Now that's what I call getting out of a sticky situation!
Lets hope that the initial Senatorial prod will also make the AOS process a bit... faster?

Super, Charles, thanks for the FYI.



Solo ir y sonreir

meta mano!

Hook us up bro!

February 2008 will = Colombia trip for 2...

(thinking AP in case AOS isn't done yet...)

Like i said i got VERY lucky...but you could always check at www.taca.com

i check regularly, you never know!

If you use Firefox there's an extension called Farecompare that allows you to get up to the second fares directly on your browser.

I obviously have mine set Chicago to Bogotá and Chicago to San Juan...

Oh cool...never knew about that...Thanks!!!

Along with the airlines mentioned, if you're flying out of LA, Miami, or Newark (I think), be sure to check out LAN airlines out of Chile. They were by far the cheapest for flying Lorena from Bogota to Miami.

I have flown to Colombia with American Airlines/Avianca and Copa Airlines. Copa was by far cheaper, although there is a short 1.5 hour layover in Panama.

Lucho, i meant to ask you one questin that i forgot,,,,which is the form that they want pg1 and pg 2 back to back??

Taca was definately the cheapest for me...i did have a stop in Costa Rica. and another time 2 stops ..one in Costa Rica and then El Salvador

That would be the DS156. It is the bank NOT the embassy that wants it back to back, so it may not matter. The DS156 that will be sent to your fiance is on 1 sheet, page 1 on front, page 2 on back.

However the online DS156 on the embassy's can be printed out on seperate pages.
http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/co1/wwwsc...tructions.shtml

It's the bank that may give you problems, some banks require it on 1 sheet, others dont. Heck, they even gave Wendy a DS157 to fill out, and that form is for Male beneficiarys!!!!

WOW! Unbelieveable, but nothing shocks me anymore.....the reason i ask is because i was going to print them out then go to a kinkos or office max and have them put it back to back...im sending her all the paper work sometime next week...

Bro, what would be easier...help her fill the DS156 online. Have her print it out at her home or internet cafe. Have her print page 1 first, then put page 1 upside down in the printer feed, then print page 2 on the back side. The file is saveble PDF. If she gives you the answers you can fill it out for her and save it to your computer and email it to her. That's how we did it.

Lucho, just want to make sure of one thing...i saw Rafael asing bout the tax transcripts....what i have is 6 envelopes that i got from the IRS...3 with w2's for three yrs and 3 with transcripts for 3 yrs....Is this right and enough??
Y gracias!!! on the DS156 form question!

The 3 years of tax transcripts are enough, 2004, 2005, and 2006. I'd still take the W2's and 1040's. I wouldnt want the embassy to get all technical on you and say that you HAVE to have the 1040's regardless of the tax transcripts because thats what it says in packet 4.

Thats what i was afraid of...i dont think i have all the 1040's and the w2's......as for the DS156, we are meeting in Panama next month so ill give it to her there ...Now im worried bout these tax forms..i have to start searching...lets say i dont have them , is there a way to get them??

You shouldnt worry much, i'm 99% positive that the transcripts will be enough. But that small 1% of me doesnt trust the CO's.

Have you checked with your tax preparer?

Read this thread, our very own CO's in Bogota are the idiots at hand. This is why I dont trust them.
http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=86859

LOL, dont ask about him..i go to some bootleg guy, that looks like Osama Bin Laden...he knows some " trampas " that gets me more back...shhhh...

Man!! We are a bunch of worry warts!! That is the exact reason why so many folks on here are successful, along with the fact that some are very well informed. I am thankful that some come and some leave, those that come are well informed and can be trusted. In the end...............you cannot be to carfull, you cannot be to prepared. Caution to all that are new, if you even have any doubt about anything, do it. Be over prepared!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There have been, and are others on this site that have given, without anything other then a thank you. I am not going to name all that have beeen a help to me and others because I will forget some and may hurt some feelings. Thank all of you. Paola is comming up on her 2nd interview next wek and I will not be there. . One can only afford so much. I have many fears, many positive feelings. In the end, I have only my love and devotion for her. Regaurdless of the outcome, that will not change.
It is nice to have common ground with others, bei ng able to voice one's fears. hopes and dreams with others. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

Buck , Paola is going to breeze through the interview!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will have here before you know it!!! As for being able to afford oh so much...TELL ME ABOUT IT....I am running so dry after all my trips, the money i send Leidy its killing me!!!!!!!!!!! ...Unfortunately the bills HERE dont stop coming!!

Charles,
Enjoyed reading your post.

Maybe we need to start a new thread called , Moving to South America! I am really considering moving in about 5 1/2 years. I have been trying to educate myself on Argentina right now. My wife is in agreement with me on the move and I have her support 100%. We are looking at a City or Country in South America that is safe, has good healthy care, good schools for our son, housing costs and a stable goverment. I hope to visit Buenos Aires within the next year. Anyone interested in traveling, let me know. We could have a Colombia Club get together.

Would be nice to have a community of Colombia Club members in South America.

Buck,
if you like I can send you my wife's email address, so your wife can talk to her and maybe make the transition of living in America a little easier. Verizon Wireless is free nights and weekends so they can talk away!

Thanks Corey, I will take you up on that.

Here is the link where you can find the info regarding the IRS transcripts: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=110571,00.html.

After doing a ton of research I bought our plane tickets via Travelocity (Yahoo! Travel) and that was the lowest fare I found online. They ended up being pretty cheap but that's because we're traveling in September and nothing exciting happens there nor here during those dates. November fares will be higher and December-January, forget about it.

Diana
[/quote]

Diana, thank you. I'm on hold for a rep now. And the I will have them 7 to 10 business days.




Scott

Thanks. I saw Avianca too and I want fly with them but they don't fly out Chicago.




Thnaks B, Man Taca was cheap...I saw they don't fly to Cali. I was thinking of going to Cali then to BGT.



thanks Chester. I went with Continental the last time and it was a good flight. Just the Pananma to Cali flight the landing was not a ten at all.

Hey Colombia Club...looking for input/advice as to how to answer this one in the I-134.

11. I intend__do not intend__ :
to make specific contributions to the support of the person(s) named in item 3.
(If you check "intend," indicate the exact nature and duration of the contributions. For example, if you intend to furnishroom and board, state for how long and, if money, state the amount in U.S. dollars and state whether it is to be given in a lumpsum, weekly or monthly, and for how long.

Thanks, Scott

Scott,

I134, #11

Leave both boxes uncheked and type this in.

N/A ( K1 visa process for permanent residence )

Byron,

The tax transcripts from the IRS are actually preferable to your own copies. I could write anything on a tax form and send it in. The transcripts are "official" and are from after the actual submission.

Charles

Scott,

Lucho is right on the money with this one (as he usually is....lol). You would only check one of those boxes if you were bringing in a person on a worker program or something like that.

Charles

Thanks Lucho and Charles.

Charles thanks a lot!!!! I

Ok guys, I'm off to Bogotá tomorrow. My husband has his lab and medical appointments on Monday and then D-Day is Thursday. I'll let you know how it goes.


Diana

Thats is great news...God will be with you and your husband.

No worries

Best of luck, Diana!! We'll all be anticipating good news.

I'm with Diana.....................Paola will be there. I am hoping for the best. I reserved a room for her with Colombian Services, Bob and Luceneda, the owners. Paola says that if she is denied again that she does not want to talk to anyone. LOL. Bob is a great guy, American, living in Colombia, married to Luceneda, a Colombiana, good folks. Anyway, as I said I am hoping for the best. Paola has some fear. She will be staying untill Monday to pick up the visa if successful. I want her to be around people who care and we can trust to support her. I want to be there but I can not, I just do not have the time or money.
This next week will be a very long one for me. Man, after so much waiting, so much stress, so much hope, only to come across an unseen and unexpected problem, and now a second interview!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On top of that, I am not there.
Only those that dare to take on this adventure can comprehend what it really means. I am convinced that we have so much over all others that just fall in love and get married. We overcome many of the hardships that make others fail before we are even married!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I miss my little queen.
Good luck Diana, Paola and I are with you all the way.

Diana and Paola,
I want you both to know that you are in my prayers...I, as well as others here in in VJ understand the emotions that you are feeling right now,
and how important it is to you to be sucessful in your journey. I think as "real" people, us VJers have a "real" desire to find happiness in life...that starts with the help of God finding our soulmate against all odds. Just remember that you are not in this alone and we are here for each other together as one. May God Bless you both.

Scott

Diana y Paola, les mando muchos deseos de suerte pero yo se que Diosito esta con las dos!!!!

I know it is required to have three years of tax records because I have heard this to be true here and also from the officer I spoke to at CSC last Wednesday but nowhere in the instructions for I-134 does it say this. Can someone tell me where this requirement comes from?

Scott

Boy to I need help...OK here's the deal...went on to Bogota embassy website to fill out packet 3+4 forms and email them to Yenifer...DS-156 no problem, DS-156K will not allow me to save but only print, DS-230 can not be modified online just print blank to be filled out manually, and finally does OF-169 still exist if so where and is it still necessary? What the HELL...am I just stupid or what?

Scott

You're not stupid, Scott. There seems to be no rationale behind how to use or print the various forms. We ended up filling in the 156 by hand at the embassy! haha

As for the OF-169, I believe that is simply one page of the packet (#4 I think) that you complete to be sure you have all of your required documents in order. It's basically a checklist, and I don't think you turn it in anywhere. Again, the location and purpose are not clearly identified by the USCIS. You should find the form number at the bottom of one of the sheets you have.

If I had input into USCIS operations, their poor coordination and use of forms would be one of the things highest on my list of suggested improvements. However, as a (state) government employee, I recognize that changing government operations is like trying to turn the Queen Mary - WITHOUT a rudder! It ain't easy and it takes forever.

Charles

Thanks Charles,

I found the OF-169 on pg 5 of the packet 3 instructions and as far as getting all fancy pants and filling out everything online I think we will take a step back to save the frustration and fill the forms out by hand...I brought 2 complete packets of 3+4 to Yenifer on my last trip to Colombia (2 weeks ago)
so I think we will stick to plan "A".

Scott

No worries right!!! I am absolutely positive that everything will go your way on D-day. You know what to do, should be a breeze for you.

I hope everything goes well with your stay, or else I wont hear the end of it

Wendy gives her best to you two as well.

I feel you on this one. The instructions on the I-134 indeed do say that you need tax returns, but only for the last year, not 3 years. Also it says that these tax returns are needed as evidence if self employed. I believe the idea of providing the last 3 years of tax returns or transcripts came from the form I-864 which is also an affadavit of support and carries more weight than the I-134 because it is a legally binding contract. You will need the I-864 when your future wife applies for Adjustment Of Status.



Packet 4 also says 1 year, not 3.


This is where the idea of the last 3 years may have surfaced from
.

Regardless if the form says 1 year, i'd go with 3 years. Tax transcripts are very easy to obtain. If for whatever reason you do not want to submit 3 years of tax returns I would do the following. Submit only 1 year of tax returns with your I-134 to the CO. However the other 2 years keep with you in a seperate folder just in case they request them. Like I always say, better to be over prepared than under.

Thanks for clearing that up Lucho...I thought I was going crazy.

Scott

PS Had 3 years ready to go just wasn't sure why.

Good luck, Diana! I hope all goes well, and let us know as soon as it is humanly possible.

Orestes and Patricia

I have a question about the form I-129F. In part B of this form, question 13, I have been asked to list all children of my fiancée, Patricia, (if any). Patricia has a son who is 18 years old, but we are not seeking a K2 visa for him at this point in time since he wants to finish his college in Colombia. Shouldn't I list him any way even if we are not petitioning his K2 visa? I'd appreciate any suggestions and opinions from this forum. Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Orestes and Patricia

In my opinion you should list them all. The I-129F does not ask which children will be applying for visas. It asks you to list the children of the beneficiary. Period.

I have seen several posts on VJ that say it is not necessary to list children that are not applying for visas but I think that would be a mistake. I can just see a CO in a bad mood giving you a hard time for submitting an inaccurate petition. Never give them any ammunition to use against you.

We have the same feeling. Thanks.

GOOD LUCK DIANA..., WE'LL BE WAITING TO HEAR THE GOOD NEWS...

Good afternoon everyone! Let me introduce myself as the newest member of the Colombia club. I am so glad I found this group! As I am sure you all know, it gets lonely when there is nothing you can do but watch the days go by... and that status that just doesn't change. At the same time, there is so much at stake!

I hope by sharing my experience I can contribute to everyone else's quest. I've been trying to read all the posts... but 157 pages! So I am sorry if I am about to ask something that maybe has already been discussed, but, does anyone know what vaccinations will be required before the interview? I am hoping my wife can get those shots ahead of time so that she doesn't take them all at once during the medical exam.

BTW, Diana, I wish you the best luck. I am sure everything will go well and I hope you can share with everyone your interview experience.

This is my timeline:
Send I-130 early June. Received NOA1 June 18th, 2007
Sent I-129F July 30th. Received NOA1 August 20th, 2007
Current status: "Received and pending"

Welcome Juan Carlos,

You've chosen the right thread because you will find answers to your questions here so feel free to ask away!

Here are the vacines you will need but I am not sure how far out from the interview will be an acceptable time frame to have this done...there was talk and some controvercy earlier in this thread as to what would be valid when you got to Bogota...I hope someone has more to add...Lucho...Billl y Bella...Charles...Diana...Byron...Buck...Luish???

Td = Tetanus and Diphtheria vaccine
MMR = Measles, Mumps and Rubella
Varicella = Chickenpox

Scott

Good luck Diana, I am sure things will go well for you....the power of positive thinking and all that. Welcome Juan Carlos tons of good info here and always someone willing to point you in the right direction. I am interested in the time constrants on the vaccines too, how far out can you get them? Do any of the documents for a K-1 for packet 3 or 4 have to be certified copies and how would one go about getting documents certified? Does anyone know why I might not be getting any paper notifications from USCIS? I have never gotten one, I either recieve an email or call to find out about the status of my case. I even went back to check the address I put in my I 129F and it was the correct one. Is this normal or do I need to make a trip to my local office?

Welcome Juan Carlos!!! You have two names near to my heart - my name is Charles and Lorena's older son is named Juan.

Scott is right on the money with the list of vaccinations. You'll find the same info on the Embassy website. I haven't had time to read your profile yet, but if your wife has kids, you would be wise to have them get ALL the vaccinations they will need for school in your state. It will save you time and headaches later.

Since you are a K-3 applicant, be sure to focus your attention on posts related to the K-3 visa. While there are many things that are the same among the various visa types, the K-3 has many differences which are important. You may also want to read info from those going the CR-1 route. Using the CR-1 will delay the arrival of your wife in the states, but will save you a lot of time and paperwork after she arrives. Confused? It's understandable, but as you read through things and go through the process, it will all become clearer day by day.

Don't be intimidated by the number of pages to be read. There is a wealth of information here and you will find yourself referring to VisaJourney often. The important thing for you to do with all this information is focus on what YOU need to know, make lots of notes, read the information, and then read it again. Be aware that things do change with USCIS and/or Embassy rules from time to time. That's why it's a good idea to stay up to date with what others contribute here. You will have the latest inside info from those who are right in the middle of it all.

One last thing.... Read ahead in terms of the process you're going through. It's never too early to start planning for ALL of the steps you and your wife will go through - Adjustment of Status, Social Security Number(s), Citizenship, etc. Simply getting the K-3 visa in hand is only the beginning of a long and sometimes tedious (and frustrating) process. The more you study and understand, the less likely it will be that you are caught with a big surprise or make a crucial mistake at some step along the way. There are outside sources of information, such as other websites and really good books on the subject (just make sure they are up to date), but you should always check outside information against what you read here. While I can't guarantee that folks, like myself, won't make errors in what we tell you from time to time, in general, what you read here is as close to being "gospel" as you're likely to find. And that includes professional help!!

Best of luck in your journey.
Charles

There was some talk on her about thre vaccinations only being good for 8 days. That does not seem logical. I don't know how that info got started or what the result of it was. I can not see, given what a vaccination is that they would want them to be within 8 days. I do not tink you can even get a repeat vaccination in that time frame. If it is true, Poala and I will find out this Thursday. Her first interview was Aug. 17th, she had the vaccinations. Her second interview being on Sept. 27th will put her way out of that time frame.