Big time bummer. I just hate not doing things perfect. If I would have missed it in the instructions, then all the blame to me. But it's not even on the online instructions. Thats what (%(&^(*^ me off. Any how, we'll just do as told. Print out page one, then flip it over to print page 2.

Now, i'm scared that any other docs need to be done the same.

I got an email back from the vice-consul today with our interview date!!! We are scheduled to be in Bogota on July 23rd!!! I can't tell you guys how happy my husband and I are. The consul even told us that we didn't need to call in to schedule the interview, no more fees required, she personally assigned us the interview date! I spoke to my attorney today, who works exclusively with family based denials and revocations and he said he's never heard of an outcome like ours. He was very suprised and congratulated us on our good fortune. Well...I'm getting everything ready now for our interview and I'll keep the forum updated on our progress. Thanks again for your well wishes and prayers.

Dre

Wua wua wua, modestia aparte pero si me puedo jactar de algo es en saber como tranqulizar a mi querida Guane jajaja...

Congratulations Dre. We'll be sending you good vibes on your interview date.

These vibes do work!

What is my fiance suppose to get when she pays the 100$? Like on the passport and the ds156? How many seals/stickers/stamps?

I think the people from the bank just put a sticker on her passport for her to show at the embassy.

She will be going in a few minutes. Just wanted to double check on what will be given to her. Thanks

Hola todos!

It's hilarious to read some of the comments here regarding the attempts to speak English by some of our significant others. Mi novia siempre dice "parquear" tambien. Ella no haba Ingles, solamente Espanol. I'm Filipino, but I do speak Spanish and I manage to slip by as a local, but once in a while I definitely sound like a gringo trying to speak Spanish.

We are almost ready to have all the Packet 3 requirements at hand. I've seen the link for the instructions and they are in Spanish so that's great. However, I'm still looking for Spanish DS-156, 156K, DS-230 versions.

Anyway, my NOA2 is just around the corner. I got touched yesterday and today since filing. The stars are lining up for us.

Ah nevermind, I found the Spanish versions

Thanks for starting that forum!!! Lorena and the boys are HERE!!! We arrived at home late this afternoon and I will be starting the AOS process this weekend. We are so darned happy!

Congratulations parkpapa!
It must feel blissful to have your lady and kids with you after such a long wait... tell me, it must feel really awkward after so much of a wait... knowing that now there's a total shift of attention from phones and chats to "caricias y besitos" hahaha.

No problem about the AOS forum. I hope to learn valuable details about the pre-jack up in the price from you and others to really compare how this increase will really translate to an improvement as they promise.

hey, is the embassy in bogota still taking phone calls? if so, when? is it still mon and weds? between what time? i may have to request a copy of the appt letter and packet 4 to be picked up at the embassy. thanks
JK

Not sure which branch you used, but they should have had blank DS-156s there...and she could have spent 15 minutes filling it out (I saw a lot of folks doing that when we went). I'm not sure where I read it or how I knew....but we knew that the DS-156 had to be submitted on one page (and the second DS-156 must be an exact copy of the first). I don't know if I read it on the form's instructions, on the embassy web site or here....but we knew it. Further, we also knew that the Bogota embassy was not using bar-coding yet, so completing the DS-156 on-line (with generated barcode) is not necessary.

It does not help Lucho....but for the rest of you, listen up.....fill out your DS-156 by hand. If you print it off the Internet, complete both pages, take them to a photocopier and copy it so the copy if "front/back." Then put an original signature of each of the two copies.




Informational and barcode sticker placed on the passport. Small numbered stamp placed on one of the DS-156.

Hi all! It's been a while since I've been on Visa Journey. Francisco arrived the beginning of May and we have been busy ever since! Francisco has adjusted here better than I could ever have imagined. Anyway, I was reading through posts to get caught up on everyone...but only got as far as Dre's post! That's amazing! Congratulations!

Saw maviwaro's new forum for Colombian AOS and will sure be posting on that as we have just recently filed (last week).

It's good to be back!
Kathy

Good idea. We have everything straightened out now. One thing, I thought that the ds156 is not to be signed until the interview? I believe packet 3 mentions this.

Does the 2nd copy of the ds156 have to have that stamp that was given at the bank? In other words duplicate it before or after the bank stamps it?

Hi Kathy...Its good to hear from you. Believe me, I'm on cloud nine since Monday at 11am. I had to update my parceros in the Colombia Club. All of you were so supportive in February after our devestating appointment. The most important thing is that I share every aspect of the process to help everyone coming after me. I don't wish this on anyone. Its tough to see folks that applied WAYYYYY after my approal and their spouses are home with them today, not that I don't wish them well, but it only hightens the unfairness of how we were treated. One thing I'm certain of is that God has his purpose for everything and this experience, though very difficult for both of us, only served to strengthen our committment to each other. As always, I'm open to answer any questions and will help in anyway I can. I wish all of you the best on your 'journey'.

Dre

One note about our experience with the DS156. We arrived with only one copy of the 156 for each person. Our originals had all information printed from a computer. When the lady told us we needed a second copy, she provided blank copies and we copied all the information by hand. So the copies were not "exact" but the information was identical. Hope that distinction makes sense.

parkpapa, good info. That calms my mind. Thanks a million.

Who else is interviewing soon?????????????????

Not me, unfortunately. I'll be praying for you guys. I'm so close, yet so far away.

I moved this from the Embassy site to here on the Colombia thread. This was my original post:

My fiancee has received packet #3. I am using a lawyer, they sent me the packet they received from Bogota. It was in Spanish, I can not read Spanish. My lawyer has completed my financial statment. I have done a search here and when I search for "packet 3", nothing comes up. I went to the "sample forms" section but it does not say what packet the forms are in. Paola called this morning and said she is a little confused. I need to know what forms are in Packet 3 to help her. Can I get a copy of that in english on this site? I found one link to packet 3 but it was a dead link. Help please!!! This has been a frustrating experience from the beginning.

I recieved some replys and I thank all that helped.

I went to the Embassy site. It does not specify which forms are in packet 3. The DS156k is a dead link.
I forgot to mention in the post above that I sent packet 3 to Paola via FEDEX so I do not have the info.
Either I am stupid or totaly frustrted, but I can not find any thing by using the "search" tool on packet 3.
I found DS156.........DS230...............I-134, as I said, the DS156K link waqs dead.
Is this it? It seems way to simple. LOL>LOL.
So far this has been a frustrating experience. This part seems easy.
Another question. Paola lives in Buenaventura. They do not have mail service. I have sent two things by FEDEX. I can track them till they get to Cali, after that they dissapear. Fortunatley she has received both of them but at a much later time then FEDEX said they would arrive. Has anyone else had this problem? How do you get info to your sweetie? How does the Embassy send out packet 4 to her since there is no mail service.
Part of it may be due to fact that Buenaventura is a bit of a war zone right now. Also the record keeping in Buenaventura really sucks. Getting a birth certificate was a two month process, then they listed her as a "male"., LOL. We have been trying to get her police certificate for almost four months now and are still waiting on that. Since things are progressing now I guess I am just nervous. Thanks.

The mail service in Colombia is pretty bad, period, especially if you're in a small town. My husband is in Tuluá and he decided to get his Certificado Judicial and Migratorio in Bogotá, he didn' want to take any chances with those.

Anyway, as far as the forms that you will need they are:

Form DS-156 (since your fiancée is female, she won't need DS-156K, can anyone else back this up?)
Form DS-230
Form I-134
Form OF-169 (which is in the US embassy link under Instructions for K-1/K-2 Visa Applicants (In Spanish), PAGE 5).

Don't forget that she will also need to get her vaccines done prior to her medical. Those are MMDR, TD & varicella.

Diana

Buck,

I will make this simple. I do not want to confuse you. I was very confused when I was at your step in this process.

Only include the following in Packet 3. TRUST ME

Cover Letter with the NVC issued case #
OF-169
DS230 pages 1 & 2
Copy of her passport (optional buy highly recommended)

That is all

All other forms like ds156, ds156k are to be filled out and given in person at the embassy.

Diana,

The ds156k is needed. Well only needed for K1 visas. Not needed for K3 visas.

Lucho, Thanks. Very clear now. Diane, thank you also.

Buck,

Glad to help you out. If you have any other questions, even if you may think it is a "dumb question", feel free to ask. The following steps are very important. I asked the same questions twice sometimes three times just to be sure I have it down. Thanks to Mike, TonyS and others I am very confident that I have eveything needed for my interview.

I think the folks at the bank had her sign the DS156....if I remember correctly. The bank put its little stamp on only one of the DS156s - not sure that it is that important....just recall that they put the stamp there.

We simply photocopied the DS156 to save time and effort. You can hand-write a second copy. Just be sure the information is identical.

Mike

Buck:

My advice, as I have given it to many, is to go back to November, 2006 and start reading forward. Take notes. Your question was a relatively simple one that has been answered many times. I imagine you are in a hurry now and needed a quick answer, but do yourself a favor and go back and read. You'll get LOTS of useful information about packet 3, packet 4, and the interview.

-By the way, when Luch is referring to DS230, he is referring to part I. You will not need part II.

DS-156 will be provided in packet 4. DS-156K is only for K1 visas. DS-157 is only for male beneficiaries between, I believe, 18 and 45.

Mike

Hello fellow Colombia Club members!!

Just thought I'd share with you all that my wife was just approved for her Residency. She should be getting her Resident Card in about 3 weeks!!!

Good thing about this whole ordeal is that we are one of the lucky ones that didn't get granted an interview for the Residency. We were just approved and all it took was 2 months!!!!!!!!

Best wishes to all

Mike, thank you, Luchco thank you. Mike, I have read all your posts for the last few months. I have read all the posts on the Colombia Club forum. Sorry, but by the time I get through all of that I get more confused. Even the respones to my first question today vary. Many folks ask the same question over and over. I think it's a miricle anybody ever gets through this process. It takes a while to sort out the good info from the incorrect info. This is one of, if not the most important thing we will do in life. Getting it right, double checking all the info and being nervous about it is only natural.
I hope that our journey will be succsseful and I will be able to post my experience to help others. I have founf that the folks that have been through this have the most accurate info.
With all that being said...........this site has been very helpful, has been my source of info through out. Even though I am using a lawyer, with out this site I do not think I would be this far. Thanks again to everyone!!!!!

lucho or anyone else...what is the OF-169 for? i ask because i don't remember filling this out and on the list of documents that the nvc has received from us, this is listed as completed and reviewed. weird
JK

It is a delcration that the beneficiary has to sign. It basically states that the beneficiary has all the documents that are needed for the interview. Also it is an official request for the embassy to assign a interview date.

Check it out here, it is page 5 on the attached K1 packet 3 link

http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwfck1instrucciones_temp.pdf

Hello everyone! I am making travel arrangements for my fiance to travel next week and want to make sure that
she has all the necessary paperwork to leave Colombia (Medellin). Aside from her passport with visa and cedula,
what else will the Colombia officials (DAS) require at the airport. She will be flying out of Medellin. I have searched
this forum and cannot find any discussion on this.

Also, she received her Certificado Judicial over a month ago. How recent does it have to be? Does DAS at the
airport (Colombia) check it? I looked at it and do not see an expiration date, but she recalls that they told her
that it was valid for 30 days. I'm hoping she does not have to have it renewed again.

Any help here is very much appreciated. I want to make sure she has her papers in order.

Thanks
MDE2007

Uhmm... she will need to have her visa with her when she gets here. That's #1.

But in seriousness, I flew out of Rionegro back in February and all they asked for was my passport, cédula and that was it, I used my Colombian passport for that by the way. Also, if she's not flying American Airlines, she will need to pay the Impuesto de salida.

Lucho,
Thanks for clarifying the DS-156 stuff, I really couldn't remember exactly what that one was for since I'm going for a different visa. You're a pro now!

Diana

My girl will be shopping in Medellín for a couple of days, then she flies out of Rio Negro on American.

She should have her health examination X-Rays, even though nobody here has posted that she doesn't need them. People are told to just have them just in case somebody with a badge asks for them along the way.

My sweetie also will be leaving her passport stapled as left at the Embassy to the K-1 documents folder.

Aug. 6 is so near... I just bought a drawer chest to accomodate the future Mrs. Mavi

It's a packet 3 document, which means it's not relevant to those gonig the CR-1/IR-1 route.

I assume there is not child. If there is, she'll need documentation that it's OK to take him out of the country. It really doesn't take much to leave Colombia....it's getting into the U.S. Make sure she has her secret, unopened packet given to her at the embassy. Make sure she does not lose her I-94 that she'll be given upon arrival.

By the way, if she is flying Avianca, they have now included the exit tax with the cost of the ticket (at least they do when you buy the ticket from the U.S.). Avianca is eventually catching up with the rest of the U.S.

Thanks for the responses. Just wanted to make sure there was nothing we were overlooking.

Hello...its been a while...but i thought id try and give back a little re my experience with the U.S. embassy en Bogota. We had our int on 5/31 and was approved almost instantaneously.

1) There is a farely new requriment for verification of all entries and exits from Colombia. Your fiancee will need to get this through DAS. This is separate from the police certificate. The main office is in Bogota. If you goto the DAS office in bogota to get it, it will take 3 days. So plan accordingly. Additionally, if you live in medellin or cali or any other city that has a DAS office you can go an dapply for one there. It will take about 30 days. Another option, which we chose, was to goto the DAS office in Medellin or Cali and apply for the document but ask them to have it ready for you in Bogota. My fiancee made this request and 2 weeks later we picke it up in Bogota witout problems.

2) Medical exam/Labs...There was already a line of about 9 people when we arrived for the LABS. A few people showed up after us. The lab opens at 7 am. We were out of there by 10. The funny thing is taht someone arrived at about 9:30 and tehy left at 10 as well. I believe the lab is only open until 11. I know most are anxious to get there bright and early like we were....but now that we look back on it and when we do it again for my fiancees daughter...we too will get there at about 9. There is absoultey no wait at that time because every1 gets there so early. No one can enter with the applicant. Meaning the US citizen must wait outside and it can get pretty cold. Small children were permitted to enter. you have the choice between a male and female DR. We had to go with the male because of scheduling conflicts. Once again only the Colombian applicant can enter. There is a coffee shop to wait. The DR. will provide your fiancee with a sealed envelope that you cannot open and a second that has an x-ray. the x-ray is for your records. Keep in mind that if you stay at a hotel or apartment close to the embassy that the medical exam is about 45 minutes away. Plan accordingly espeically if your appt is close to traffic hor time.

3) When we got to the embassy there was alredy a huge line and we were there at about 6:45. I don't think being first in line gets you out of the embassy sooner than the person who got there after you and here is why....

When you get to the embassy there is a separate line...to the far left for us....for fiancee visa applicants...You all enter in order and wait in another line inside the main yard of the embassy. There you will get a folder with instrucions to put you application and forms in the order that is listed. Once you complete this you tyurn it in...and you are seen by an employee at a window in order that your foler was submitted. So as you can see even thoguht u were first in line, you might not finish first etc etc....Once you are called to the window...the clerk will review your docuements to make sure you ahve everything in order. If you dont have all your documents your done and thats it!!!If you do have everything in order tehy send you to anotehr part of the main yard where they have windows for your interview with the consulate. First a clerk calls your name to check you in. There didnt seem to be any rhyme or reason as to the order. Forexample, ppl who were after us at the first widow got their interviews before us...but we too went before ppl that were ahead of us...anyways...we waited about 2.5 hrs for our interview. There were about 15 ppl that went before us...this includes interviews for all rsdient visas...not just finacee...From the first 15 id say only 1 was approved and each int lasted about 15 minutes to 1 hour. Our interviews lasted 5 minutes if that. What our consular was interested in were photos. Photos from differente periods of time. She didnt even care about phone records emails etc....granted you should still take everything to have everything covered...

Once our visa was approved we went back the next day at 4pm to pick up our visa. Just to give everyone an idea....id guesestimate that there were atleast 700 individuals at the embassy that day trying to get a visa....of all types....When we went back the next day at 4pm...only about 20-25 ppl were there to pick up visas...the majority were k1-k3.....

I'd rec...alot of photos and for both fiancees to be at the embassy for the interview. Hope this helps...GL to all.

TO ALL OF YOU NEWBIES.......READ THIS...................

I've been around since last October. Wife got her K-3 visa in January, so I've been there and done that. Don't hang around as much anymore because I got lots of other stuff to do. However, I want to give you some advice (advice that I've given to many others). If you are going through the Bogota embassy, you need to read this thread in detail and take notes. Go back to November, 2006 and read forward. You will get just about all of your questions answered and get other information that you did not even know you needed.

Buck 501 raised a good point. In some cases, the information he read conflicted. He is right. Sometimes it does. In some cases, it is a matter of different experiences. In other cases, it's just outright misinformation. When it comes to the content of the petitions, the content of packets 3 and 4, the embassy interview process......this stuff has not changed. If you want to feel comfortable about the information you are reading, check the source.....read the timeline of the person who posted at the time. You want to read posts by people who have been there and done that. You do not want to read posts by folks who are speculating or who are repeating information they got from others that may or may not have remembered correctly. I think everyone on this board is sincere. However, that doesn't mean the quality of the information is always great. So be careful. Further, DO NOT be impressed by member status (junior member, member, senior member, etc.). Status has only to do with the number of posts, not the quality of the posts. Further, it doesn't differentiate between posts that ask questions, posts that answer questions, or posts that really do nothing other than take up space.

If you have a question you do not see answered on the thread, either as it...or PM someone on the board whose previous posts seem to make sense. There are still many of us around who may not read the thread every day, but who will still receive and reply to PMs.

Good luck to all of you. See you on the Colombia Club thread on the AOS forum some day.

Mike

\


I second the motion on both accounts. Our AOS await!

Thanks for the review Tommyesq73, I always enjoy reading other people's experiences when they go to Bogotá. I also liked the info on the Certificado Migratorio if you live outside of Bogotá, I never thought of getting it in either Cali or Medellín to pick it up in Bogotá, so thanks!

And finally, congratulations!!!

I agree with Mike. Everything should have been covered already in previous posts. Be carefull and make sure you double, triple, quadruple check any information given here. No one means any harm if they give you wrong information. But is always wise to make sure any info you are given is verified with other members, embassy etc. Also, there are a variety of different visas, one thing may not apply to a different visa eg k1, k3, cr1 etc.

I have learned a great deal from this thread and its contributors. I am confident that I am 110% prepared for the interview next week. It is now in God's hands.

Thanks to all of you that have helped me out.

NEWBIES....

Lucho's reply raises two more points:

1) Don't always rely on the embassy website. It outdated in some ways (although recently got updated). Listen to what experienced folks are telling you.

2) This thread primarily deals with K-1 and K-3 visa. The process for the IR-1/CR-1 is different. There is a separate Colombia thread for those with questions about IR-1/CR-1. Don't read the info here and get confused. Also keep in mind that K-1 and K-3 visas are also different, so read carefully (for example, K-1s have to complete a DS-156K, but K-3 don't, because K-3s are already married....or K-3s have to submit a copy of the marriage certificate with the petition. K-1s do not....because they are not married yet).

Mike

Hey folks,

I have a problem with an incorrect wedding date on our Colombian marriage certificate.

The issue is explained in the following post. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;#entry1012641

Thanks,

CG

Stuff like that happens in Colombia. Can't say I'm surprised. Looks like you already tried to get it changed and could not. Unless you want to hire a lawyer, probably nothing you can do. However, I would NOT change your wedding date on your petition. Put the actual wedding date on the petition and then include a written addendum that explains why the date on your petition does not match your certificate. The bottom line is that you are married. The date of the marriage is off by one day...which I don't think matters to the U.S. government....unless they think you are trying to be evasive or dishonest. That's why I suggest writing the addendum. Chances are, they would not catch the date error on their own. But what is they did? And there was no explanation? They might assume an error. The might assume worse. So by adding the addendum, you are bringing the error to their attention, explaining it, and covering your butt.

Just my opinion.....as I have had to write a couple of different addendums on my wife's petitions to explain various things.

Mike

I would pretty much follow Mike's advice on what people ask him, he's already gone through this and it's pretty dead on on most of this stuff, so thanks Mike!

It is imperative and I always recommend to read the threads from page 1. Each person has contributed something useful throughout the process and please, please, please take notes. I have like 3 pages worth at home so it makes it easier to remember. If in doubt, go back page by page to find your answer, if not, you can post it and someone will answer it or refer you to someone who might.

Ok, I want to make sure I have this correct. I read thru past posts and things are still clear as mud.
Pkt 3..........We only send OF-169 and DS-230, correct? What about the birth certificates, police record and passport foto's? Do we take them to the interview, or send them with the documents? Everybody is talking about faxing Pkt. 3 in and then sending it snail mail. I can see faxing the docs, but the rest of the stuff? We are going to send a copy of her passport also as suggested.
I wish I could read spanish or get a copy of the instructions in English. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Buck,

Packet 3 is exactly what I wrote in post #1124 on page #75. Do not worry bro. Also, you can fax and or snail mail packet # 3. We faxed it and sent it to the embassy to make sure they processed us. Faxing it does work, because NVC new when our appt. was before the courier delivered them the packet.

All other docs will be needed for the interview.

I think Lucho already posted this, but I'll post it again.

To get an appointment (assumes your petition has already arrived at the Bogota embassy):

1) Cover letter explaining the purpose of the fax/letter (to get an appointment). Include your case number that begins with BGT.
2) Copy of the bio page of the beneficiaries passport. Nowhere is it written that this is required, but that's what I was advised to do and that's what I did and that's what I tell everyone to do. Just makes sense to me.
3) DS-230, part I.
4) OF-169.

OF-169 is a one-page form that is very simple. By signing it, the beneficiary is indicating that he /she has gathered the necessary documents and is ready for an interview (although we all know that some of the documents cannot be gathered until after the appointment is acutally get). So, the list of stuff in packet 3 is actually the stuff you will need for your interview (birth certificate, etc.). You do NOT need to send any of that stuff right now.

When the interview is scheduled, she will get packet 4. That packet will include the appointment letter as well as information about the medical exam, the blood tests, immunizations, photos, etc. It will also include the DS-156 (and I assume the DS-156K for K-1s).

Do you really need the instructions in English? Frankly, I knew almost no Spanish in May, 2006. Once I met my future wife, I started to learn. I know enough to be dangerous now (really, to be functional). I had no problems getting the jist of the Packet 3 and 4 instructions. If you have trouble with a certain part, simply input it into a translation program, like one available on freetranslation.com.

Mike

PS - Buck, I see you are using a lawyer. If so, he or she should know all of this....and should have told you this already. I'd be a little POd. Honestly, you really don't need a lawyer to file the basic forms. A little late for me to be saying that now, but hopefully you'll at least get some piece of mind for you money. Do yourself a favor. After this part is over, can the lawyer. You can easily file for AOS on your own. It's very simple. Given that the fees are going way up soon, the money you save on a lawyer can help pay for the filing fee!