Colombia Club Part IV

[Ryan76 46]

I personally don't think it's a huge issue at all but another option would be for her to print her own version and just enter the same info the current one has on the new one, with the correct cédula number of course. If not, then in all honesty I don't think it's a big deal if she just enters the missing digit.

Diana

Well, this is part of the reason i'm a little frustrated. Because if she would have read over everything closely like I had asked her to do, we would've caught this error over a month ago. Now the interview is Friday, she has basically no time to re-do the form, no printer in her house, etc. Her schedule with work/school keeps her away from the house for like 13 hours a day. When you say "change the missing digit" do you mean just use some white out and write in the new number? What about if she calls the embassy and asks them what to do? Would that be a good or bad idea? She's worried she'll get on the phone with some mean person who makes her change the interview date or something.

She actually thinks that maybe we shouldn't do anything at all, and just leave the error like it is, and if they notice it during the interview then she can just act shocked and pull out her Cedula to show them the number.

Or what about just using the page that I scanned / corrected the number? I mean everything is identical, obviously the same bar code and number. IT's just that the print-out might look slightly differently than the other pages because it's been scanned and printed.

[Mononoke28 134]

Well, this is part of the reason i'm a little frustrated. Because if she would have read over everything closely like I had asked her to do, we would've caught this error over a month ago. Now the interview is Friday, she has basically no time to re-do the form, no printer in her house, etc. Her schedule with work/school keeps her away from the house for like 13 hours a day. When you say "change the missing digit" do you mean just use some white out and write in the new number? What about if she calls the embassy and asks them what to do? Would that be a good or bad idea? She's worried she'll get on the phone with some mean person who makes her change the interview date or something.

She actually thinks that maybe we shouldn't do anything at all, and just leave the error like it is, and if they notice it during the interview then she can just act shocked and pull out her Cedula to show them the number.

Or what about just using the page that I scanned / corrected the number? I mean everything is identical, obviously the same bar code and number. IT's just that the print-out might look slightly differently than the other pages because it's been scanned and printed.

Both options sound good to me, again, I don't think it's a big deal at all since you're only missing one digit, it's not like the number is completely different. Besides, it's only a visa application to the US, it's not like they're going to deny it because of that one digit.

Diana

[Ryan76 46]

Both options sound good to me, again, I don't think it's a big deal at all since you're only missing one digit, it's not like the number is completely different. Besides, it's only a visa application to the US, it's not like they're going to deny it because of that one digit.

Diana

Well, we decided to have her call the embassy, which she did, and no one there can help her until Thursday between 2-4pm, which is basically the very definition of the "last minute" since her interview is the next morning at 7am.

I think what i'm going to do is just have her use the DS 156 pg 1 that I scanned and corrected the 1 digit. I mean, it's the exact same bar code and serial number, everything else is identical. The only difference is that the print copy of the other pages appears to be a little darker. I guess if for some reason they questioned her on it she could just blame it on a bad printer. It's not like we're cheating anything or being dishonest.

It's either that, or, take the original document in with the missing digit, and see if they even notice it. If so, i'm sure they'd let her correct it if she presented her cedula, right? What if they don't notice at all? could this somehow present a problem down the road, or is it just one of those things no one will ever really look at?

Ugh...what do you think?? Should I re-do the form entirely, print it, scan it, make PDFs and email them to her? It will have an entirely different barcode, would that screw things up? Waiting to call on Thursday isn't really an option because if they tell us to re-do it we will simply not have enough time.

What would you do if you were in my shoes?

[Ryan76 46]

Okay, so here's a question...I just re-did the DS 156 together with my fiancee via skype, and I was unaware of this, but you can actually save this document and email it. I thought you only had the print only option. Since i can save this, I assume I can just email it to her and she can print it and that's the end of our problem, right? So this way she doesn't actually have to sit down and do it by herself, and since we did the form together on Skype I don't have to put that it was "prepared by someone else" (question 39 & 40), nor do i have to sign it. Essentially we prepared the form together. I assume this question refers to if someone does the whole thing independently, like a lawyer or fiancee without any help from the immigrant?

Is this all correct? What am i missing? This seems like it's clearly the easiest option given our situation. Instead of her doing it by herself at an internet cafe and struggling with the English, we just did together while skyping and I email her the document, she slaps her photos on it, signs it, and that's it, correct? I mean, is there some way they can scan the bar code and they will see the IP address where it was created and then give her a hard time or tell her it's invalid or something?

I don't know..it just seems like this is clearly the easiest way to handle our predicament, and I'm curious as to why no one suggested it. Or maybe i'm doing something against the rules that I'm not seeing or understanding.

Any feedback on this?

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Saludos a todos en ese foro! I hope everyone is doing well in their respective processes. It's real good to see Diana here, helping so many fellow Colombianos on this forum. Keep up the great work, Diana!!

Leidys and I are doing well - we have been married for 2 1/2 yrs. now. Nothing but good vibes and happiness between us.

Take care everybody,

-Ken (and Leidys)

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Okay, so here's a question...I just re-did the DS 156 together with my fiancee via skype, and I was unaware of this, but you can actually save this document and email it. I thought you only had the print only option. Since i can save this, I assume I can just email it to her and she can print it and that's the end of our problem, right? So this way she doesn't actually have to sit down and do it by herself, and since we did the form together on Skype I don't have to put that it was "prepared by someone else" (question 39 & 40), nor do i have to sign it. Essentially we prepared the form together. I assume this question refers to if someone does the whole thing independently, like a lawyer or fiancee without any help from the immigrant?

Is this all correct? What am i missing? This seems like it's clearly the easiest option given our situation. Instead of her doing it by herself at an internet cafe and struggling with the English, we just did together while skyping and I email her the document, she slaps her photos on it, signs it, and that's it, correct? I mean, is there some way they can scan the bar code and they will see the IP address where it was created and then give her a hard time or tell her it's invalid or something?

I don't know..it just seems like this is clearly the easiest way to handle our predicament, and I'm curious as to why no one suggested it. Or maybe i'm doing something against the rules that I'm not seeing or understanding.

Any feedback on this?

You're right - just have your Fiance fill in the forms and sign it just like she did it all herself. At the Embassy, your Fiance will be asked for all information as if she was doing everything herself without any of your help. As Americans, we are the ones who just sit and watch as our Fiance's walk up to the windows and answer the questions themselves - except when we are interviewed, that's when it gets interesting! Good luck with your process!

[Ryan76 46]

You're right - just have your Fiance fill in the forms and sign it just like she did it all herself. At the Embassy, your Fiance will be asked for all information as if she was doing everything herself without any of your help. As Americans, we are the ones who just sit and watch as our Fiance's walk up to the windows and answer the questions themselves - except when we are interviewed, that's when it gets interesting! Good luck with your process!

Unfortunately I will not be attending the interview, I was advised by many people including the Embassy that it wasn't necessary. I would LOVE to be there, but I took off work for almost a full month from December 14 - January 10, and I am also taking a full week off work when she arrives here in August. Plus it's a lot of money to spend for a plane ticket just to fly down there for an interview and back. If I thought it was necessary i would do it, but she will be attending with her mother and I believe she will be very well prepared.

[Ryan76 46]

Evidently in the past you could not save and/or email the DS 156 form. That is what people in the general K-1 forum are telling me. I guess that would explain why no one suggested I do it this way, because they didn't know I could! But yes, for anyone else going through this process, it appears they have changed the settings or permissions or something because last night I competed the form while skyping with my fiancee, and I was able to save it and email to myself on my other computer (as a test) and then email it to my fiancee.

Much, much easier than having her skip an important english class (or go to work 2 hours early at 5am) and struggling through the form by herself.

Thanks for all your help!!!!

Now, the next two nights we will be skyping again and going over dates & such for interview preparation. If anyone has anymore tidbits of advice that I can help her with, please let me know! I've pretty much just been reading the consulate reviews and telling her things they might ask.

I figure as long as she's honest about everything she should make it through everything okay.

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Evidently in the past you could not save and/or email the DS 156 form. That is what people in the general K-1 forum are telling me. I guess that would explain why no one suggested I do it this way, because they didn't know I could! But yes, for anyone else going through this process, it appears they have changed the settings or permissions or something because last night I competed the form while skyping with my fiancee, and I was able to save it and email to myself on my other computer (as a test) and then email it to my fiancee.

Much, much easier than having her skip an important english class (or go to work 2 hours early at 5am) and struggling through the form by herself.

Thanks for all your help!!!!

Now, the next two nights we will be skyping again and going over dates & such for interview preparation. If anyone has anymore tidbits of advice that I can help her with, please let me know! I've pretty much just been reading the consulate reviews and telling her things they might ask.

I figure as long as she's honest about everything she should make it through everything okay.

Your Fiance will probably be asked as I was asked at the Embassy - "When did you meet?" My eyes looked up as I remembered the exact date, and that made the CO appear puzzled. Go figure! I still don't remember the exact date that I met my Wife! I was asked about my first K-1 with another woman, what went wrong, etc. After I spoke about the relationship fizzling, returning to Barranquilla to find out if she was okay - to realize she was playing games, didn't want to complete Packet 3, etc., the CO started to nod his head, showing that he understood the b.s. I was being put through. I met my Wife two or three days later - just as friends. Eventually, I returned 7 months later, and then 5 months after that with my Mother to introduce her to my Wife's family. When I showed pictures of my Mother and my Wife and all of her family showering my Mother with love and kindness, the CO explained that he was shocked - that "American's NEVER bring their Parents to Colombia to meet each others Parents!" These photos I showed (20 in all) represented some serious proof that I was dead serious and not playing Visa hopscotch. In our particular case, my presence provided the needed weight to prove a legitimate relationship. My Wife agrees that had I not attended this particular CO meeting in Bogota, I would have probably been requested to attend w/in 30 days. But, if you have not been in K-1 Visa limbo with a former SO and things have been solid from the get go, your presence will probably not be necessary. Create a text file with all of your pertinent information, and let your SO study this info in her free time. But, don't worry - she will take this very seriously, and everything will work out fine for both of you. Good luck!

-Ken

[Ryan76 46]

Your Fiance will probably be asked as I was asked at the Embassy - "When did you meet?" My eyes looked up as I remembered the exact date, and that made the CO appear puzzled. Go figure! I still don't remember the exact date that I met my Wife! I was asked about my first K-1 with another woman, what went wrong, etc. After I spoke about the relationship fizzling, returning to Barranquilla to find out if she was okay - to realize she was playing games, didn't want to complete Packet 3, etc., the CO started to nod his head, showing that he understood the b.s. I was being put through. I met my Wife two or three days later - just as friends. Eventually, I returned 7 months later, and then 5 months after that with my Mother to introduce her to my Wife's family. When I showed pictures of my Mother and my Wife and all of her family showering my Mother with love and kindness, the CO explained that he was shocked - that "American's NEVER bring their Parents to Colombia to meet each others Parents!" These photos I showed (20 in all) represented some serious proof that I was dead serious and not playing Visa hopscotch. In our particular case, my presence provided the needed weight to prove a legitimate relationship. My Wife agrees that had I not attended this particular CO meeting in Bogota, I would have probably been requested to attend w/in 30 days. But, if you have not been in K-1 Visa limbo with a former SO and things have been solid from the get go, your presence will probably not be necessary. Create a text file with all of your pertinent information, and let your SO study this info in her free time. But, don't worry - she will take this very seriously, and everything will work out fine for both of you. Good luck!

-Ken

Thanks Ken! A have a few comments questions on your post. I had already created a sheet for my fiancee that had the name of my Employer, my parent's names, brother's names,....stuff she already knows but i just wanted to make sure she looked at it all again just to be certain she remembered. What other kind of "pertinent information" do you suggest?

Neither of us have applied for any type of visa whatsoever, and neither of us have been married, so i feel we are a fairly straight forward case. My parents have not been to Colombia yet, but they are anxious about having a big family get together in Cartagena at some point in the future meet all of Nohelia's family. However Nohelia and my mother do speak on the phone and send a lot of emails...I included 4 or 5 emails in the packet of evidence so hopefully all will be well.

The requirements for K-1 is that you meet face to face once within 2 years, and I've been down there 3 times for about 3 weeks each time. So hopefully they will understand that I only have so much time I'm able to visit and be away from work, and with all the well-documented evidence and photos (and the ring!) they will know everything is legitimate.

Really my only worry is that she gets stuck interviewing with some mean and bitter person who is intent on trying to trick her into saying something she doesn't mean, and then deny her based one something like that.

thanks for all the help! - Ryan

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Thanks Ken! A have a few comments questions on your post. I had already created a sheet for my fiancee that had the name of my Employer, my parent's names, brother's names,....stuff she already knows but i just wanted to make sure she looked at it all again just to be certain she remembered. What other kind of "pertinent information" do you suggest?

Neither of us have applied for any type of visa whatsoever, and neither of us have been married, so i feel we are a fairly straight forward case. My parents have not been to Colombia yet, but they are anxious about having a big family get together in Cartagena at some point in the future meet all of Nohelia's family. However Nohelia and my mother do speak on the phone and send a lot of emails...I included 4 or 5 emails in the packet of evidence so hopefully all will be well.

The requirements for K-1 is that you meet face to face once within 2 years, and I've been down there 3 times for about 3 weeks each time. So hopefully they will understand that I only have so much time I'm able to visit and be away from work, and with all the well-documented evidence and photos (and the ring!) they will know everything is legitimate.

Really my only worry is that she gets stuck interviewing with some mean and bitter person who is intent on trying to trick her into saying something she doesn't mean, and then deny her based one something like that.

thanks for all the help! - Ryan

First of all, Congratulations on your engagement and new life with your future Wife. I'm sure you will both be happy and the good times will cause time to fly whereas it probably crawls at the moment. With over 1,000 people crammed into what looks like a cold, clammy parking lot outside of the US Embassy - Bogota, the Consular Officials will be working at a fairly brisk pace from 8 a.m. until 2-3 p.m. (closing). The interviews move fairly quickly, and I recall seeing two Colombianas who were at the Embassy on repeat visits - for forgetting to bring pertinent information along with them that was part of "The List" for Packet 4. I don't know if they were "too busy" to get it right, but what I understood from the woman speaking to my wife was, due to difficulties understanding English, and the women not referring to the Embassy web page (in Spanish) related to their Packet 4's, their birth certificate wasn't notorized, paperwork wasn't exactly as indicated - causing them to waste valuable time and energy in retreiving their required information for the Embassy.

Questions about family did not appear to be on the forefront, although it helped to show understanding in the immediate family related to the Esposo. For example, if you previously had 4 kids, would your Prometida be able to tell the names of these children and their ages? Our case was not usual, and my Wife reminded me last night that the interview was mainly about my past and had little to do with her. For about 75% of our interview with the CO, I was grilled over my previous K-1 and "What went wrong." Because I had a laundry list to provide the CO, he was able to understand that I wasn't unreasonable and that what happened just happened.

I think what you will need to especially be ready for will be your AOS (Adjustment of Status) interview. That will be the real grilling - for both of you. It was explained to me by the CO in San Bernardino that BOGOTA IS A HIGH-FRAUD POST. The people coming through that Embassy have been known for lying and misleading Consular Officials to the point that the AOS interviews that are conducted have been very rigorous (STRESSFUL) meant to break down the pair to see if any immigration laws are being circumvented through the Fiance Visa process. Therefore, I believe that the emphasis needs to be mainly on your relationship, how you met, precisely WHEN and WHERE you met, HOW MANY TIMES you have met, and if the CO suspects fraud, they might ask "Did you hold hands or Do the Dew?" Supposedly, this is not permitted, but they have been known to ask this particular question to put the Fiance on the spot.

This interview will focus entirely on your Fiance, so she will describe your visits and the details related to your photographs that she will provide the CO. Having lots of details of these photos will be very important - your photographs with her family are the most important ones since this shows that you both intimately know each other. I believe this is the best defense against a hostile Interviewer. When I was at the interview with my Wife, she wore her engagement ring (although it was 2 sizes too big!).

Try not to stress about this interview, because you have a bigger interview coming after you both marry and send away your Adjustment of Status paperwork.

[Ken y Leidys 20]

My wife reminded me - You will also be asked, "How do you communicate?" If you reply, "The language of LOVE!" you might get a thumbs down. Good thing your Fiance is taking English classes.

[Mononoke28 134]

Saludos a todos en ese foro! I hope everyone is doing well in their respective processes. It's real good to see Diana here, helping so many fellow Colombianos on this forum. Keep up the great work, Diana!!

Leidys and I are doing well - we have been married for 2 1/2 yrs. now. Nothing but good vibes and happiness between us.

Take care everybody,

-Ken (and Leidys)

Hey Ken! It's nice to see you around here. I was thinking of you guys because I saw the commercial for the Colombian Festival in Anaheim next week. Looks like fun.

Take care and thanks for dropping by.

Diana

[Mononoke28 134]

I received my NOA2 letter on June 15 and am currently waiting for the National Visa Center to receive it and pass it on to the embassy in Bogota.

In the mean time, I am working on preparing all of the documents so that I can get the interview scheduled as soon as possible. I am reading the instructions for the Colombian embassy over and over again and it is not making total sense to me.

What documents will I need to send with Package 3?

The documented links to checking the interview date on not working. Where do I check to see when the interview is scheduled?

Do I need to pay before the interview? How much? Via credit card or other method?

Thanks all for the feedback.

The only documents that you need to send are your financial documents such as tax returns with corresponding W2s or tax transcripts from the IRS, as well as form I-134. All other documents listed in the instructions are for your fiancée to have ready and take to the interview.

You need to register for your visa in the link provided in the instructions package, choose a DHL location for the delivery of the visa, pay the visa application fee or get the info to pay for it at the bank. Once the visa application is paid for you can choose your interview date.

Diana

[COLOMBOB 0]

Hello.

Follow up question to your response. At what point can you make the appointment though? I, like happyturtles, am waiting for the application to be received from Bogota from the NVC.

1. Are we sent an email notification stating that that has happened?

2. At what point are you able to make the appointment online? Do you have to wait for the embassy to receive it and notify you (via email I assume?"

Thanks for your time.

You need to register for your visa in the link provided in the instructions package, choose a DHL location for the delivery of the visa, pay the visa application fee or get the info to pay for it at the bank. Once the visa application is paid for you can choose your interview date.

Diana