota Colombia! If they are leaning towards approving the visa they keep your passport if they are not, they don’t, when it comes to Bogota Colombia embassy! Which in this case they did. But required more proof of relationship and updated criminal records which we sent out 8 days after interview. 

 

Adil- I didn’t realize that it had to be from the last 90 days being it is my first time do this process, and at least from the Information i researched in my case didn’t have that information at the time, if that were the case would’ve printed those documents later instead of sooner since I was trying to be proactive and have all docs required as soon as possible months before her actual interview. And yes we were able to get updated criminal records for both Colombia & Venezuela within a couple days after interview and collected additional 100+ images like you’ve stated video-calls, e-mail conversations, flights bookings, passports stamps from multiple trips made and pictures of her family and when I gave her the engagement ring enough though most of that was provided in the packet I gave her, counselor told her specifically she wanted to text conversation. So we did as instructed and sent to embassy 4/16/2019 8 days of she had her Interview. Again, from the experience she had getting drilled 30min asking all sorts of questions vs others that had only 1-2 questions and where asked for less docs then we were, it felt like she was. Since it’s to the counselor discretion what they pick and choose to want to see at the time of the interview. 

 

 

Also, what does it mean in the Ceac website that last update was 4/30/19 does that mean they are looking at your case or is that just a generic update. 

[Miller Family 330]

@Mexrik

Thanks for posting this.  I'm in a similar situation, with the exception that my fiancée lives in Panama.  I'll make sure that she's aware of that question of communication, along with up to date police reports.

 

 

I have one question:  Does your fiancée have a Colombian or Venezuelan passport?

Edited May 2, 2019 by TandClaudia

[Mexrik 4]

@TandClaudiaNot a problem! Some info even with .gov instruction can be  vague  For example proof of relationship and they have met at least one time is what is stated for a K-1 application and alleged approval, but at the time of the actual interview it’s to the discretion of the counselor what documents the my ask the beneficiary to see,, some may ask for just couple photos, other emails and photos, other emails, photos, call logs, video calls, passport stamps and the kitchen sink. 

 

Like I said we know people that went, had there interview at bogota Colombia were asked only 1-3 questions and requested to see limited or no real info at all. And were approved in less 2min-5min flat. Sadly that was not our experience, my fiancée interview lasted 30min and silly question were asked as to I can speak Spanish even though in my I-129f I clearly state my father is from Mexico and mom from Puerto Rico and we had many text message showing conversation in Spanish. 

[Miller Family 330]

I hope they get this processed for your quickly.

 

I'll make sure that I have whatsapp convos ready for the interview, I'll attend the interview,  and also have her bring the receipt for the English classes that she is taking.

 

But to address your initial point, I can personally attest to the crappy treatment that some people give Venezuelans.   I have seen it first hand, and although I have been subject to much worse (in America), I still despise it.  That's why I asked if she had a Venezuela passport or a Colombian passport.

[Mexrik 4]

@TandClaudia hope all goes well for you, although it’s not required and even they don’t allow you the beneficiary to be present  at the time of interview, it doesn’t hurt and I actually feel it only strengths proof of ongoing relationship, unfortunately in my case my fiancée wanted to go as soon as possible and didn’t wait for me to get vacation time off for me to go and also she felt it wouldn’t  be necessary for me to go, being she had acquaintances that did  it without the petitioner  present and passed on the spot. Her parents are colombia born but moved years ago to Venezuela during the 90’s when colombia had issues with the cartels, so she was born in Venezuela, now recently 2 years ago she and her family moved back to Colombia since things are so unstable there’s now and Colombia is much better in safety and stability. So at the time of her interview she had her Venezuela passport and of course she was born there, wish I would’ve taken out her colombia passport but we had limited time after she had already her visa appointment so would’ve been able to get in before the interview. 

[Miller Family 330]

Any updates @Mexrik ?

 

[Mexrik 4]

@TandClaudia only seen it update the dates on Ceac. 4/22,4/30,5/03 but status still  “administrative  Processing”! Hoping that something positive shows this week, or lastest next week. 

 

Thanks for asking. 

[Miller Family 330]

Thanks for the update.  Hoping that you hear something soon.

[cata & JB 23]

hi, i'm in the same case here, my interview was pas 05/28 and the consul let us in administrative processing just asking to send my passport and the copy of my passport by dhl without telling me  if we wa approved, im venezuelan, and was really confusing that she ask me if i'm going to finish my process in Bogota or Venezuela, i answer her here in Bogota and then she give me a DHL order paper, and says that i have to send the copy of my passport by email, she don't ask me if i have one there, so i send it the copy of my passport and they instantly reply to me that i can send the passport by dhl or going to the cas office and bring it personally, this is a really confuse moment for us... i hope @Mexrik that you have already your approval, let me know please

[yulay1980 3]

Hello , I am from Venezuela also, I had my interview in Bogota on April 2nd, 2019, but mi Visa is F2A Spouse of a Legal Permanent Resident, My interview went smooth but the C.O. gave me 221g, requesting a Joint Sponsor, he kept my passport and he gave me the domestic violence's pamphlet, then the next day I received an email requesting to fill out DS-5535, I sent the Ds5535 the same day, I received an email that they got all from me and if they need something else they will let me know, my case has been updated like 10 times but since April 25 stop the updating, I sent two emails and for that reason my case was updated, it's been more than 60 continuos days waiting in Colombia with no passport and with almost no money. I will let you know if anything happen to my case and please let me know of your cases please. 

[yulay1980 3]

Hey Guys, I wish you the best for all of you, today I checked my case on CEAC website and says ISSUED, thank God, I have to wait for the Consulate's instructions to tell me how to retrieve my passport, good vibes for all of you!

[Mexrik 4]

@cata & JB  so let me get this straight, they didn’t originally keep your passport after you had your interview? And then later on asked you to mail it in? That’s weird because usually from what I’ve read about the Colombian embassy they usually keep it after the interview. Any reason why they decided to not do that and now asking for you to send it? What’s the status of your case?