Question regarding my Venezuelan fiance currently in Colombia

[mikelowe 0]

I'm sorry if this question has already been asked, but my fiance is Venezuelan but he is currently living in Colombia without legal status because of the political unrest in Venezuela.

 

I am in the United States, does my fiance need to return to Venezuela before we file for the K1 Visa or can he stay in Colombia while I file (although I heard Colombia is horrible and slow with the Visa process) or should he go to another country temporarily while I file?

 

I'm scared of the idea of him returning to Venezuela where things are awful and relations between Venezuela and the US remains horrible.

 

Any suggestions?

[HRQX 4,145]

39 minutes ago, mikelowe said:

I'm scared of the idea of him returning to Venezuela where things are awful and relations between Venezuela and the US remains horrible.

Looks like staying in Colombia is better than returning to Venezuela: https://co.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/

Venezuelan Applicants

Venezuelan applicants for immigrant visas must apply in the country where they currently reside.  If you are Venezuelan and currently reside in Venezuela or Colombia, then your designated application country is Colombia, and you must apply at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá.

[mikelowe 0]

9 minutes ago, HRQX said:

Looks like staying in Colombia is better than returning to Venezuela: https://co.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/

Venezuelan Applicants

Venezuelan applicants for immigrant visas must apply in the country where they currently reside.  If you are Venezuelan and currently reside in Venezuela or Colombia, then your designated application country is Colombia, and you must apply at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá.

Thank you so much, he has a Venezuelan passport, but doesn't have residency in Colombia. Is Colombia the best country for us to apply at? Or is it possible that eh can go to a country with a better immigration system like Argentina or Ecuador?

[joe and karol 15]

Colombia is processing Venezuelan visas so unless he has a compelling reason to use another embassy or changing residency, just use Bogota.  It must be difficult to transfer a job that many times over.

[Boiler 45,947]

Which countries can he got to? I would assume his choices would be very limited.

[HRQX 4,145]

21 minutes ago, mikelowe said:

but doesn't have residency in Colombia.

That isn't an issue since Bogota's consular district currently covers both Venezuela and Colombia: https://fam.state.gov/fam/09FAM/09FAM050404.html "However, you must accept, when so directed by the Department, the immigrant visa (IV) case of any alien who is a citizen or a national of the consular district, regardless of the alien’s last residence abroad."

21 minutes ago, mikelowe said:

Or is it possible that eh can go to a country with a better immigration system like Argentina or Ecuador?

Can he get legal status long enough for IV processing in Argentina or Ecuador? https://fam.state.gov/fam/09FAM/09FAM050404.html "Department regulations provide that a post must accept an application from an alien physically present in the consular district even though not a resident in that district, provided the alien expects to remain in the consular district throughout the several months that it normally takes to process an application and is legally able to do so."

Edited February 13, 2021 by HRQX

[mikelowe 0]

Thank you all so much! I feel a lot better now. Much appreciated 💓

[Bri&Alejandro 82]

My fiancé and I are in the same situation, except my fiancé is in Venezuela. I know this has been answered, but just wanted to agree that your fiancé should absolutely stay in Colombia. Our petition was approved in March 2020, we are just waiting for our interview now. Trying to figure out the logistics of getting my fiancé out of Venezuela has been a headache...not to mention everything going on in country. I will be incredibly happy the day that he is out of there. 

[mikelowe 0]

On 2/13/2021 at 3:01 PM, mikelowe said:

United States, does my fiance need to return to Venezuela before we f

Sorry for coming back to this topic but if my fiance is not currently legal in Colombia since he is Venezuelan and hasn't gotten his cedula yet how do we handle the police clearance from Colombia? Rapidvisa told me that he will need a police clearance from everywhere he has resided.

[HRQX 4,145]

1 hour ago, mikelowe said:

how do we handle the police clearance from Colombia?

He'll first have to go to Migración Colombia or get the cedula: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Colombia.html "They must go to Migración Colombia and legalize their stay before the Colombian National Police will issue a certificate."

Edited April 15, 2021 by HRQX

[mikelowe 0]

2 minutes ago, HRQX said:

He'll first have to go to Migración Colombia: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Colombia.html "They must go to Migración Colombia and legalize their stay before the Colombian National Police will issue a certificate."

Okay sounds good.

[mikelowe 0]

13 minutes ago, HRQX said:

He'll first have to go to Migración Colombia or get the cedula: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Colombia.html "They must go to Migración Colombia and legalize their stay before the Colombian National Police will issue a certificate."

So if he isn't legally there does that mean that we would have to have him return to Venezuela? He can't get a background check there since he isnt legal, but it seems like Colombia is the only place that Venezuelans can do the K1 visa

[HRQX 4,145]

12 minutes ago, mikelowe said:

but it seems like Colombia is the only place that Venezuelans can do the K1 visa

Try to contact the Bogota IV unit to see what they recommend.