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| Bogota, Colombia |  Review on January 27, 2009: |
Omar and Jennyfer
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
For the English speaking community:
First Step:
My wife arrived at her interview appointment around 6:20am. Before entering the embassy 4 lines are formed:
1.For people that had missing paperwork submitted the day before and had their interview reschedule for today.
2. For Visa Category K-1, K-2, K-3, K-4, CR-1
3. Tourist Visa and Work Visas
4. For people that need to submit paperwork from previous interviews.
Second Step:
A person from the courier DOMESA hands everyone a form to fill out and submit after the Visa is approved. After this, everyone receives a colored sticker and a group number. My wife received a green sticker in order to differentiate the type of Visa. Then it was time to proceed inside, first the Security point. They make you take off your jacket and they keep your cell phone. The items they keep are returned to you after the interview is over. After the Security point, she headed over where the green sticker group was being gathered.
Third Step:
Once she was with her group, the embassy ladies start collecting the interview letters and they start handing out a green folder with instructions and organization of all the paperwork to be submitted and a small plastic bag for the pictures.
This is the folder organization:
- Passport (s)
- DS-230 part I and II
- Baptismal Certificate with marginal notes and recent date
- Civil Registry, authenticated and recent date
- DAS Immigration Cert, this is a sealed envelope
- Affidavit of Support and supporting documents (IRS transcript, employment letter, bank letter…)
- Sealed medical exams
- 2 pictures inside the plastic bag
Fourth Step:
Around 8:50 am, my wife was called to green colored Window 31 to review all the documents she had in the green folder. The person inside the window asked her a few questions such as: Where are you from? Where does your husband live?
Then they returned the documents that have double copy and to continue to fingerprinting at Window 2.
They called her around 9:30am for the fingerprinting session and after this the interview waiting time began.
Fifth Step:
Around 11:10 am they called my wife to Window #1, the Consul asked my wife to show all evidence for our relationship. My wife took about 100 pictures, letters, cell bill statement, our wedding ring receipt, emails. The Consul joked with my wife by asking her “Are you sure you don’t have anymore evidence.” My wife came very prepared by taking tons of evidence. The Consul took all the evidence and told my wife to have a sit until they call her for the interview.
Sixth Step:
Twenty minutes later, my wife was called to Window #3. It was a cordial lady Consul, she told my wife “Good Morning.” During the interview, a man Consul was standing next to lady Consul, maybe she was a novice, since she was always turning to him for questions during her interview. During the interview all the evidence was spread on a table and the questions asked are as follows:
1.How did you meet your husband? How did he come to Colombia being such a terrorist country? 
2. How many times has he traveled to Colombia? And his work supervisors do not give him trouble for coming so many times to Colombia.
3. Why did he separate from his ex-wife?
4. Have you ever traveled to the US, do you have family there? 5. When did you get married?
My wife answered the fifth question with such an emotional joy, since that day of the interview was our 8th month marriage anniversary. The Consul saw the emotion on my wife’s smile during the final question, and proceeded by saying “Congratulations, as an anniversary gift, your Visa is approved. Welcome to the US, you will soon be with your husband. Please proceed to Domesa to pay for the mailing of your Visa. “
Sixth Step:
My wife paid Domesa $53,000 pesos to mail out the Visa package to her home. Since she works in the day time, she put her aunt as an alternate person to receive the Visa package. They are very strict on this and asked my wife to provide her aunts Cedula number. My wife was out around noon.
Seventh Step:
The Visa package arrived in Cali in 3 days. My wife opened the package and it contained her passport, a welcome letter and instructions about the sealed envelope, and of course the sealed envelope. The passport contained another biographic page detailing the Visa with my wife’s picture.
Eight Step:
We are married for 8 months now, our lucky number, and now its time to buy the Air Fare…Good Luck to everyone.
My wife’s advice: Don’t be afraid or nervous and take as much evidence as possible. Answer the questions firmly without hesitation. Many visas were denied partly because of the lack of evidence
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #3856