Brandon&Diana

Hi Guys/Gals,

My wife and my stepson have both received their 2 yr green cards. My wife's card has my last name that she took when we married. My stepson still has his last name from Colombia which is on his passport. How do I go about changing his last name to our last name (legally)? Thanks for your help.

Brandon

This just happened to me as well. So does this mean that the GC is being sent? Does this mean that we will not have an interview? Thank you.

Brandon

Hello fellow members,

I have searched on here but I am still confused about the process for my AOS. I have already sent in my paperwork and it was received by USCIS (8-15-12) and I am awaiting my NOA1. I have been reading about I need to show the name change during the interview (if we have one) for my wife. Our marriage certificate has her maiden name on it as does our bank account (per the bank). However, her AOS application and all the paperwork have my last name. How do I change her name on an "official" document that will be used if we have an interview? Can she apply for a SS# if her I-94 expired on March 26, 2012? If I have an interview, will I only need the marriage certificate showing the change or also a SS# for her? Thank you for the help.

Brandon

Brandon,

Both, your fiancée and her son have six months to use their visas to enter the US, you can try contacting the US embassy to see if they can extend their visas but as I understand it, this is something that is very difficult to obtain unless you have extremely valid reasons. If they agree to do so, you may have to pay another visa fee for the extensions.

If they do not approve your request, you have a few choices. Your fiancée can travel to the US, get married within the 90 days and file for her Adjustment of Status. In the meantime you can cancel her son's K2 visa with the embassy and file an I-130 for him as his stepfather and that way he can enter the US with a CR2 visa and you won't have to file for his Adjustment of Status. This can take between 6-12 months.

Another option would be for you to cancel both visas with the embassy and start from scratch after the custody ordeal has been resolved.

Or, you can cancel both visas, get married in Colombia and file for them for CR1 and CR2 visas as your spouse and stepchild. Once they arrive in the US, they won't have to file for Adjustment of Status and it will give you another 6-12 to have the custody issue resolved.

Diana

Thank you Diana <---also my fiancee's name . I appreciate the help. I emailed the Embassy and here is there reponse.

Dear Mr. ********,

Thank you for your inquiry. When the visa expires, please make an appointment with us via our call center in Bogota to extend and reprint the visa. You will not need to re-petition the son but you will need to pay the $ 404.00 USD visa fee again.

I explained the whole situation to them so this is pretty good news as far as I'm concerned. As always, thank you all on VJ that have helped through this process. I don't post much unless I can be of assistance but this website has a WEALTH of information. Gracias amiguitos! Cuidate.

Brandon

Greetings fellow Colombian club members.

I have a question and I'm looking for help from someone who has been through what I have been through or someone who has knowledge of this type of situation.

Little background about my situation. I applied for a K-1 visa in November 2010. Everything was smooth and we had our interview July 29, 2011. There was an error on the baptismal certificate and after my fiancee got that corrected, we were issued the visa for her and her son. When we started our K-1 visa journey, I also hired a lawyer in Medellin to handle the custody situation to allow my fiancee's son to leave the country as the father would not allow it. The attorney that I hired is listed on the US Embassy's website and he came recommended through other people I know. We started this process in November 2010 also. I was told it would take 5-6 months to get a court date and get permission from the judge to allow my fiancee's son to come to the US without the father's permission. I have since found out that our attorney really did not "start" moving forward with our case until April 2011. He has done everything he can up to this point and the father has not answered the notices nor his government appointed lawyer. La Oficina de Juzgados has contacted the father's lawyer and he said that he would answer the notices when he communicates with the father (which means never because he is avoiding all of this). My lawyer has told me that all of this should be finished before February as my fiancee's visa and her sons visa expire February 10. If our permission is not granted from the judge prior to the visas expiring, my fiancee will travel to the US and give me power of attorney to go and obtain her son at a later date. I have spoken with another lawyer regarding the visa expiring. He told us that we need to let her sons visa expire before we can get an extension. Has anyone experienced this before? If we cannot get the permission for the son to leave before his visa expires, do I have to file for another visa for her son and wait 5-8 months just like the original k-1 process? I talked to 2 different lawyers and I got conflicting information so I am not sure what to believe. I have tried researching this on the internet but I cannot find an answer. I offered the dad a good sum of money for permission to leave but he said that no amount of money will change his mind. I tried explaining that I can provide for him very well here in the US but he doesn't care. I can see his side also but I am not compassionate because he makes no effort to see his son except every couple of weeks when it is convenient to him and I provide for his son 100x more than he does. I don't consider 30.000 pesos every month "providing for your son". He has a good paying job and makes good money (much more than the average Colombian). My fiancee is going to call the Embassy on Tuesday (monday es un festivo jajaja) and explain the situation and see if they can help us. I figured I would give VJ a shot to see if someone else had this experience. Sorry for the long rant. Thanks for your help. Cuidate!

Brandon

I walked up in person to the DAS office in Bogota last Monday and could have paid the 43,000 pesos to have it in 3-4 business days. I would have had to pick it up from them as well. I opted not to do that as I was not going to be in Bogota for 3 more business days. By the way, we went at 3pm in the afternoon and there was no line. The DAS office is pretty close and you can walk there from most of the hotels close to Parque 93. On the downside, many of the hotels in Parque 93 are an arm and a leg on weekdays, unless you book in advance. I ended up paying about $250US/night my last 2 nights there. Book at least a week ahead of time on expedia, hotels.com, etc and you can stay in most of them for close to half that price. The key... not waiting until the day before to book it. Silly me

Yikes! I opted to stay at Hotel Doña Flor - http://www.viva2100.com/ . She is a SUPER nice lady and very helpful. There were 2 other rooms besides ours that she rents but we were the only people there for 3 days during our interview. Breakfast was included. She is right around the corner from the Embassy. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again. (I'm not paid/compensated to endorse this hotel) lol.

Brandon

Great. Thanks for the response. When you said "We had it notarized in Medellin," I assume that means you were there with her? You have to be present to have your signature notarized, correct?

Yes, I was there with her. You have to be present because I had to show proof of ID (passport & DL). I'm not sure how to go about getting something notarized without being present there. Maybe someone else can chime in.

Kenny,

yes this is what I'm referring to...

"DAS CERTIFICATE – Entries and exits to and from Colombia for the past 10 years for both the petitioner and all visa applicants over age 18. This document may be obtained in Bogotá at the DAS Office located at Calle 100 #11B-27, Edificio Platinium, Bogotá. Failure to bring this document may result in delays in visa processing"

My fiance's interview will be in the next few months (just got the NOA2), thus the reason I am asking if you can find out if it is "really" so necessary. And if so, I guess it means I have to go to Bogota a few days early or she would need a notarized Power of Attorney and go a few days early to get on my behalf. I assume if we go the Notarized Power of Attorney route then they will want it translated into Spanish first as well. It just seems like such a huge burden that many people aren't possibly going to jup through all these hoops, thus the reason it would be awesome if you could find out from someone who seems to really be giving you such great personalized attention.

I had my DAS certificate but I was never asked for it. My interview was July 29th. I had my fiancee go to the local DAS office in Medellin on my behalf. I had to send her the first page of my passport that has my information and picture on it and she sent me another form that I had to sign. I also typed up a letter that stated I gave her permission to get this information for me and then we had it notarized in Medellin and it worked perfectly. 3 days later, my fiancee picked up the information from DAS. Supposedly, you can go to the DAS office and get your certificate the same day or next day. I did not try this so I am just telling you what I heard. Good luck.

Good luck to you! I'm leaving tomorrow morning for Medellin and then on to Bogota for my interview on 7-29. It's finally here!

http://bogota.usembassy.gov/appt-package.html The link to the DS-156 is inside the packet 4 PDF (Appointment Package). It has to be done online and printed out with the barcode generated... print out at least 2 copies, since you'll have to turn in two. Also, if you're using Firefox or Chrome, just open it with Internet Explorer. I don't think it works on any other browser, as far as I can recall.

That was one of my problems. I was using Chrome and it wouldn't pull it up so I thought the link was dead. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Thanks for that info. How many copies will I need for Banco Helm?

I am confused about paying the fee at Banco Helm. Can someone tell me what is the procedure? I am arriving in Bogota 2 days before my interview. Is this sufficient time to go to Banco Helm and get it done the same day? Also, I have read that I need the DS-156 form. I have seen someone say that I need a blank form and then another person say that I need to have the formed filled out. Which is it? I tried going to the Embassy website to download this form just in case that I needed the blank form but the link isn't working. Can someone direct me to a good link for this form? What is the proper procedure? Thanks for the help.

Brandon

I just talked to the State Dept. visa line yesterday, and we have the same interview date, July 29th!

So I guess we'll see you guys there, in that case!

That's great! I hope all goes well for the both of us. The day is getting closer!!!

Brandon

Quick question for anyone who's already been through it... how long after the embassy received packet 3 did you have to wait, more or less, to be assigned an interview date? I think I'm at a week now, although it could be less.

They received my packet 3 via fax on June 23,2011 and they sent out packet 4 with an interview date on June 28,2011. My interview date is July 29. Hope this helps.

Brandon

Hi guys/gals,

I am a little confused here. I received my NOA2 on May 18th. Will they email me or mail me something when I have been assigned a case # at the NVC? After it leaves there and it gets to the embassy, will they send me or my fiance in Colombia the packet 3? I may not be a little confused, maybe a lot. Thanks for the help.

Brandon

Oh whatever, it's the same thing!! I would be overjoyed Brandon! Technically it was less than the full 5 months so you give me hope that mine with come before then. If anyone gives you #######, don't listen. We all know how you must feel

Honestly, I wasn't expecting anything less than 5 months because Vermont was moving very slow for a while. The next thing I know, I get an approval. I hope yours will come soon also. Best of luck to you and your significant other.

Congrats on your Approval Notice.

(Let's call it what it is - "NOA2" just means your second I-797C)

hahaha I got that. I understand that it is just an approval notice. I also called it the NOA2. I understand that this does not guarantee anything but after waiting almost 5 months, I am happy to get it. That is all I was saying.

I guess I should have said, I received my second I-797C notice today! I am so excited. jajajajajaja

Brandon

Just wanted to let all the December filers know that I received my NOA2 today!!! My NOA1 date was December 29. Good luck to all those waiting. It shouldn't be much longer.

Brandon

To all December filers, I just wanted to let you know that I received my NOA2 today!!! My NOA1 date was December 29. I am the happiest now. Thank you to all of you who provide the GREAT information.

Brandon