I don't believe in luck at all, but I believe in that what is meant to be, will be.

Sending you and your fiancée good vibes from here.

Thanks to all...

We´re staying in Pablo Sexto right now, about 5 min by taxi from the embassy. We´ll phone a cab at about 5 AM and try to make sure we´re there before a quarter til 6 AM. I hope that parkpappa and his girl also have a smooth procedure on Wednesday... and I do agree with Diana that what is meant to be, will be. Using that logic, the very first thing we will do on Monday after the interview is go eat lunch at the Parque de la 93. Lots of really good and intimate restaurants there.

Then we plan on either trying to hold her plane ticket for July from Bogotá via the airline website or if push comes to shove- visiting the ticket office in town. I am not counting my chickens yet, but our case is very well documented and we are extremely serious about each other. That kind of stuff shows and I don´t have a problem with making it known to anyone at the embassy that Maria means the world to me. We really don´t feel there are any concerns that any CO could have that would make her visa-ineligible.

I know they´re pretty restrictive about what stuff to bring in other than the paperwork. Are small messenger bags ok? No camera, no cell, that´s ok. I just want to bring the paperwork- all organized in a plastic folder that will be removed once inside to reveal one packed manila folder with more evidence than I care to mention other than its reflective in a lot of gratitude from evidence already discussed here. Also, we´d like to have a little extra reading material since the assumption is we won´t be leaving before 11 AM. A little Gabriel Garcia Marquez and some science papers should do the trick. Any ideas on the bag to take?

Again, thanks to all of you for the great pointers and details thus far. I have picked up quite a lot of confidence from previous posters` experiences and also have been able to track certain things that are true (and those that are not) about dealing with the US Embassy in Bogotá. This helps family members that are currently seeking B visas.

I´ll try my best to get as near to the CO as I can during the actual interview. I am a T-Shirt and Jeans kind of guy so wearing something like I´ll be wearing tomorrow means I want to be seen!

Any previous interviewee fiancees have trouble approaching the actual interview part of the embassy visit? People were worried they were not allowed near the CO while the questions where being asked but I am hearing otherwise from friends over here.

Maviwaro,

I have no tips to share with you. But am very interested how the whole process goes for you. Seems like you have your stuff down. Hope you get approved. I'm anxious to hear your report tomorrow.

I hope I have awesome news to report mañana!!

Gotta go iron my shirt and shaaaaave

One tip for you Lucho... Bogotá is pretty chilly now in June. Assume July will be the same. A light jacket should be ok but check the weather forecast carefully! Rain, rain, rain. Like Chicago in the early fall.

My husband is in Bogotá right now and he says it's pretty cold and way too rainy.

Come on Maviwaro!!!!!!!!!


Give us some great news!!!!!!

I know. I keep checking in to see if he posted the good news already.

I sure hope you're celebrating Maviwaro! You have me checking every 15 minutes for your update.

Well, my fiancee spoke to two female applicants yesterday that had gone to Dr. Roa... and both were asked to completely strip naked with no underlying inspection other than a top to bottom "scan". Dra Gonzalez only made a fast inspection of the upper body according to my fiancee.

WELL FOLKS, great news indeed.

Here is a bit of news for you all:

1. We were the first in line 3 at 6 AM. There were a total of about 10 people there and all were confused when the announcement for "appointments" was donde to line up in line 1. We stood our ground and low and behold, when visa categories were called out K visas were line 3. The entry process was easy and we were directed to sit in the order of entry at the number 40 area. At about 7 AM a young lady came over and asked us to crowd around her while she explained the folders that would be handed out and the strict order to be followed to include in the paperwork.

2. Then the same lady called my fiancee over to her desktop and confirmed the folder and initial processing window (30). This is where that smile-deprived woman checks your paperwork and asks to receive the ordered evidence, etc. For some reason, she liked my tax returns with the highlighted salary, and other evidence with clear highlights in greens and yellows with the proper explanations. I even got a total of two smiles for that! When she informed my fiancee to go the interview waiting area in front of windows 1-8, I smiled thanks as did she, and we went to the actual interview waiting area.

3. My fiancee was called to get fingerprinted at window 5, then we sat and waited. And waited. But at about 10:15 AM she got called to window 7 for what I knew would be it. I accompanied her as did all other US Citizen fiancees I saw there. A nice guy spoke to her in Spanish for about 3 minutes, then asked for me. We spoke for 7 minutes total. And I do mean speak, since it felt more like a conversation. I even asked him some procedural questions. More on this in a moment. Then he asked for her to come back to the phone and about 10 seconds later I could see her smile, then I got the phone, and he told me the great news that we were approved!

-- Evidence asked for: NONE. No pics, no emails, no anything else.
-- Questions asked:

How did we meet? Did she know of my previous marriage? How well did she get along with my sibs? How did I get along with her brother and pàrents? What did I do for a living? How did I pay for my trips to Colombia? How much traveling had we done in Colombia together? What did I study, what am I studying now in grad school, and where? Does she want to go to the USA?

The best answer was the one to the last questions... it did´t matter where, but she just wanted to be with me.

As soon as we were approved he told us about coming today at 4 pm to the embassy to pick up the visa. We gave ourselved a really big kiss in front of the window and waited a minute for a couple of other girls that had also passed their interviews (K1 and K3). Everything was done by 10:25 AM.

4. TODAY... misery struck the embassy. I waited patiently outside, with a Brookliner and a Floridian waiting for their ladies as well. The Brookliner´s wife (K3) got her visa and left. The Floridian and myself will have to come back tomorrow since the infamous computer malady struck the US Embassy´s printing system at 4 PM sharp. We arrived at 3:45 PM and the ladies entered without problem. Tomorrow I will insist that we arrive before 3:30 PM to do the pick up since this inadecuacy in having a reliable printing system is causing a work backup in Bucaramanga for my fiancee.

Other than that, we are extremely happy and we are not all that upset about having to wait another day. I think the big tip here is to be really nice and forthcoming with the embassy staff and COs, ask for clarification if you don´t get something on the first stating, and remain calm. Be affectionate in public without feeling strange, since this person is the one you´ll hopefully be spending the rest of your life with.

Now its time to update our timeline!

Good luck to all of you waiting, don´t sweat it bad, it will come! I´ll post in a couple of days after the visa is actually picked up. Thank you all that have helped out during this process and I wish you all a great journey!

Maviwaro Congrats!!!!!!!!!

You had me scared for a minute. We havent heard from you, I got nervous. lol

A man dude!! We HAD to celebrate!!

Today we went into a crazy area in the city center looking for some shopping to do before Bucaramanga. Low and behold I will try to enter the embassy tomorrow to say thanks to the staff there for their use of inadequate equipment as a reason for a second shopping trip tomorrow morning!!

Maviwaro,

The order that the lady asked you to present the documents was just like Anexo B says in packet 4?? The lady that made you circle around her.

I just shook my head in disbelief at what the order is in Anexo B and what the order is for the Embassy folks. For your ease, I recommend following the order in Anexo B, putting colored stickies labeled with the form number so you can retrieve them quicker, and then assembling the K folder given to you by the lady at line 40. Keep an extra folder handy to put in the relationship evidence and anythign else you may want to present at the interview itself.

My girl just told me the Embassy folks told her the K1 visa will now be good for 6 months, but I think she is mistaken in the 6 month travel allowance to reach the USA... only if the Embassy would get its act together and actually hand out the visa that was approved... jeje

Thanks for the colored stickies tip. I cant wait for our interview, exactly 1 month to this day. If you can give any more tips please do so. Thanks!

Its all in the mind, lucho!

SMILE buddy... that´s the best tip around!

Maviwaro,

" even asked him some procedural questions. More on this in a moment. "

What did you ask him??

Just the stuff on work authorization via JFK airport... and what probabilities there would be of actually getting the visa sticker on time today... he just told me 4 pm today and well... we know the answer to that question.

Thanks! Sorry if i'm asking too many questions, but i'm trying to hit you with them while your mind is still fresh

No problem dude! I´ve been helped here a lot, so there´s no reason to abstain at this point.

Be back in a few days.

Add another member to the Colombia club!

It's really comforting seeing so many of us here. The experiences of others has taught me to be patient and be more prepared for the upcoming steps.


Does the Packet 3 sent to the beneficiary contain Spanish versions of the instructions or forms?
Mi novia, no habla Ingles. Yo hablo espanol y ingles. I would like to have these so she can practice on them.

Muchos gracias!

Hang tight bro, I'll post the links in a few minutes

K1 Packet 3 link
http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsck1instructions.shtml

K1 Packet 4 link
http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/co1/wwwfck1cita_temp.pdf

Welcome

congrats mavi!! i'm happy you both had a positive experience and everything went well.

welcome chester.

JK

Gracias lucho. So I take it that the forms in the packet are in English but the instructions are in Spanish.

Is that ok, even though she does not have a good handle of the English forms? Of course, I will be helping here out in getting them filled out.

Thanks jedi knight

Congrats Mavi!!! It is always great to hear another success story.

Lucho, hang on my man, it may seem like a long time, but it will happen soon.

Chester, welcome.

I wonder if this printer malady is the actual deal. I would really like to know what is up, because I can't picture a printer problem consistently occurring. What, the US Gov can't buy a new printer or get maintenance done on the one they have? It would be great if when they said 4 pm the next day, they meant it.

I'm going to call their bluff if that printer crap comes up. I will tell them that i'm a networking engr. and offer to fix it for free right then and there. I cant wait to hear their response.

Maviwaro congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lucho was freaking out, THEN he got me all freaked out too thinking that you didn't get the visa. Note to self: don't freak out when Lucho freaks out.

And yes the stupid printer malady sounds like a lame excuse to not having the paperwork ready on time. Who do they think we are, newbies?!! Puh-lease... like we like to say in Colombia "nosotros ya veníamos cuando ellos apenas iban". And Lucho it's all on you to call them on it.

Good tip about the being affectionate part. I'll promise not to be on my husband like a dog in heat but I'll be sure to give him a kiss or two as soon as the CO looks our way.

Congratulations once again!

Diana

Problem here. Wendys middle name was spelled wrong on her cedula. She never had that changed and all her life has been using the misspelled middle name. However, her registro civil and partida de bautismo has her middle name spelled correctly. Will this be an issue at the interview??

Correct middle name = Baudtilia
Incorrect middle name = Bautilia

All K1 forms = Bautilia
Passport = Bautilia
Cedula = Bautilia

Registro civil = Baudtilia
Partida de Bautismo = Baudtilia

Parkpapa!!! Where are you?

Hopefully everything went well at your interview today.

I completely doubt its just a printer malfunction given the frequency with which it happens... someone probably just wanted a tinto with buñuelos...but luckily all of us that had to be turned away yesterday got what we were told to pick up yesterday... just a day late. Don´t you just wish the rest of the US Government was as relaxed with following time as this particular branch of the State Deparment??

Its a great feeling watching your girl come out of the compound with the visa paperwork in hand!!

Again, lucho, SMILE your way through this... it will make things much easier for you. Caballero de los Jedi, gracias también, que la Fuerza les acompañe... Jay, yeah dude, it was a good experience... your observations paid off in my analysis of the people there.

FYI- approximately 200 people got denied on Monday.

Lets send Parkpapa some good vibes for what I hope will be some great news as well!







Jajajajajaja

Diana, its pretty chilly in Bogotá!! Being on each other like puppies well... is pretty much OK in my book. Call it a way to stay warm in that partially covered waiting area. Its not ugly at least and the bathrooms are much superior to Colombian standard (think toilet paper in each stall, WITH toilet seats...). The capuccino is not that bad either.

Sit around like-minded folks and share the good vibes with everyone else. That will help relax everyone.

Thanks for the congrats!

Hopefully she´ll get a phone call to clarify. My girl has a double Z in her last name but a dodo in Registraduría Civil put it as an S and a Z on her Cédula. She got a call the day after the fax asking about it. The explanation was that she goes by the double Z but has given up on the locals on correcting the mistake appropriately. As a consequence, her US Visa now has the incorrect spelling even though her birth certificate and batptismal certificate are correct.

As long as the cedullary numbers match the ID of your finacee with the spelling on the forms, and you are both there at the interview date, things should be OK IMHO.

Thanks! Is the registro civil the same as the birth certificate?


Also,
Wendy just had her baptismal certificate changed to match passport, cedula. Now all we need is to have the registro civil changed tomorrow morning.

All K1 forms = Bautilia
Passport = Bautilia
Cedula = Bautilia
Partida de Bautismo = Bautilia

Registro civil = Baudtilia

MIERCOLES!! 200 denials?? thanks for the details mavi, i'll try to remember to keep on smiling

yes lucho, registro de nacimiento is the birth certificate

JK

No interview date yet, JK?

not yet. the nvc tells me to try calling the second week of june when they'll make the appointments for july. i'm hoping that since our case was completed at the cut off in may that we maybe in line for one of the first appts. in mid july. lets see what happens but since the beginning we've put everything in God's hands, prayed for guidance and He's never failed us so we're not worried.
JK

Chester, everything my wife received was in Spanish - notifications, forms, and all. It is a good idea to at least read the forms and instructions ahead of time so you know what to expect. Some you can even fill out in advance and have them ready to send when the time is right.

First of all, congratulations to Maviwaro!!!!!!

Second, his account of his embassy experience was pretty much right in line with ours. The only exception being that the lady who checked Lorena's documents was very pleasant and helpful.

Third (but actually the most important for us) is that WE GOT APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!

Wow!! But was it ever a comedy of errors all week. I'll give a couple of addtional pointers here and try to do a more detailed update next week.

MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT ALL OF YOUR DOCUMENTS ARE APPROPRIATELY AND COMPLETELY FILLED IN!!!! By this I mean not only your documents, but also documents you receive from others, such as DAS. Lorena had her police report from DAS, but when the consular officer saw it, he said that she needed either to have DAS date it or get another - and that she could come back another day with that document. Then he gave her a pink slip. She was able to get the document dated that same day, but it was a minor setback. She told me later that when the DAS representative in her hometown of Florencia gave it to her, he was very busy flirting with the women in the office, and that's probably why he forgot to date it. Also, be sure to mark N/A or NINGUNO, as appropriate, in any and all blanks in forms that do not apply to you.

This may be addressed elsewhere here, but we were caught by surprise when the lady who reviewed the documents said we needed TWO copies of the 156 for each immigrant, with a photo for each. Thank God we had extra photos with us, or we'd have been screwed. She gave Lorena blank forms and we filled them in by hand.

When you put together your documents, use the Anexo B listing (as Maviwaro said) because it was identical to the form taped to the inside of the folder given in area 40. Don't bother to bind or clip the documents together unless to keep them neat prior to the interview. You will end up removing any clips when you put the stuff in the folder. Apparently, however, you can have individual, multiple-page documents stapled together, such as the I-134 and supporting documentation.

Lastly, again as Mavi said, be yourselves, smile a lot, and show affection as a couple without overdoing it. This is, after all, a professional setting about a very personal thing. A suit is absolutely NOT essential. So-called "casual dress" is fine - slacks and a nice shirt for the guy, something simple but neat for the woman. Dress like for a job interview at a department store, rather than a job on Wall Street.

More later when I have time!

Congrats parkpapa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

congratulations and thanks to everyone who was approved recently and posted interview information. everything is a great help. we have our interview on july 10. a few weeks ago i asked for advise about a problem with a second last name. the embassy responded to my fax explaining the situation, corrected the name and sent a new packet 3 to both marcela and myself. marcela only faxed ds230, of169 and copy of passport and we were given an interview date. no need for other delivery. she has not received packet 4 yet, was sent out on monday and this is friday. i called the 202-663-1225 number and received the interview date and case status in just a few minutes. everything that i've read on this thread has been extremely accurate and helpful. thanks.

Actually, I am quite surprised that you were surprised. I actually think that the instructions (in packet 4) and the information on this forum make it quite clear that two copies of the DS-156 are required, each with pictures. So, this is a reminder to all of you new folks to 1) read the packet information (and the information in the "guides" section of this web site) very carefully and thoroughly and 2) be sure to read the posts on this thread very carefully and thoroughly. Too often I see redundant questions (not that parkpapa's original post has anything to do with this observation of mine) simply because someone doesn't want to read what's already been well-chronicled on this thread (I recommend everyone new going back to November and reading forward).

Mike

Congrats parkpapa!! To bad we missed each other in Bogota. One day we have to get together and introduce the ladies. What state are you from? I am in Connecticut. Well Congrats again and all the best!

for the k1 visa, are vaccinations necessary? i've read in other forums that they will be needed for aos after marriage in the us. getting vaccinations in the us are easier and cheaper than in colombia.

Vaccinations are necessary for K1 visa. Has to be done in Colombia prior to the medical examination and lab tests.

1. Td
2. MMR
3. Varicela

The above 3 vaccianations are needed.

the printer thing might be legit but if it is its been going on long enough to get 1000 printers fixed. we interviewed on the 18 of april and were approved very quickly and told to retrn the next day for the visa. sorry come back monday . monday,sorry not ready because of printer problems. i was permitted to enter on monday so i demanded entrance as a us citizen. no problem after the people inside said yes. i asked for a straight truthful answer and was assured it was approved,but just had printer problems. got there attention anyway i guess because they called my wife and updated on progress. on the 28 we got the visa. i was staying a month so it did not impact us much other than the suspicion of something else going on. just for advice to anyone making travel plans before you het the visa. BE CAUTIOUS ABOuT THAT.

You're absolutely right, Mike. I don't know how we missed that. As I tried to say in my previous post, double-check everything, and then check it again. At least Lorena and I can share the blame on this one because she speaks and reads Spanish, but perhaps she was relying too much on what I've learned here - I just didn't learn enough, evidently. But, we got the visa and that's all that matters.

Now if they'd just buy a new damned printer so she can actually GET the visa!

I dont understand. You need 2 or 3 ds156? I believe one of the ds156 is put in a sealed envelope by the Dr. And you bring the other with all the other forms. Is it 2 copies of ds156 plus another that is in the envelope??

No, you need only two copies - one that the doctor puts in the envelope and one other.