cali52506

Call DC this morning and yes, got our interview date for April 12. Kind of figured I would have it that week as I am on an unchangeable vacation the week before. Go figure Anyway not complaining and will still go to the interview. No one responded on where one could buy the Aguila, come on guys, I am ready for a cold one.

Doug

Congratulations!!!!!!!

Hey everyone!! Some of you know me and I guess MOST of you don't but I'm back!!

I was running a lot of paperwork lately for the second interview and on top of all that I've been working my ### off (I'm a Contractor), so I haven't had the time to go online for a while now. Well I'll tell you guys what has happened since they told my wife she had to go for a 2nd interview.

After all that mess... I called a friend in Cali (Colombia) that knows a couple of people that work for DAS. So I told him what I needed and he said it was alright that he could get that paperwork done really fast and give it to my wife for a decent price, so I accepted and that was the end of the whole "carta Migratoria" paper they needed at the embassy.

Then I called the Embassy (remember you can only call to speak to someone at the Embassy in Bogota on Wednesdays from 2pm - 4pm..) and they let me talk directly with the person in charge of my wife's case. I asked him why all the complications and all he said was that they needed the "Carta Migratoria" and if it was possible my Tax Returns for 2006. So I told him if it was alright if I went for the 2nd Interview, and he said it was fine. He also gave me a number to call to schedule the interview myself.

After that I called my accountant and got my Taxes done, so I have the copy to take with me, I also called to interview my wifes 2nd interview and they charged my credit card $16.00USD to schedule.

So now all I'm waiting is to travel to BGT on the 27th and stay there with my wife till the 29th and hoping and praying that this time they'll give her the visa. I'm also staying with my wife in cali for a month.. so I can spend time with her and take a nice vacation!!

So there is my update guys... sorry if i didn't post anything earlier. For everyone in the struggle in this process I wish u the best and for everyone who's given me advice and knows my situation.. THANX!!!

Hit me back!!!

RabbitNYC

Hi there hope everything goes well. I am very positive being there will make all the difference. I too presented by 2006 W-2's only haven't done my tax returns yet, but thank fully that was accepted. What a treat in Cali for a WHOLE month!!! que envidia...espero todo les salga super bien. MUCHA SUERTE!!!!

How important do you think it is that the USC be present at the embassy interview in Bogota?

Hi there,

I see you are just starting your journey...this is a great website...just in case you don't know there is a Colombia Club thread with alot of great information from couples that have already gone through the process and the embassy in Bogota. I had my interview in Bogota last week with my husband and it went well thank GOD we were approved. But one thing i noticed was that all the couples that were there together were approved, while all the individuals that were there without there significant other were denied. So if at all possible its a BIG plus to be there with your 2nd half....

here is the link to the Colombia Club thread

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2572

I just wanted to let everybody know the good news. I found out today that our interview has been scheduled for March 27th in Bogota!! That was actually a little sooner than I was expecting. Time to start making plans...

Mark

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! that was quick!!!

Congratulations on CR-1 Visa Approval for VJ member "cali52506" on 2/21/2007!

For those who may have missed it, "cali" gave a very good report on the embassy interview experience, located at the following link:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;#entry744785

Thanks to everyone for the good wishes....Yes I posted my review on this link...please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Best wishes to everyone going through this long process... !!!!!!!!!

Congratulations!

And also thanks for the information. I am curious about your language situation. Do you speak Spanish or does your husband speak English? Was the interview in English or Spanish?

Thanks!

Hi, actually I speak english and spanish well, my parents are from Cali Colombia. My husband only speaks spanish though. So his interview was conducted in spanish first. though the guy had a really heavy gringo accent and was a bit hard to understand in Spanish. When I got on the phone with him he spoke to me in spanish and I just answered in English. and then he just finished the interview in English with me.

Hi Everyone,

My husband and I had our visa interview on Wednesday 2/21/07 and we were approved!!!!

Our appointment was at 7:00am and we arrived at the embassy at 6:15am. There were already about 15-20 people ahead of us. However how early you arrive really doesn't matter because once you get inside the following happened:

1.) you form a line and then you are given a folder and your name is taken down. In this folder you are told to place everything in the exact order listed. Which is the same order that is listed on the interview letter you get from the embassy. We had placed everything in this order the night prior so we were prepared.

2.) Then after 15 minutes your name is called, if your folder is ready you are asked to go to a window. You submit your papers and the lady behind the window checks that everything is in order and then asks you to wait that your name will be called from window 1-9 which are for immigrant and fiance visas.

3.) My husbands name was called once to window 2 where they took his fingerprints. Then he was asked to wait again for the interview.

LITERALLY THE LONGEST WAIT EVER!!!!!!!!!! there were couples that were called first that submitted their documents way after us. So they do not call people in any specific order of arrival. Thats why I say it doesn't matter how early you get there. If your appointment is at 7:00am be there by 630am which is when they start to let people into the embassy.

4.) We were interviewed around 12:30pm, my husbands name was called to window 8.

THE INTERVIEW:

I stood right next to my husband at the window, the officer asked my husband how we met, how long we have known eachother, the date of our marriage, and how we were introduced. How many times I had been to Colombia? He then looked at all our pictures (which were few about 60 pics) we had about 10 emails and I also printed our MSN chats. I have been to Colombia about 4 times this year, with this past visit it was 5 times i had traveled to see my husband. They already knew this however.

He looked at all our evidence slowly, read almost all the emails carefully....(this was very stressful) then he asked to speak to me. My husband passed me the telephone he asked me how we were introduced? I answered through a mutual friend and then just said " OK your visa is approved we are closed tomorrow so come back Friday at 4pm to pick up" We were soooo excited everything went well.

We went back friday at 4pm to pick up the visa.

One thing we noticed is that all the couples that were their together were approved. The ones that where there alone were not. Actually we saw all the couples there again on Friday picking up their visas, none of the people that were there alone were approved.So it really pays to be there with your spouse or fiance.

WHERE TO STAY:

We stayed at the Hotel - Casa San Rafael.....Avenida..La Esperanza La Misma Diag.22B No. 43B-23 Tel# 268-6858 Barrio Quintaparedes - Bogota D.C. Colombia. the rate was 85,000 pesos. Walking distance to the embassy. Not a big luxury hotel, but small and at a good price. We kind of looked around with the taxi driver before we made a decision...there was another hotel about 10 houses down which charged 150,000 pesos a night. It was actually smaller and more expensive....Hotel Almarius (not recommended at all).

Anyway getting ready for husbands arrival in two weeks, he still has to quit his job and finalize some details but hope to start our new lives soon together, our wait will finally be over. Best of luck to everyone that continues their journey...please feel free to contact me with any questions. THANKS AGAIN !!!!!!!

Hi Everyone!!!!

Got back from Colombia yesterday and very excited to report that we were approved Wednesday 2/21/07. The immigrant visa section of the embassy was closed on Thursday 2/22/07, so we were asked to come back Friday 2/23/07 to pick up our visa. We are very excited I am back in the states and my husband will follow in two weeks he has to quit his job and handle some final things before, but we will finally be together soon. Thanks alot to everyone visajourney was really helpful. I will post a full review of our day at embassy in the consular review forum shortly. Thanks again and best of luck to everyone.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well the moment of the interview is only 11 hours away! my wife is pretty nervous, but I try calming her down (I try not to let her know that I'm nervous too..). I hope everything goes well 2morrow and that she gets approved and that she'll be here next to me ASAP!!

Please keep us in your prayers 2nite or wish us luck...

THANX FOR THE SUPPORT!!!

RabbitNYC

Best of luck to you tomorrow...!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi there

I just recently started posting on this website...my husband is in Cali as well and it's good to know that not all mail from the Embassy goes undelivered. I was wondering the copy of Packet 4 that you recieved does that come from NVC?

BTW best of luck to you and your wife.....ya casi termina tanto papelo. Gracias a Dios

Christina

No actually it comes straight from the Embassy in Bogota. I called them (only on Wednesdays from 2pm - 4pm) and they told me about my wifes interview and they would send the packet's (hers and a copy for me) that same day. Since I heard so much that they almost never arrived.. I was surprised me hers arrived ontime and even more surprised when I recieved mine here in NJ.

Hope this helped...

Good luck and don't hesitate if u need help... that's what errone here is for!

oh wow...didn't know this was possible...this is really good to know, I will call the embassy next week...Thanks so much for the information.

Hi there

I just recently started posting on this website...my husband is in Cali as well and it's good to know that not all mail from the Embassy goes undelivered. I was wondering the copy of Packet 4 that you recieved does that come from NVC?

BTW best of luck to you and your wife.....ya casi termina tanto papelo. Gracias a Dios

Christina

found out today!!!visa interview scheduled for 2/21/07....

I put my daily call this morning to the Department of State (202) 663-1541 and finally heard some good news. My husbands interview is scheduled for 2/21/06. FINALLLY after my case was sitting at the embassy for about a month....Traveling to colombia 2/17/07...... ......

My husband is in Cali...I have heard the mail in Colombia especially to Cali is not that great...does anyone know what I should do if we don't get the interview letter in the mail???????

Hi Everyone,

This is my first time posting on this web-site..All the information has been really helpful...

I also found love in Colombia and married my sweetie in May2006.

I noticed several timelines similar to mine. Unfortunately my husband has not been assigned an interview date in Bogota yet. So far it has been a month, my case arrived at the embassy 12.11.06. I call the embassy every week and they keep telling me that he is on the list but interview has not been assigned yet because they are backed up. I also called the (202) number here in the US and they told me that my husbands background check just went through 2 days ago?????

Not sure what to make of all this.... could there be something wrong it has been one month already....is anyone else in a similar situation????