stefan y karen

She came into the country on a K-1 Visa with her maiden name. We put her married name on the marriage certificate. What do I put on the I-485? Do I put her married name or her maiden name on the forms? I would prefer to put her married name but I do not want to screw up the process.

Thanks for your help.

No. I tried working through my congressman, senator and I actually visited the embassy staff on Bogota as well to try and move it up--none of them worked. Feel free to try and good luck.

Congraulations!!!

I'm just a little bit excited and thought I would share the joy. A special shout out to everyone in the middle of the K1 process. YOUR DAY WILL COME! Be patient and it will happen, I promise. God keep you strong during the process and bless your marriages!

OZ is correct. When you create your account & pay your fee then you get to select which DHL office you want to pick up the Visa from. It took us 10 days before our Visa was able to be picked up. If you are hoping to expedite/shorten that time frame...FORGET ABOUT IT. I had a letter from my congressman and met with the Director of Immigration at the Bogota Embassy and he said "no exceptions." It took 10 days.

Follow the guides for I-130. He will be interviewed in Bogota but you will need to sart the process there in the US. Buena suerte y que Dios te bendiga.

Just wrapped up our interview and APPROVAL (Thank you VERY much Visa Journey) but I wanted to make sure that folks know that they did ask us for Part I of the DS-230 at the first window DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT LISTED IN THE PACKET 3/4 INFORMATION OR ON THE LAMINATED CARD AT THE BEGINNING. Thanks to other reviews on Visa Journey we were ready, but I wanted everyone going to the Bogota Embassy to be aware, it seems like some of the interviewers are asking for the DS-230.

Here's a song for all the long distance love affairs out there...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLi_osYNsOU&feature=endscreen&NR=1

Congratulations OZ. I know it was a tough time for you waiting and now you are almost there. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!

Plenty of times couples get the visa, etc, come to the US, then the beneficiary's true colors start showing, hey, read the "Effects of Major Family Changes on Immigration Benefits" forum to see just a few posts about it. Ill-intentioned people can and do scam the USC and the US government in the process.

Your ex is probably being more paranoid because maybe the country your spouse is from has certain negative stereotypes about its people, or she's heard horror stories, etc. I'm sure she'll get over it once she comes to the States and all goes well.

I would also suspect that when your ex talks to friends they create a firestorm together: "I hear his fiance is from X and you know how THEY are. THEY are crazy! I don't want my kids around that craziness. I'm not being paranoid am I?" It is a cycle that almost justifies their paranoia. I hate to say this, because it isn't really fair, but the best way to stop/prevent the paranoia is to be overly communicative with the ex. I know it's the absolute last thing you want to do, but it probably will prevent a recurring set of fights going forward.

But to be fair, if I was in your shoes, I wouldn't want to do it.

YES. Based on the advice I uncovered right here on VJ, I am going with my fiance to her interview.

Unless you have a red flag issue, I would stop calling him because he might answer your call, and then bill you $200 just to tell you to keep waiting.

What do you call 1,000 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A good start.

Letters take even LONGER to get responded to. Much better if you go into the office and ask to speak to the Constituent Services Director and they can help start the process.

OZ,

Keep the faith brother. I promise it is coming. I was in your exact shoes over Christmas and driving myself nuts calling USCIS, my Congressman, Senators and I even drove to the local immigration office and they told me nothing. Then one day in early January it happens. Be strong. Be patient. It will happen.

Best,

Stefan

VJ Family,

I have convinced mi fiancee to wait in Bogota to get the Visa more quickly and that we will leave directly from Bogota as soon as we have the Visa, but I have a question. On the website where I scheduled the interview, there is no option to pick up the Visa directly from the Embassy. Am I missing something or do I need to select a DHL office in Bogota and pick it up from there? Is there a particular Bogota DHL office that is quickest?

Thank you!

Congratulations my friend! Now I guess the Gringo will have his Gringa!

Very nice summary. CONGRATULATIONS!

I used an attorney for the first time. SCREWED EVERYTHING UP! Guy seriously was sloppy in filling out the forms, and filled them out with erroneous information and I had to withdraw my application, and start over by myself. Now given, my situation was NOT complicated, I know I didn't need a lawyer. I wish I had never hired one. COuld have saved myself $1,100 and a HUGE headache. Seriously, VJ is a very good source of information for non-complicated problems and when a situation is complicated, you will see the VJers say "you should probably get an attorney for this." Skip the lawyer.

Congratulations! I'm so happy for you and I expect to be living your experience in about 2 months. I have a couple of questions for you if you could be so kind.

1. When you made the medical appointment (I'm assuming it was done by phone), did they give you some type of confirmation? email or something? or was it just a "verbal" confirmation?

2. Did you need to make an appointment for all the labs? or was it on a walk-in basis? (first-come, first-serve kind of thing?)

3. How long you think it would take after interview is done for my "wife's visa" to be delivered, if she is not in Bogota? (She is in Barranquilla).

Thank you so much and please share your experience at POE when you guys arrive. Congrats again! and to your wife: Welcome to America!

Alex and Heidy

1) You only get a verbal confirmation along with a list of all the things you need to bring.

2) No, it is walk in.

3) That can vary. They used to say 7 to 10 days outside of Bogota, but Arturo's story is an awesome one!

They delivered on a Saturday?!?!?!? AWESOME! Congratulations!!! Safe travels to the USA!

CONGRATULATIONS DANNY BOY!

You got your NOA2 a few hours after me, but your interview was 42 days before mine. This process can seriously drive someone to drink...

GOD BLESS YOU AND JENNI!

Since I am NOT going for the interview,...

... on Mar 23, I have to get some items in her hand ahead of time.

An Opinion, please...

On whether it is acceptable to SCAN AND E-MAIL to her, for her to then PRINT, the following items:

1) the actual I-134 form completed.

2) Bank statements from bank officers

3) Phone records

4) D & B report of commercial rating concern

5) Tax return

6) PHOTOS?

Ja,ja.... She wants ALL of the fotos we have taken together.

I explained to her, that I sent several (about 12-15, maybe more) good quality, nice photos of her and I in and around Bogota along with the Initial Petition and that the Embassy should have those in our/her file, and that She Should Not Need Anymore Photos.

If you think it wise to send more or the same ones again (I don't think it's even necessary, but she is semi-freaking about it), then IS IT PERMISSABLE to also send those by email so she can print to take?

WHY ALL THIS? Because Fed-Ex is going to cost about $120 usd to get it there.

Thanks for your help.

I have found Fed Ex to be fairly efficient in sending things to Colombia.

Absolutely awesome Approved WHOOOOHOOT.................... just anyone tell me best thing to do now? :dance:

Best thing to do now? CELEBRATE!

CONGRATULATIONS & GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!

If you encounter problems with a girl that you have met oversee then move on to the next one. There is no reason to be trying to make it work when you can easily find someone else to enjoy your company. First girl I met I was trying to change her and working with her before I let go. If you girls is under 25 then that is a big part of the problem. Young pretty girls are gonna be problematic no matter where you find them. I would not even consider a lady unless she is late 20s or early 30s. You have to give them time to get done wrong and go around the block a few times then they will know what a good guy is.

A bit pragmatic and cynical, but I agree with logic.

She is coming from a Spanish-speaking country so why go on vacation to a Spanish speaking part of the US? My advice would be to go to an "American" city and give her a taste of US culture. Someone recommended Charleston, and I love Charleston. It is a very friendly and colonial city with beaches and nice folks. I plan to take my fiance there when she arrives. Maybe somewhere in New England? Maybe Washington DC? San Francisco? I'd avoid NYC.