Bundy,
I believe you received some bad info. Sandy had no problem sceduling her appointment with Dr. Gonzalez. She called her on Monday, and as well was informed directly by the Dr. that she could receive her shots in Barranquilla. You should schedule your flights soon as possible. We should meet in Bogota!
Steve

[thought to la Dra] Awesome, Dra Gonzalez... after playing Dr Roa's unethical vaccination game it looks like "you" may be changing your ways. [/thought to la Dra]

Congratulations Scott!!

Just a little update...
we got NOA 2 november 26 by mail. Then on the 27 got a letter from NVC saying they received the application. We called NVC and they said our case was sent to bogota. We used the shortcut, I faxed and mailed packet 3 on december 4. I got packet 3 by mail in bogota on the 11. Called DOS and they said interview January 18!!! and today i got packet 4!!! I`m so exited. I will be calling on Monday to doctor's office to schedule appointment.

Since the interview is on a Friday should I get the doctor's app. on wednesday and the Lab on Monday?? What if I need to get all the shoots? can someone help me??

thanks

Marcela

You can make your appointmet for either Monday or Tuesday. Most people have their lab work in the morning and medical in the afternoon. If you don't have any of the shots, you can get them done at the doctor's office.

Diana

Hello Marcella
Sandy and I also have our interview on January 18th. Sandy has already scheduled her appointment with Dra. Gonzalez for Monday the 14th of January. So yes you schedule asap, for that week. Also I posted earlier about the shots. Sandy is getting hers at the Red Cross in Barranquilla prior to arriving in Bogota.

Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
December 13, 2007


Application Fees for Non-Immigrant Visas to Increase On January 1, 2008

Effective January 1, 2008, the application fee for a U.S. non-immigrant visa will increase from $100 to $131. This increase allows the Department to recover the costs of security and other enhancements to the non-immigrant visa application process. This increase applies both to non-immigrant visas issued on machine-readable foils in passports and to border crossing cards issued to certain applicants in Mexico.



Applicants who paid the prior $100 application fee before January 1 will be processed only if they are scheduled and appear for a visa interview before January 31. Applicants who paid the prior $100 application fee and appear for visa interviews after January 31, 2008 must pay the difference -- $31 -- before they will be interviewed.



The Department is required by law to attempt to recover the cost of processing non-immigrant visas through the collection of the Machine-Readable Visa application fee. Because of new security-related costs, new information technology systems, and inflation, the $100 Machine-Readable Visa fee is lower than the actual cost of processing non-immigrant visas. In fact, the $100 fee was already lower than the cost of processing non-immigrant visas when the fee was reviewed as a part of the cost of service study in 2004. The Department has been absorbing the additional cost. We are now collecting 10 fingerprints from each applicant, and the cost charged by the FBI to review those fingerprints no longer allows us to do this. The application fee has increased twice since September 11, 2001, the last time in 2002.

2007/1133

Released on December 13, 2007

Hey everybody!!!!!!

Just a quick note to say that Yenifer received her visa packet today and we will be in Miami tomorrow!!!!!!!

Congratulations!!! That wasn't so bad.

Diana

eyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Congrats!!! Welcome to Miami, Bienvenido a Miami ... I am happy for you guys.... Let's stay in touch.

The weather here in Miami is beautiful, it's cool at night and warm in the day. Yesterday Brian and I, went to Dania Beach


Brian and Yenys

Congratulations Scott & Yennifer!

Way to go Scott and Yennifer!

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Scott!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yennifer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Charles, how ya holding up without your sweetie?? She is warm and comfy in Florida, you are cold and alone. LOL>LOL.

You don't need to remind me, Buck! ;-) Thank goodness the boys and I are going to Miami tomorrow to spend time with her and her sister's family. The cold I can tolerate.....with my sweetheart to keep me warm. lol

I haven't been on the site for quite a while (hard to believe it been close to a year since my wife's K-3 interview), but I wanted to stop back and wish those of your who know us a very Merry Christmas (or happy holidays). For those who don't know us, we wish you the best of luck with you visa quest. I hope that this thread, started by Peter and continued by many of us has helped you along the way.

Regards,
Mike

Scott Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My nerves are starting to kill me the closer the interview date gets!!!!

I do have one quick question, God willing everything goes OK with the interview and we get the visa, being that i am coming back on the first and Leidy has to wait for the visa, does she have to go through Miami or can I book a direct flight to New York??

Hey Byron,
I had the same question regarding POE, for Sandy, and her daughter. When I spoke to the people at Avianca Airlines, they informed me that any airport they Service from Colombia to USA is valid as a POE. I hope that they gave me the correct information, and it makes sense I guess. I actually found the best priced flight into FLL (Fort Lauderdale) and then connecting 4 hours later on Airtran to upstate New York. Believe it or not, this was actually $140.00 cheaper, including the Airtran flights. It's crazy how they price the airfare at times. Now I am flying with Sandy, if she where flying solo, I would probably paid the additional cost to get her directly into JFK. Good Luck to both of you!

The POE can be anything you choose, be it Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, NYC, Chicago, LA, doesn't matter. Choose the best flight you can find out there as far as convenience and cost go and you'll be ok. I always think it's best to choose a flight that doesn't have any layovers because going through POE alone is complicated enough for new comers. That's why I chose to fly with my husband.

Diana

Hello everyone! I received an email confirmation today that our I-129F has been approved. It is on to Bogota! We are so happy and thankful to all that have blazed this trail ahead of us. It is exciting to see all the action that has taken place in December! Yahoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Congratulations Scott y Yenifer!

Our petition package should be at the embassy soon. It was entered into the NVC system yesterday.

When we fax our Package 3 response to the embassy requesting an interview date, do we need to send a DS-230 for the children also or only for Bella (the beneficiary)?

By the way, the DS-230 on the embassy´s website is out of date. It took me a while but I found the current one here.

So I am having the interview the 31st and I haven’t received packet 4, so I wrote to the embassy and they told me to go and pick up it in person tomorrow (hope it doesn’t takes long). The good news are that I will be able to do the exams and the doctors appointment without the appointment letter (did the fist one already) Now I have a question, I need to pay the 100 dollars (its equivalent in pesos) at the Banco de Credito but the DS- 156 IN SPANISH is required and I can only find it in English, somebody can help me?

Tnks a lot and good luck to all of you!![

The DS 156 in spanish is only required by the embassy, but not for the Bank.. The Bank will recieve it in english, They Recieved mine in english, then when I was in the Embassy for my interview, they gave me a Form DS 156 in spanish, for to fill it out, because they need to have in their record one in spanish that it's all.

You must pay 210.000 pesos at the Banco de Credito.

God Bless you.

Brian and Yenys

Thanks Diana , SteveSandyHill for your help!!!

¡Saludos a todos!

Regarding PCKT 3, form DS-156 is in Spanish and DS-156k is in English. Brianys is supposed to give the form DS-156 to the bank when she pays the $100. Even though the form is in Spanish I heard that the answers should be in English. I would like to get other opinions and/or advice. Thanks!

How far in advance of the interview should my wife pay for her interview at the Banco de Credito?

HI Matt I will recomend you to pay before 1 of Jan, because afther of this date you will have to pay 131 Dollars, you can pay anytime you want as sooner you have your interview scheduled

Brian and Yenys

I am trying to prepare my package 3 request for an interview. Everywhere I look in this process I find conflicting instructions. The form must be in Spanish. The form must be in English. The form must be signed. The form must not be signed. etc.

Can I send Part I of the DS-230 in english even though Bella does not understand english well enough to understand the sworn statement in Part II that she will need to sign at the interview? I am assuming that Part II will need to be done in Spanish because of Bella's inability to read english.

Is Part II of the DS-230 filled out in advance of the interview or at the interview?

Does anyone have a link to Package 3 in Spanish? Every stupid link on the spanish version of the embassy website is broken.


Thanks!

Bill,

I am so weary to give advice since I havent been keeping up to date with any changes the embassy may have made. So someone correct me if i'm wrong.

You only need Part 1 of the DS230. Part 1 consists of pages 1 and 2.

Spanish DS230 Link
http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/co1/wwwfcds230espt1.pdf

Spanish Packet 3 Link
http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/co1/wwwfc...ciones_temp.pdf

The embassy always changes their links. So it's best to save these on your computer.

I think you are both weary and wary. You have always been a great help to everyone and it is greatly appreciated.

When is the second part of the DS-230 completed? I know it is not needed to request the interview appointment, but is it filled out prior to the interview or at the embassy?

Thanks!

You do not need to fill it out nor take the second part of the DS230.

Thanks for your kind words!

Bill,

Lucho is absolutely correct...the 1st part of the DS-230 (signed and faxed) is all that is necessary. You won't hear or see part 2, even at the interview. (??????????????)

Thanks a lot Scott & Lucho. That is a big help. I guess I should of realised that but I had it stuck in my head that eventually we had to do the second part also.

They didn't make Yenifer sign Part II of the DS-230 in front of the CO?

Diana

Alright, thank you. I will tell her to go pay soon.

Merry Christmas

Diana,

The only thing that Yenifer signed at the interview was the DS-156K with the CO as a witness...never saw the DS-230 (1st OR 2nd part) again after faxing 1st part for packet 3 shortcut...???

WELCOME TO MIAMI CHARLES!!!!

How long ya stayin'?

Tnks,

Welcome back Scott & Yenifer!

Scott, I was just reviewing your earlier post about the bank and the 156 needing to be done in spanish? I have all these forms completed in type from my PC, will we need to redo them in the bank? Or perhaps prior to going to the bank?

I also see that the fee is going up after Jan. 1 2008, Sandy will not be arriving in Bogota for the interview until the 7th. We have recieved packet 4, (not sure if you need to show the letter in the bank, I am assuming not). My question is can she go to the bank in Barranquilla with the DS-156 next week and prepay for this prior to the increase?

Thank you every one in this forum for all the great advise in this seemingly never ending process!

Bill, we received our NOA2 right behind you. I plan to hang on to your coat tails and after viewing your posts I am expecting a smooth ride!! Good luck.

Cameron

Thanks Steve...

The lab, the bank and the dr. office all ask to see the letter from the embassy.

If the bank is not happy with your DS-156 they will just give you a new one to fill out...no big deal...no worries buddy you will do just fine!!!!

And yes there is a bank location in B'quilla to pay for the visa...the bank locations should be listed in pkt 4...they will stamp the DS-156 with a number and that will go with you to the embassy

Merry Christmas folks!

May 2008 bring you the happiness together and in family that all of us here in Colombia Club have known to feel from one another.

TO ALL COLOMBIAN CLUB VJER'S

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !!!

TODAY, YENYS AND I WILL BE IN "SOUTH BEACH" CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS EVE TOGETHER ON THE BEACH !!!

MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS US ALL AND LEAD US DOWN THE RIGHT PATHS IN OUR LIVES !!!

AMEN.....

SPECIAL THANKS FOR ALL THE ADVICE, POSTS AND SUPPORT HERE IN THIS THREAD FROM OUR COLOMBIAN CLUB FAMILY...


BRIAN AND YENYS

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE HERE IN THE COLOMBIA CLUB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANKS FOR ALL THYE SUPPORT AND THE GREEEAAATTTTTTT HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND MAY WE ALL PROSPER IN 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


P.S.- I HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN BUGGING ME...IF GOD WILLING EVERYTHING GOES FINE WITH THE INTERVIEW; WHEN BUYING THE FLIGHTS FOR LEIDY AND DANIEL, MAY I BUY ONE WAY TICKETS TO NEW YORK OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE A ROUND TRIP???

Feliz Navidad mi hermano!!

You can buy whatever is cheaper...

Remember to tell Leidy to ask for the POE EAD Stamp at Passport Control!!

Greetings:

one way tickets is fine, since you will already have the visa in there passports

Hey Scott,

Regarding DS-156, was Yenifer's form expired? The form that my girl (Brianys) received is expired. I'm not sure if it's a big deal to them or not but I was just curious. Also, I know the form can also be filled out online and printed( https://evisaforms.state.gov/DS156_Spanish.asp ) but I don't anyone who has done it that way. Any thoughts?

maviwaro,

Do they actually stamp your passport with a special stamp?
If you don't ask for this stamp do they give it to you anyway?
If it wasn't done can we go back and have it done?

Thanks

Rob,
I believe all of the forms that I have seen are expired...online in english with bar code...online in spanish and the ones that the embassy sent us. It won't matter because when you get to the bank and they want you to fill it out again because you forgot to cross a t or dot an i it's no big deal...

P.S. Their's are expired too!!!

GOOD LUCK ON THE 31st BYRON & LEIDY...MV & JR !!!!!

Merry Christmas everybody and a Feliz Navidad para todos!!!

Diana

THANK YOU SCOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IM A NERVOUS WRECK!!!