General questions on the Bogota Embassy

[tmanniii 0]

Hello all...

I am a new member and this is my first post, I hope it is in the right place!

My fiancée has a 6 AM appointment on October 6th to renew her Tourist visa. Her present one expires Sept. 24/08.

Am I allowed to accompany her into the embassy and/or the interview?

If not, is the area safe to wait for her?

Is there any things to do around the area while I am waiting?

Is the visa likely to be renewed?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated by us both.

A little background may be in order. My fiancee lives in Barranquilla and has family there and also in the Sarasota area. We were introduced by her daughter-in-law this January. After my trip to see her in Barranquilla and her trip with me to visit my family in Massachusetts we became engaged in early August. I will meet her in Bogotá and stay there a week with her. After the tourist visa is renewed we will start the K1 process. We would like for her to visit Sarasota around Christmas and perhaps again in '09. I understand the K1 takes 6 to 9 months so the Tourist visa will allow her visit while we wait. Pant, pant!

This site is a great resource and I feel fortunate to have found it.

Thank you all,

Sid

[USbride 0]

Hello all...

I am a new member and this is my first post, I hope it is in the right place!

My fiancée has a 6 AM appointment on October 6th to renew her Tourist visa. Her present one expires Sept. 24/08.

Am I allowed to accompany her into the embassy and/or the interview?

If not, is the area safe to wait for her?

Is there any things to do around the area while I am waiting?

Is the visa likely to be renewed?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated by us both.

A little background may be in order. My fiancee lives in Barranquilla and has family there and also in the Sarasota area. We were introduced by her daughter-in-law this January. After my trip to see her in Barranquilla and her trip with me to visit my family in Massachusetts we became engaged in early August. I will meet her in Bogotá and stay there a week with her. After the tourist visa is renewed we will start the K1 process. We would like for her to visit Sarasota around Christmas and perhaps again in '09. I understand the K1 takes 6 to 9 months so the Tourist visa will allow her visit while we wait. Pant, pant!

This site is a great resource and I feel fortunate to have found it.

Thank you all,

Sid

Hey Sid Welcome.

First off, I pretty sure they will not let you accompany her to the tourist visa interview (you will understand why when you see the line). And you probably want to advise your fiance to get there well before the scheduled time. I used to work at the embassy, and by 6 am the line would be around the block.

Second, there is a Friday's, Creaps & Waffles (yum), and an El Corral across the street from the embassy (on the opposite side of the visa entrance, across the main street) that you can hang out at. However, I'm not sure what time they open. You may want to hang out with your fiance until she gets in, and then head over to the resturant to wait until she is finished. I'm sorry to say that, there is not much else to do around the embassy, unless you want to take a taxi. But you will be fairly safe (just don't wear a big sign that says "I'm an american")

Be prepared to wait a long time. When my fiance went to attempt to get a tourist visa, he was there at 5:30am and did not leave until around 2pm and was denied!

Good luck, and I hope this helps.

[Mononoke28 134]

Yup, you won't be allowed in with her while she interviews for her tourist visa. Once she has an appointment for her K1 visa you will be able to join her since you'll be the petitioner.

She might have to wait a few hours or for the entire day. It's not a set deal like all other visas. Another suggestion would be to take a cab to the Gran Estación shopping mall which is like 5 minutes from the embassy. They even have a very nice movie theater there so you can just hang there while she interviews.

Diana