They could send it to you, but the problem is that they will send it to Bogota. Based on the packet 3 that I was sent...I am guessing that they gather all the mail bound for the U.S. and send it bulk to the U.S., where it is then mailed. Not sure how quickly you'd get the packet. I remember that my packet 3 arrived several weeks after my wife got her. Does she know anyone in Bogota that can pick it up? I wish I could give you other options, but there are not many that I know of (or have read about here).

Mike

You're probably right. Yeah, she has a good friend that could pick it up. I just hate to ask because she's done so much for us already. But, we're this close to success, so I hate to see it fall apart because of the post office.

I have just learned that NVC has forward my application to Bogota. Bogota should receive it by wed/thur?

I understand it takes three or four days to get there, so you'd be safer to assume Friday or next Monday.

Any info on Dra González? We've been trying to reach her for two days now and no one seems to want to answer the phone... for the money they make from these processes its odd how one of two medics is letting all this money go to the other Dr...

A minor update and information that others might find useful...

Lorena still has not received packet 4 from the embassy. So I first called Visa Information Services with DoS. (http://travel.state.gov/visa/about/how/how_1463.html) I told the woman there our situation and she said they could not send me a copy of the packet. I questioned her a bit about contacting the embassy in order to schedule a time to pick up the packet. She said that, according to her information, the embassy IS taking phone calls on Wednesdays from 2 to 4. This same information is shown on the embassy's website. I said that I had heard they only accepted faxes at the embassy and she said "no". In the end, she suggested scheduling an appointment through the embassy's Visa Information Center. http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwscivinformationcenter.shtml

So, I bit the bullet and spent the $16 for a phone call. I didn't get what I wanted but I did find out a couple of things. Don't bother calling the Visa Information Center to schedule an appointment to pick up packet 4 until there are two weeks or less remaining before your interview. They simply will not schedule the appointment. The man I talked to said that "we need to make sure the mail has had enough time to arrive at your wife's home."

The other thing I learned, which has been partially covered here, is that I can call to make the appointment from the US for a friend of my wife to pick up the packet. The only stipulation being that the freind needs to have a notarized letter from my wife authorizing the friend to get the packet. The only reason for doing this, instead of having the friend make the appointment, is that I don't want the friend to have to spend her own money on the phone call.

I realize this is all sort of convoluted, but every little bit of information helps. And keep in mind that the only essential item in that packet is the cover letter. Everything else can be copied from elsewhere, but the cover letter is what gets you into the embassy in the first place.

My wife called her office last week and made an appointment without any trouble. I'd suggest trying again tomorrow.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm having Wendy fax in packet 3 on Friday, and mail it off same day as well. Hopefully we can get a late June or early July interview.

How long to hear back from the embassy after we fax packet 3 in?

Not sure but it should be a pretty quick turnaround. At least it was for us. Don't forget that you can call the National Visa center after a week or so and they should have your interview date, in case packet 4 doesn't show up in a timely way.

Great tip! I didnt even know that NVC would know the interview date.

I may have used the wrong terminology. You need to call the number on this webpage: http://travel.state.gov/visa/about/how/how_1463.html

We'll keep trying today. Hopefully they didn't all go to Santa Marta all of a sudden...

Anyone have a copy of packet 4?

thanks

I think packet 4 is just the letter from the embassy containing your interview date. I could be wrong though.

Lucho!!!!!

Yes, I have a copy of packet 4. It is the one I got from April, 2005. Most of it is still valid, although the prices of the lab work and the medical example, for example, have gone up. I have NOT scanned my packet 4 from December. You might want to PM Tony S or Oskaryandrea (you'll find posts from them on this thread). I believe they both scanned their packet 4 and could probably e-mail it to you. If you don't have any luck, PM me again with your e-mail and I'll send you the packet 4 that I have....along with some idea of the differences between that packet and the current version. Keep in mind that there are slight differences between packet 4 for a K-1 and packet 4 for a K-3.

Example of items included in packet 4:
* Cita (appointment letter)
* List of documents that you must bring to the interview
* Information about required immunizations
* Information about medical exam and names of the two doctors
* Information about the lab tests
* Information about photo specifications
* I-134 stuff
* Copy of DS-156
* Copy of DS-156K (for K-1)

Mike

I had a feeling I was wrong.

Mike's list is correct. You should also take a look at the embassy's website: http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsck3k4instructions.shtml This link is to the list of items in the K3 packet. It is slightly different than the K1. Along with the proof of support documents (I-134 or I-864) that the US sponsor must supply, it appears that the single most important document in Packet 4 is the appointment letter. You can't get into the embassy without it. All the other documents can be found or reproduced elsewhere and replaced if necessary.

Hello all. My spanish is not that great and I am confused with the instructions for the K1. Should my fiance sign or not sign the documents that we will be faxing in tomorrow and mailing in as well (packet 3) forms DS-230 part 1 and OF-169. Also it says to duplicate them....make copys or fill them out twice. Please help. Below is what confuses me.


2. Llene (en duplicado) pero NO FIRME, los formularios adjuntos OF-156 (Solicitud de Visa
de No-Inmigrante), junto con una copia del formulario DS-156 (K) adjunto (Solicitud de Visa
de no-inmigrante para prometido/a). Debe contestar todas las preguntas en los formularios
DS-156 y DS-156 (K). Si uno de sus hijos (menores de 21 años) solicitáran visa con usted,
deberá llenar dos (2) formularios DS-156 por cada uno y traerlos completamente
diligenciados el día de su cita.

Lucho!!!!

Yes, she should sign the DS-230, part I and the OF-169. Her signature on the OF-169 confirms that she has gathered the appropriate documents and is ready for her interview.

The information below pertains to the DS-156 and DS-156K. You fiancee will need to complete TWO of each of these. She should not sign them (not yet). She will take the DS-156 and the DS-156K to the Banco Credito when she pays the $100 interview fee. The Banco Credito will use DS-156 to get the information they need to provide you with the barcode. When we took the DS-156 to the bank, they also put a little ink stamp on it. She will then take ONE of the DS-156s with her to the medical exam. In my wife's case, the doctor put the DS-156 in the sealed envelope with the rest of the medical information (we did not have to do the DS-156K, so I am not sure whether the doctor will want to include that form in the packet as well). Your fiancee will then take the other DS-156 (the duplicate) with her to the interview.

So, don't worry about the DS-156 instructions for now (you can refer to my second paragraph later). Focus on packet 3 (see my first two sentences above).

Mike

Thanks otra ves mike.

We will be faxing and mailing the infamous packet 3 tomorrow. I'll keep you posted. Will packet 4 be received in a week or so? I hope so, I need to start planning my trip.

Got the medical on Wednesday May 30 with Dra González... that gives us enough time for her to put the documents together and be set for the June 4 date... we'll probably stay at a family member's home on a variation of a home swap...

Good luck everybody! I'm at the 11 day mark for traveling so TONIGHT I start packing clothes and paperwork!

OK, here's my situation:

On Monday we FINALLY got word that the last document we needed (a German police certificate) would be available, and translated into English, by next week, so we decided to fax the cover letter, front page of his passport, DS-230 Part I, and OF-169, to the embassy, immigrant visa unit. He sent it to 571-315-4155, the fax number listed for the immigrant visa unit. We did not follow up with courier, figuring it was unnecessary.

This morning I called the visa information line, and the woman I spoke with told me that they had no record of receiving his information. I hope this just means that they have not entered it in their system yet, but I'm worried . . . today he is faxing them a letter asking them to call him to confirm their receipt of his documents. If he does not hear from them by 3, he will send the documents via courier.

Do you think this means they really did not receive his information? I would be so upset if that were the case, because it means we likely have missed the cut-off for a June interview date.

Anything can happen. That's why Mike keeps insisting on faxing the documents AND sending them via courier as well just in case. It's always good to mail in the stuff because you never know.

Hello all,

Wendy just faxed packet 3 I'm not really sure what to do next. But I have questions on the 3 below bullet points.

* Information about required immunizations
Can the required immunizations be done at any clinic?

* Information about medical exam and names of the two doctors
The general physical exam can only be done by these 2 doctors?

* Information about the lab tests
The lab tests can only be done by the '2 doctors'? Or can they be performed at any clinic?

The general physical exam and lab tests can be done on the same day?

Please advise, thank you all for your help


Diana,
Has NVC forwarded your case yet?

Also,

Can the medical exams and lab tests be scheduled the day before the interview??? Or would it be too hard to get scheduled for the exams?

The reason I am asking is because my fiance does not live no where near Bogota. We dont want to make 2 seperate trips, one for the exams then another for the interview.

Thanks/Gracias

Lucho!!!!

Answers below.....

Wendy just faxed packet 3 I'm not really sure what to do next. But I have questions on the 3 below bullet points.

First, to answer a question a few posts up.....my wife faxed her packet 3 stuff on a Wednesday. We left for our honeymoon on Friday. By the time we returned the following Friday, packet 4 was waiting for her at her house in Bogota. Obviously, if your fiance lives outside of Bogota....the wait will be longer....because the mail system in Colombia is reportedly not so hot. Maybe some of the other folks on the board can comment on their recent experiences (assuming the beneficiary lives outside of Bogota).


* Information about required immunizations
Can the required immunizations be done at any clinic?

Yes. The Red Cross might be your best and cheapest option.

* Information about medical exam and names of the two doctors
The general physical exam can only be done by these 2 doctors?

Yes.

* Information about the lab tests
The lab tests can only be done by the '2 doctors'? Or can they be performed at any clinic?

No, the lab is done by a specific lab that will be listed in packet 4 (don't have it in front of me now, sorry). The lab results will be sent directly to the doctor of your choosing (one of the two).

The general physical exam and lab tests can be done on the same day?

I don't think so (if anyone knows otherwise, speak up). After all, the blood needs to be analyzed. My wife just told me that there was 1 or 2 days between the blood test/x-ray and the medical exam.

Mike

1. The immunizations can be done anywhere, for example a Red Cross office that is nearby. However, you should double check about dates and timing because some vaccinations require two shots with an interval inbetween.

2. The two doctors listed are the only ones authorized. Their names are listed on the embassy's return letter.

3. The lab tests are done at the laboratory listed on the embassy letter. This is the only place to have it done.

I'm not sure how tight the scheduling is at the doctor's office for the exam, and the doctor needs the lab results. You should be calling the doctor now to schedule the exam.

Things are moving along! Lorena received packet 4 in the mail today (it was mailed from the embassy on May 2). Judging by the luck I've been having in the US recently, I'm thinking the mail system is better in Colombia!

She is now working on passports for the boys. She tells me that a passport in Colombia only takes a day or two (in Bogota). The boys' father has said he will approve their travel - though he has yet to sign the permission document. Finally, she is planning to tavel to Bogota roughly 10 days prior to the interview in order to have enough time to do all the last minute detail stuff, lab tests, medical exam, passport photos, visa photos, etc. If 10 days seems like a lot, consider weekends in the mix along with all the usual bureaucratic snafus that will certainly occur and 10 days is very reasonable. This applies, of course, to someone who lives outside of Bogota or one of the major cities.

Best of luck to you!! You'll be there around the same time I am. When's your interview date?

Well, duh!! And here I was worried about Lorena's English skills. I can't even read what's right in front of me! Good luck on the 4th!!!

Thanks Mike and Parkpapa.

I am going to wait another week or so before I have Wendy set up appts. for the lab tests and medical exam. I want to know the interview date first. Would it be wise to schedule the lab test maybe 3 days before the exam? Then the exam a day before the interview?

This way we avoid 2 trips to Bogota. We would arrive to Bogota maybe 1 week before the interview.

Does this sound like a good plan??

Well, at Dra González' they say that you can do both in the same day. I'm having my girl get her lab work done the day before just to be sure.

I get there on the night of the 29th on AA... good ol'miles do help out! Interview is on the 4th... Almost everything is god to go!

She has her Migratorio on hand as of this morning

mavi, how long did it take to get the certificado migratorio?
JK

Inglés?? Oye mano, qué es eso??

Same to you guys on the 6th!! I can't believe that its almost time to bring her here... all my friends can't wait to finally be able to socialize in Chicago instead of having me pass them up for MSN Video Chat...

Well... it arrived this very morning in Bucaramanga. We're almost talking 5 weeks when they themselves said 3 originally. Plus it took her call to find out it was there so who knows... it may have been there for a bit waiting for her to call.

Hope it helps make an informed decision as to when to ask for one... if you got a month before the interview then you should be OK if asking for one outside of Bogotá.

Luck!

You can get the certificado migratorio in three or four days in Bogota at DAS. I don't think it's the certificate that's the problem, it is the slow mail system. At least you have an option if you will have some time in Bogota.

Our options- Absolutely dude... there is family that I haven't met and family she won't be seeing for a while (those not rich enough to afford a B visa) so its all about La Familia when I'm there. At least I'll have two weeks to continue spending Q-time with her and her folks before I steal her away.

You know... I can only say good things about the Colombian mail system. For some reason everything I've ever sent has gotten there OK and in a decent amount of time.

Anyway, I am hoping to have great news about our interview even though I am sure there's more for me to post before the trip. All of you folks here on VJ have been nothing but helpful and sympathetic since we're all suffering and learning together.

Yes, you should wait for the interview date first. If you are in Bogota a week before the appointment, that should suffice. You can get the DAS certificate, get the lab test and the medical exam taken care of. I personally would try to have everything wrapped up two days before the interview (i.e., one day free before the interview day), just in case. I have heard some crazy stories about things in Colombia....they do not always work effeciently.

Mike

yes, i've noticed that things can go wrong or be delayed in colombia so we'll be traveling to bogota with enough time to sort everything out before the interview and hopefully still have a few days to spare.
JK

Lucho,

Yes, I was also going to suggest not to leave anything for the day before the interview because if you come across an issue or problem, you'll have that day to take care of it.

Also, I think I saw somewhere that your fiancée is from Cali. My husband called their Red Cross last month and they told him that he could get all three vaccines there, they even had a special that if you get all 3 with them you only pay for 2 and get the third one free.

Diana

Thanks for the tip Diana,

Wendy is from Barranquilla. She will be contacting the red cross there on monday. How much do the 3 vaccines run?

lucho. let me know about the vaccinations in barranquilla. my wife is there and she has to get the 3 soon as we're expecting the interview date sometime in july or aug. please let me know what your fiance finds out, if she can just walk in or has to make an appt, how much, etc.
thanks
JK

Sure, I will let you know early next week...Monday or Tuesday.


Also I am looking for a good link to get form DS-156k. I have this link, but it does not work http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsck1instructions.shtml

Nevermind, I found a good link

Is this Packet 4 link for K1 or K3 visas? Or both?

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

Also, it states that I need affadavit support form I-864. However I have been told that I need I-134 instead. What gives???

Lucho!!!

I read this link. No, you did NOT find a good link. This packet has nothing to do with your K-1. This packet is for one seeking an immigrant visa. Technically, the K-1 and K-3 are nonimmigrant visas. Further, some of the other info is not right. You do not have to pay $380 at the embassy. You pay $100 at Banco Credito. Further, you've already submitted the DS-230, part I. This form is asking for both DS-230, parts I and II.

As I told you earlier this week.....there are slight differences between the K-1 and K-3 packet 4, but not much. Two obvious examples:

1) K-1 packet 4 asks for the DS-156K. K-3 packet 4 does not.
2) K-3 packet 4 mentions marriage certificate. K-1, for obvious reasons, does not.

As I advised you before, try to get a copy of packet 4 from Tony S or Oskaryandrea visa PM. If you cannot get it, PM me with your e-mail address and I will send you a slightly outdated copy of the packet 4 for the K-1.

The link you provided DOES, however, have some accurate information. FOr example, the information about the laboratory, the doctors, the lab and dcctor fees and the required photos is correct.

Mike

Our packet asks for the I-134 (we are doing the K3 visa). Typically, the I-864 is part of the process for Adjustment of Status (AOS) or for the CR1-IR1. At least that's my understanding. However, if it tells you to do the I-864, then that's the one I'd do.

As for the DS-156k, I think that's only for K1 visas. I get the two mixed up also, but the important thing is to follow whatever requirements they included in your packet - both 3 and 4.

Lucho and all,

This will not help Lucho a whole lot, but I do have one copy of packet 3 and one copy of packet 4 that was sent to me by glenn (a VJer from here) back in March. I sent these samples to Lorena back then. She told me when she received HER packet 4 from the embassy that nearly everything was the same as the samples I sent. The main difference being that a new bank is listed for where to pay fees. The caveat is that these are for the K3 visa and may or may not be much help for a K1. If anyone needs these, send me a private message and I'll email them to you.

If Lorena is able to hang on to our original packets, I'll scan these when I get home and be able to share those as they'll be a little more current.

PS: Where has glenn been, by the way???

SORRY GUYS


But I am P.O.!!!!!


My fiance and I just spent an hour filling out DS-156 online, then we pressed the continue button, everything got deleted. urggggggh

Thanks for the heads up on the link. I new something was funky about it.

I will try to get a hold of TonyS for packet 4...thanks guys!!