Lucho,

Thanks for the info...we are still holding our breath for NOA2 . In the meantime getting ourselves prepped...so far so good...I will be in Colombia next week and Yenifer and I will hopefully get most of pack 3 ready to send when the time comes.

Scott

I've got a question --

http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/co1/wwwfi...ptember2007.pdf

We filed for a K1, but the appointment list shows our category as CR2. What's a CR2?
I hope that this doesn't cause any issues......

That's odd. A CR2 visa is for a child related to the USC. I don't think you'll have any issues though, they should know what you're interviewing for as soon as you walk up to the window and see that Mónica is not your child.

Diana

my husband's case number is on there 3 times----cr1, f1 and ir 5 and neither of those numbers has the correct interview date.......

That's funny I do this when she acts like a "child"

FYI -- That was the link for all September 2007 interviews
http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/co1/wwwfi...ptember2007.pdf

That list is all screwed up. Our case shows up as an F3 visa on 9/5/07 @ 7AM. Our case is actually for a CR1 visa on 9/27/07 @ 7AM. Puh-lease.

Don't forget the employer letter. That seems to be about as important as the tax returns....because it proves you still have a permanent job that pays at a level above that required.

Mike

PS - not sure why you'd need your mortgage statement.

Now that you mention it, my case number is assigned a different date than the Hoja de Cita that I got in the mail....

Rent receipts? For rental of what? An apartment for the spouse/fiancee in Colombia? Never hear of this before. If there is anything "unique" to your facts and circumstances related to your case, you may want to bring along evidence.

Maybe your are talking about the "declaraciones de renta"...which is your 1040.

By the way, if you have the tax transcript, you don't need copies of your return....and vice versa.

Mike

Can someone tell me if there is a difference between transcripts and copies of tax returns because I have copies dating back at least a few years given to me by my accountant for my own records...is this the same thing as the transcipts?

Scott

Mike...I just realized that you have already answered my question (By the way, if you have the tax transcript, you don't need copies of your return....and vice versa.)

Thank you, Scott

Tax returns must alwasy be accompanied by W2s since you need proof of the #s it contains. Tax transcripts on the other hand don't because they come directly from the IRS.

Claro

Byron, Start saving your payroll stubs now. You'll have all you need by the time the interview comes around. Also get a letter from your employer and bring your tax returns with W2 forms ....OR.... tax transcripts. As Mike said earlier, TAX Transcripst DO NOT need to be accompanied by W2 forms.

Mike,

Thank you for clearing that up for me. I was translating "Declaraciones de Renta" literally, as "declaration of rent". So by that I was under the impression we had to show proof of either rent receipts or mortgage statements.

Rafael

Not that I have ever heard of before....unless something has changed since my wife's interview in January. Not sure what that would prove.....since I assume one person is in Colombia and the other is in the U.S. Perhaps is you are married and you want to use a rent receipt as proof of relationship (i.e., one spouse paid the rent in Colombia for the other spouse). But proof of relationahip evidence is not set in stone.

Rent receipts or a mortgage statement would likely be of more help in AOS, assuming both names were on the receipts or mortgage statement.

Mike

Hi everyone!!! Can someone tell me what's up with the NOA2s...a little sign of life would be muy bien!!!

Buck...haven't heard from you for a while...how is Bogota and especially...how is Paola?

I think that us May filers are getting closer!! I have seen May filers starting to get approved...we are almost there!! Thanks Dre for the advice about the pay stubbs!!

Hang in there bros!

I bet you're thinking
"Yeah right Lucho, shut up, easy for you to say"

But honestly, hang in there and be patient. This is the slow and easy part. Once that NOA2 comes, everything will come and go lightning fast. Be patient and be prepared for the following steps.

Bro, between you and everybody else on here...i HAVE learned patience!!..lol....I know i have to be getting close and i remember clearly in the beginning when you told me , read and prepare yourself, well thats what i did and time has flown by since that...feels like a couple days ago you told me this and its been about 2 and half months!!!!!!!

Byron,

I feel ya on that...in fact I remember when we first submitted the petition...I was literally in a frenzy but quickly realized that all the calls to the USCIS were just working me up even worse. It has been an education reading the posts of others and learning to streamline the process. I have learned as many others have...that patience is the only way. I keep in mind how suportive Yenifer has been for me through this and the friends that we all have on VJ. Thank you and may God Bless all for the kind words and very helpful insight.

Scott

Byron and Scott

I know how everyone feels. I was fortunate and my process went like clockwork. I used the time to prepare for my new familie's arrival and in hindsight, I didn't prepare enough. I have spoken with a few friends and we all were so focused on the visa approval and marriage that we were not ready for the AOS. I suggest using "free" time now to prepare. Check out english classes (ESL), physicians and driving classes for example. When you have the interview date and are ready, then shift your goal ahead a little and start looking at the AOS application. Look to see if there is anything that you should work on getting now. Look to see if there is anything she will need to get before she lives Colombia. Just my 2 cents.


Tony

Hi Tony,

Thank God Yenifer speaks fluent english because yo no hablo mucho espanol (I'm working on that)...As far as the driving...I was thinking to send her to driving school in Colombia for her to get her license there...would that have any benefit in the U S?

Scott

You'll continue to need that patience through AOS. But the good thing will be that your Colombiana/Colombiano will be here with you instead of thousands of miles away.

AOS itself (the paperwork) is pretty easy...assuming you still have everything from the petition process (like translations of birth certificates and, if applicable, marriage certificates). I want to build on the list that Tony gave (below). This probably belongs in AOS, but it's better that many of you see it now.

1) Find a physician. Determine if there is a preference for male or female. Living in Central Florida, I thought it would be easy to find a physician on my insurance who spoke Spanish. Boy was I wrong! I finally found a doctor who is from Brazil and has a nurse who speaks Spanish. My wife really like her. We could NOT find a pediatrician....so I often bring my computer with translator program to the doctor's office just in case (because my Spanish is not advanced enough).

2) ESL classes....yes...important. Luckily, in the state of Florida, the local junior college provides ESL classes free and they offer them in the day or night....and you do not have to wait for the beginning of a new semester....she was pemitted to enroll mid-year (wish I had known that right away...we wasted about two months).

3) Driver's license. If you are lucky, your state has the driver's license manual in Spanish. Print it and give it to your spouse/fiancee ASAP if you intend on them driving. If he/she has never driven before, you may have to find a class. If they have driven before, it's a matter of you helping them to learn the "rules of the road" and to get comfortable driving around your town. We actually found the location where the driver's license office conducts the "road test" and I took my wife over there and practiced parallel parking and pulling into and backing out of angeled parking spots (my wife did not know how to do this as there really is no call for it in Bogota). Warning: Most Colombianos/as do not understand the concept of power steering and breaks and automatic transmission!

4) If there is a child involved, make sure you bring school records and immunization records. The school year is different in Colombia. My step-daughter finished 3rd grade in December. She moved to the U.S. in January. I had to convince the school to enter her into the 4th grade when the year was already more than 1/2 over. But I did not want her to have to go back to third grade. My advice is to get the child in school ASAP. My step-daughter was in school after one week here.

5) The sooner you file for EAD (K-3s only), the sooner she can get a social security card, if that's important.

6) Now the bad news. There are many limitations of a K visa. For example, they would only issue my wife a driver's license good for one year. The bank will not permit her (at least the banks we use) to open a bank account with her as the primary owner (even though she now has her social security card). [Note: they did let us put her on an account as a "second" owner after we showed our marriage license to link her social security card, in her married name, with her government ID, which was in her maiden name...see below] If you want to travel outside of the U.S., your spouse will probably need a visa. We wanted to go on a cruise that included Mexico and the Bahamas. We were informed (by their consultates) that she and my step-daughter would needs visas to visit both places, even for a day. The visa for the Bahamas cost $50/each; not worth it. Once they have a green card, no problems with foreign travel. These examples are why the CR-1/IR-1 is the superior visa, assuming you can marry in Colombia and assuming you don't mind waiting a little longer.

7) Name changes. If you have not already discussed this, do it now (assuming we are talking about a Colombiana). Will she keep her maiden name? Or take your last name? We changed her last name to mine during the AOS/EAD process. So, her social security card and EAD card are in her married name. Her cedula (which no one cares about in the U.S.), her passport, and her K-3 visa are still in her maiden name. Because her passport and visa are in her maiden name, they put her driver's license in her maiden name. This explains some of the problem with getting a bank account....the name on the social security number does not match with any other ID, other than her EAD. Once AOS occurs and the green card is issued in her married name, the driver's license can be changed to her married name and no more problems. We have used her married name on everything possible since we've been here....and haven't really had any trouble, other than at the bank. When we travel to Colombia, we still have to use her maiden name when making airline reservations (since that's what on her passport), but I can't think of any other issues we've had.

That's all I can think of now. If I can think of anything else, I'll let you know. AOS interview is on Tuesday, so off to review our documents.

Mike

And two more things.....

8) Begin thinking about adding the spouse to insurance policies (medical, car, life, blanket liability, etc.). Don't let your employer give you any BS about not being able to add him/her until he/she gets a social security card...that's wrong. Typically, you can't insure him/her until he/she gets to the U.S. Most likely, adding a spouse to your car insurance will lower your premium (since you are now "rated" as married). I also added my wife as a "joint" owner on one credit card, so she could start building her credit. Start making a list of things you might need to amend....like wills, healthcare and general POAs, beneficiaries on life insurance and retirement, etc. You will probably have to explain all of this to your spouse, as he/she will likely not understand. If you already haven't done it, don't forget to amend your W-4 at work. [for K-1, obviously you won't do most, if not all, of this until you get married]

9) I advise bringing several notarized copies of the birth certificate and marriage license, if applicable, from Colombia.

Mike,

Thanks for the helpful advice regarding what is required after the fiance arrives in the US. I have been meaning to start preparing for that phase of the process.

I know this may sound like a stupid question, but what exactly is considered a notarized copy of the birth certificate? I have already had some document surprises along the way and I hesitiate to make any more assumptions.

We have 3 registros de nacimiento for Bella and the kids (3 for each), each one with the original seal from the notary that copied them from the book. They look terrible, but they have a raised seal. We also have translations for each copy. Is this enough, or do we need to take another step?

We have also have one copy for each with the apostle "just in case". I was too cheap to pay for apostles for the other two copies.

Thanks for your help!

Wow, thanks for all the advice given to us new members coming soon to the next process, AOS, you are right Mike, hardly none of us going thru the K-1 process is thinking about what comes next, but now you have opened our eyes and i'm sure we will start looking into what comes next.

Now going thru my girl's documents, I've noticed that her birth certificate says at the bottom something like this: "This is an aunthentic copy taken from the original copy that rests in this office. it is valid to show specific information and it's valid permanently except for marriage" and that's what i'm concern with, why does it say except for marriage?, since we are getting marry here in USA, will this document not be valid for marriage here, and maybe get one that will serve that purpose?, Lucho, Dre or anyone else help me clarify this, I still have time before Viviana comes here to the states, but want to make sure that we have the right paper work when she gets here....

Luish

Interesting. Bella's birth certificate does not have that clause at the bottom. Maybe the format varies from notary to notary or region to region?

maybe you're right, but I'm gona look into it, just to be sure she has the right dovument tyo get marry here

Excellent advice Mike! As always great advice. Scott, personally I would wait for your novia to come to the US before she learns how to drive. You have been to Barranquilla....remember how they drive?!? You want her to learn GOOD habits. I said to my wife that there are no driving rules in Barranquilla. She replied " There are rules but the people choose not to follow them." Here in CT, a person over 18 is allowed to drive without a drivers permit as long as the instructor has held a CT license for 4 years with suspension. I started to teach my wife after the second week she was here. Now she is doing very well. As Mike mentioned, I got a spanish language driver's manual. My wife speak very good conversational english so it was not very difficult to teach her. I do suggest a spanish speaking drivers school for the novias/esposas who only speak spanish. I however did run into a bit of a bump in the road. I applied for a ss number 2 weeks after my novia arrived. The SS office here screwed up and did not get a ss number in time. ( Remember for K-1 visa, one should wait 2 weeks after arrival to make to apply but not to late. Most SS office will not let you apply 2 weeks before expiration of the I-94. ) So now I have to wait for approval of the EAD or AOS. We really need her to drive as her classes are starting soon and preschool for my daughter. I could however pay for a Colombian drivers license and International drivers permit. She could use these til next March.

So Tony...you are saying that if a Colombian license is in hand then that is good enough to drive in the US at least temporarily with an international drivers permit,

By the way what is an international drivers permit? And where do you get one?

Scott

Sounds like you are OK. By "notarized" I simply mean a copy made from the original on file with the notary and with the notary's seal/signature. Sounds like that's what you have. I never got anything apostilled in Colombia, but it does not hurt to have it just in case.

Hmmmm....never noticed that before. The key word might be "permanently". Perhaps there is an "expiration" for use in marriage...and, if so, I'm guessing that is based on Colombian law. Best bet is to ask some of the folks who have fiancees come here on K-1s and get married here...to see if they had any trouble. Lucho comes to mind as someone who recently got married on a K-1. I would not imagine you'd have any trouble if the "copy" was made within a year of your marriage, but it's good to ask!

I think the rules vary from state to state. For example, in Florida my wife could drive with me in the car because she had a Colombian driver's license. However, it did nothing for her when she tried to get a Florida license. She still have to take both the road rules and signs test as well as a driving test. Fortunately, they give the road rules ans signs tests in SPanish....and they had an examiner who spoke SPanish during the road test. I'm not sure of the rules with an international drivers permit....worth a check with your state office.

I also agree that it is better to wait until he/she gets to the U.S. to learn to drive, especially given the rules in the U.S. and the different kind of cars (i.e., more with automatics and power steering/brakes).

Hey Guys...I noticed as I'm sure everyone else has that we have 2 couples with interview dates coming up soon...I just wanted to wish them the best of luck.


OK here goes..


GOOD LUCK LUIS + VIVIANA!!!




GOOD LUCK CHESTER + MONICA!!!

Hey Scott check with your state. Here in CT a foreign license is good for 1 year but must be accompanied by a international drivers permit. The IDP is just basically a english translation of the license. The Colombian license is easy to get, as with many things there...you just have to pay. The IDP is a bit more of a pain in the ###. I think you have to get one from the ACC De Colombia. I guess it is like our AAA. I believe the ACC is only in Bogota. If anyone knows any better please speak up. Also the same applies here, my wife will need to take a exam and road test for her CT license.

Hey guys and gals. I arrived home in the US late last night. Paola arrived back to her home Friday AM. We did eventually mangae to enjoy our time togeather after out delay of the visa.
Paola is pretty still bummed, me too. The day of the interview I talked to her and said everything will be fine, she seemed ok with that but was not her usual bubbly self. About 4pm that day we went to a small bar to have a beer and relax. She asked for Tequilla. LOL. About 4 shots of that and the floodgates opened up and she cried for a couple of hours. All is better now. LOL.
Paola is going to Panama for the Police certifiacte on Sunday and will return Sept. 5th. It takes 8 days there, in Bogota it takes 2 months to obtain. After she gets the certificate I will call and schedule another appointment for. The bad part is I can not travel back to Bogota to be with her this time. Bummer.
I am optomistic about the visa. The burden of proof of a relationship is on us, the proof of fraud is on them. If all your docs are in order and you have not lied on any of them, you will get the visa. The Embassy can make your life miserable for a while but in the end if there is no fraud they have to give you the visa. I am hoping that this next interview will be the end and she can come to the US.
Bob, the owner of Colombian Services, the owner of the apartments we stayed in, was surprised about the request for the doc. He has helped many obtain the visa and said this was the first time this has come up.
I did meet several couples while down there that got approval. Man, if those some of those folks can get the visa anyone can.
The one couple I posted about that the CO thought there marriage foto's were fake went back, had the same CO and got approval. The CO tried to confuse the lady and was sucessful the first day. On the next interview they were more prepared.
Well, now, I am back to waiting and fretting. Good luck to all that are having the interview soon.

Thanks Scott for your wishes, as for now me and Viviana, we are getting ready for the interview, we are trying to get the small details out of the way, like vaccinations, the Migration DAs document, which by the way Viviana is flying to Bogota on the 30th to get it done since it takes 3 to 4 days to get it, her medical and lab are schedule for Sept. 6th, I will be arriving to Bogota on the 8th and stay there til the 11th, hoping everything is good, she will have to wait til the 12 to get her passport back and fly back to Barranquilla and get ready for ther trip to the USA, which I'm hoping goes really fast .

Now I understand what Buck was going thru, and I agree when he says that is your relationship is a real one there is no need to worry the visa will be expedite with no problems, it's just the timing and the waiting that makes things more difficult... and as for me well I will be introduce to her father's side of the family, I've already met the mother's side which they are all wonderfull and cariñosos...., at the end on this trip I will want to have a few moments alone with my swettie. lol, lol,, so the count down has begun for me... 14 days to see my girl again and 16 days for the interview...

Luish

I hope all goes well with your interviews!!

Bros, the time is now to ask all questions, even the ones you already know.

Chester, How's the police certificate issue going?

Luis, I really didnt understand your question about the birth certificate. Are you talking about the marginal notes?? I will ask Wendy to show me her registro civil. I'll get back to you later on that.

Thanks Lucho for your wishes, as for what I was asking...: I was reading thru all the documents that I have in my posession here , and notice that Viviana's birth certificate has a few stamps in front and back of the document, there are like 4 different stamps, this documents was issued inBarranquilla last year on Nov. 27, actually I was the one that got it, since Viviana was in classes during those days,
let me write what it says but in spanish, maybe you can understand it better or explain it to me better, since my spanish is good but sometimes I have a problem understanding what certain things mean in Spanish
"Notaria primera del Circulo de Barranquilla"
Ana Dolores Meza Caballero
esta copia auntentica tomada del original que reposa en los archivos de esta notaria, valida para demostrar parentesco y tiene vigencia permanente excepto para matrimonio"

and from there there is a name and date of document, so when I read this, I thought that maybe this document is not good to get marry and need to get one that is good , or maybe is just a colombian thing overthere and here in the States will be overlooked...

Hey good luck to Luis and Chester!!!!!!!!

Luis,

My spanish sucks too bro...lol

That is the same exact registro civil that I have in front of me. Same stamps. That is the correct registro civil. Also, Wendy's Partida de Bautismo has the same stamp. I'm guessing they went to the same exact notario en Barranquilla.

No worries, your registro civil is good to go. Only concern is the date your was notarized. However, no mention of expiration dates in Packet 4 in regards to the registro civil. If it worries you, it is easy to obtain another authenticated copy of it.

Thanks, I fly down from SFO to CLO on Sept 1. I pray to God that everything goes well.

For Ecuador they don't issue Police Certificates for foreigners. She never really "lived" in Ecuador, but her total stay cumulative in over 5 years is over 6 months. I was taking the precautions, better safe than sorry.

Hey Chester,

I'm sure you are very excited and nervous about your trip but I'm sure your interview will turn out just fine. Keep your cool make sure you have all your docs in a row...jajajajaja...(a little stupid humor) and you will be comming home a happy couple!!!!

Did Monica ever receive packet 3+4 in the mail?

Scott

Hello!!! the Colombian license is good in the US (and in any country) for six months

to get an international drivers license in Colombia is easy and is good for one year. you have to call ACC Automovil Club de Colombia, to ask for the fee (i got mine 2 years ago, don´t remember how much i paid) you need Colombian drivers license, 2 photos and the money, it takes like an hour, and then they will give it to you, is a little book with your picture and some info in 5 diferent languages...

i hope this is good

saludos!!!


M

I have some questions regarding the preparations for the day of the interview.

1. It says on Packet 4 instructions to include "Forma DS230 Part 1". We already faxed this to the embassy and we have a photocopy of it. Do we just make copies of it or fill out a "new one"

2. Questions on the DS-156 - 22. When do you intend to Arrive in the US? (We put a date week after our interview date, is that ok or we say "As soon as visa is approved")

3. 26 - How long do you intend to stay in the US ? "Indefinite", "permanently"

4. 21 - Present Occupation - Since she runs a an Internet Cafe, we wrote "Indepeniente - Internet Cafe Propietaria". Is that ok?

5. I'm making sure DS-156 is printed front and back on the same page.

6. What's the deal with the vaccinations? We can get the ones she does not have in Buga and not from the doctor's office in Bogota. She will have the original vaccination report cards. It's a lot cheaper versus having them done in Bogota. I read something about the vaccinations need to have been applied in the last 8 days. I don't buy that, vaccinations are vaccinations for life.

7. DS-156 and the passport must be brought to the bank when making the payment, correct?

8. DS-156, Hoja de Cita should be brought to the LAB and Doctor's clinic, right?


That's all that I can think of right now, I'm sure there will be more.


Monica never received Packet 3 in the mail. Packet 4 was claimed by a friend last Thursday, Aug 23 and arrived by Servientrega today at her house.

Here are my answers, based on what I know:

1. No need to bring DS 230, part I to the embassy. You already submitted it.

2. The folks at the bank who check the form seem to want a date. We put something similar to "as soon as visa approved," but they wanted something specific, so we put a date. Don't think it matters if you he/she doesn't end up traveling on that date. It did not with us.

3. Yes "permanently"

4. Yes, that's fine.

5. Yes, DS-156 is supposed to be printed front and back, although I think someone said he got away with providing two separate pages.

6. Vaccinations can be done before the doctor. Most get them done (at least in Bogota) at the Red Cross. I'm not sure what you read about the 8 day time limit, but that was not our experience.

7. Yes, passport and DS-156 to the bank when making payment.

8. Yes, DS-156 and appointment letter to the lab and doctor. Doctor will take one copy of the DS-156 and put it in the sealed envelope with the rest of his/her reports/documents.


Mike

Sabes que? The notary's stamp on the back of Bella's registro says "Este registro tiene validez permanente. Ley 962 de 2005" Period. No mas. There is nothing about an exception for marriage.

I am not sure if this has any significance, but it is interesting that the notaries are not all using the same stamp. Maybe the law changed in 2005 and some of the notaries did not bother to get new stamps.

I am glad not to have the exception on Bella's. Maybe it does not matter, but I am still glad it is not there.