salgood411

This is a great thread,did'nt realize there were so many stateside that had an interest to move out of the States. I also happen to be one of them along with my wife. Having been to Colombia on five different occasions and being so near retirement my mind has been constantly on making this big move.We can possibly do this as soon as the second half of next year. The places that come to mind as far as area is concerned is the Armenia Pereira vicinity. The elevation, around 4000 ft high, is perfect as far as year around climate, around 80 degrees, with relatively no humidity. The country side and people of Colombia are very friendly and always ready to lend a hand. We also are planning to build a house from the ground up. My wife has a small house in Tulua that we ar interested in adding onto. Right now the dollar is taking somewhat of a beating ahving gone from 2200 pesos to 1900 pesos in the past year so now seems to be the time to invest. Ideallly we would travel and livein both countries. Good luck to you all in your future endeavors.

We just passed the AOS interview on May 7, 2007,and received our white cards (green) on the 19thof May, less than two weeks. My wife's vaccination worksheet also was checked not complete. The vaccination worksheet was approved for the K1 Visas and also approved for the AOS. It did also give us some concern but figured that if it mattered we would have received a letter requesting further information.

for adjustment of status i need to translate my wife's birth certificate. I just called a service and they quoted me at $150... is that normal? do i need some special certificate that shows the translater is certified?

thanks!

paul

No. You can do this yourself if you are fluent in the language. We recently went for the adjustment of status interview. I was about to pay someone, a translator, 300.00 dolllars to translate a Dutch birth certificate into English. I did it myself and wrote at trhe bottom of the translation that I was fluent in the language, signed ity and certified this to be true. We had no problems. We should be receiving the alien registration cards withina week or so. Already received the welcome letter with the alien registration number.

I personally went to the interview in Bogota. The examiner did ask my fiance(e) if I was present as I was sitting on one of the chairs when she went to the window where the interview was conducted. He asked for me to step to the window and asked me a few questions such as; where did we meet. He was very cordial and made some small talk. Her two children also were at the interview although they are ages 15 and 17. Both were asked questions.

Sorry for the long delay. Finally a moment to breathe and exhale from the long and winding road. Well to start off our r interview was on November 14 in Bogota. We arrived there from Tulua after a10 hour bus ride. The appointment for the physical was on the 10th four days before the interview. My fiance(e) booked a hotel room at as bed and breakfast that was located about a mile from the embassy the name of the hotel is casa hotel la Estancia, Carerra 43 A # 22 A Bis-07, the price was 70.00 dollars per night. On the 10th my fiance(e) and her two children went for the first part of the physical which included a blood test and x ray ,this information was forwarded to the doctor for the afternoon appointment. Everything checked out OK and she was given the envelopes and results to carry to the interview. We spend the next four days exploring Bogota and visiting her sister who lives there. The day of the day of the interview we arose at 5:00 a.m., had breakfast and then headed out to the embassy. We arrived there at 6:30 a.m. for the scheduled 7:00a.m. appointment. There were two lines formed already when we arrived, one for K1 visas and another for various other visas. There was a lady who walked the line checking documents. At 7:00 a.m. they were allowing us to enter into the embassy.We were scanned on the way in. They do not allow cameras or cell phones with cameras inside the embassy. Contrary to the info on the embassy website they DO allow the petitioner to enter the embassy. I went in with my fiance(e) and her two children ages 15 and 17. There were many K1 visa applicants there that day. Four windows served the K1 applicants. One of the windows was dedicated to turning down almost all the applicants that were seen that morning. I think we we were the last ones to be called. The wait was approximately five hours for us so we were kept in suspense for a long time. The fact that we did not have to go to window 5 was a good sign, this was the one that turned down the visa applicants. The man at window six where we were called to was pleasant. He asked about a dozen questions and did not ask to see any paperwork although we brought along very much of everything. The questions he asked of my fiance(e) were where I worked, how we met, what type of work I was involved in, where did she learn how to speak English, he asked her what type of work she did in Colombia. He asked her if she planned to work in the United States. Her son was also asked where he learned to speak English and what he planned to do once in the States. He answered that he wanted to go to college and also get a job. He then asked to speak to me and asked me how we met. I told him through a mutual aquaintance at a retirement seminar, he responded that Colombia was a good place to retire with the dollar. The interview concluded by him congratulating my fiance(e) and wishing us good luck. We have now been in California since November 18 and are planning to go to Vegas on Wednesday for our wedding in the Little White Chapel on December 1. If any of you have specific questions we will be glad to answer. Bye for now.

Well we were almost faced with a similar situation but a last minute phone call to clear up the matter allowed us to travel. So this was our experience; the father of my fiances's son was an absentee father, my fiance(e) changed her son's last name legally but the airport customs in her country would not allow her son to travel due to the fact that he was under age. She did not have a notorized permission slip from her son's father and no less than three customs officials told us that her son could not travel with us despite the fact my fiance(e) had followed all the procedures necessary. the plane was scheduled to leave at 8:30 a.m. We were kept in suspense until the very last minute. A last minute call made to a higher official in another city saved our day. He told the airport watchdogs that my fiance(e) had followed proper procedures and he was allowed to travel, however if he had not been allowed to go, he is 17 by the way, she would not have traveled either and I was prepared to stay until the sitaution was resolved one way or the other. Bottom line as much as I would have wanted her to go with me her responsibility was still to her children.

Hello all,

Yes it is over . We went to the embassy today and after a long wait and much angst we were given the OK and will return tomorrow to pick up the Visas. We all went together my fiance and her two children. I will post the details soon for all of you who will follow behind us. Thanks to all who helped make our journey a little easier.

hi there

depends on which state you get married in... i would look google your state about marriage licences..

you will need birth certificate, divorce decree's (if you have been divorced before) if you get your social security number before you marry and your passport as ID that you are a legally alowed in the states..

good luck

kath

In Nevada the petitioner has to have Valid ID, Driver License and Social Security Card. The party coming from another country is not expected to have a social security card yet so all that is required is a passport for him or her.

Hi, hope everyone is well.

I am having some initial difficulties in setting up the airline tickets to bring fiance here.

It is starting look like it will be January 2007.

The service I have been using (AAA) told me they could not originate a ticket for my fiance since it was originating in the Philippines.

I fully intend on flying to go get her (round trip from Charlotte to Cebu and back) and coordinate her ticket with mine (one way from Cebu to Charlotte).

Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

Call your airline of choice direct, this is sometimes cheaper than AAA. You will also be able to coordinate being together for the return flight.

Anyone know when they usually post the November appointments at the Bogota consulate?? I assumed (obviously incorrectly) that it would be by November.....

Im also waiting for the november appt..I heard that they are usually posted on the 2nd of each month but I dont know what is taking so long this month..

They are very late in posting the November interview date on the embassy website. We just received our packet on October 31 or would not have known about our interview date either. It really makes it difficult to plan.

Good luck on the interview. Email or post the details of the interview next week.

I plan to go to the embassy on the 13th to deliver first round of papers for packet 3. This should get us a December appointment.

Stay at the Sheraton Four Points,,,close,,,decent price,,breakfast included,,fantastic hotel!!!

Thanks for all the help. I will post the results of the interview for all Colombia thread members.

carts

Stark

Here is a web site. Look down towards the bottom of it.

http://poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/6520

Also I would suggest to stay around Park 93. It is one of the safer areas. I normally stay there for around $60 a night and it is very safe. I normally rent an apartment. Sorry I can't remember the name of it. My fiancee now makes the reservations for it. Your wife to be should be able to find a place for you easier than you could. I would not worry about being near the embassy. The taxi ride is not to expensive and you will only need to go there 2x. There are plenty of restaurants and bars at park 93 for entertainment while you're in town.

Good luck on your trip. I will be there on Friday (10th) next week. You can send me a personal note if you want to from this site and I can email you the name and number to the place when I arrive. They have internet access and I will check my mail.

Rodney

We will also be there on the tenth for the scheduled medical, then staying in town until the interview on the 14th.

bolls (cotton--the part where the fibres are)

boils

Hope your interview goes smoothly and that you get your approval and the delivery of the visa soon so you can come home.

Rob and Melinda

Great to hear it Rob and Linda. Best wishes.

DRESS

Congratulations..My fiance is from Cali but we have not recieve package 4 yet I hope we get ours soon also .but anyway good luck in the interview!!

BE SURE TO CHECK THE EMBASSY WEBSITE FOR YOUR NVC CASE NUMBER. GOOD LUCK. WE MAY HAVE THE SAME INTERVIEW DATE IF SO WILL BE LOOKING FOR YOU.

Hello all and especially those who are still waiting and wondering when this waiting will end. There is hope. Our total time from the time we filed the petition to the interview date on November 14 will be 203 days.

Each step of the journey seemed impossibly long and at times very frustrating, mostly due to being separated from your loved one. I will be making the flight reservations soon to be there at the interview and to fly us back to the United States. I want to thank all the VJ members who have been a tremendous help and support during this time of uncertainty. We will also pass on all that we have experienced and learned here during the past four months on VJ. Without this site I am sure this journey would have been much longer.

Take it up with the OP then!

mushy

stens (WW2 automatic weapons)

Tense

I will be talking with my wife who lives in Bogota later tonight. I will ask here if she knows of any. I can remember a few hotels close to the embassy as we drove by but cannot remember the names. Even if it is not real close there are plenty within a short and cheap taxi ride from the embassy. I will re-post after we talk tonight.

Doug

Thanks much both of you for any input. Looks like it will be soon as in November of next month sometime. Exact date is still pending the result of the posting at the end of the month since the packet 4 is somewhere between Bogota and Cali.

Looking for a reasonable priced hotel near the embassy in Bogota, does anyone have information on this ? Seeems like all the travel websites like Travelocity etc. don't have much to offer and the few hotels they do list are already booked for November.

My wife (in Cartagena) and I have NEVER recieved a thing from the Embassy. Our approved I-129F arrived August 21, 2006 --- It wasn't until we took action that things began to roll.

1. After a month of waiting, we called to find out that Packet 3 was sent.

2. Downloaded all forms in Packet 3 and returned via fax/courier

3. After waiting another couple of weeks we called again to find out our Interview date was scheduled for Nov 3rd

4. After waiting 2 more weeks, we still have not recieved Packet 4

5. Downloaded new DS230/DS156/7 carried to Bank Union to pay for visa (recieved bar code sticker to attach)

6. We decided to move the interview date forward because there was not enough time to prepare (ie, waiting for the Packets screwed everything up)

7. Scheduled medical and will arrive early to pick up Packet 4 at the embassy prior to the medical.

Perhaps the mail is hit or miss, but it has been a severe NEGATIVE for us. We would have simply done all of the things I described above and bypassed all the waiting time spent "hoping" the mail would come.

Hi james I call the embassy on the number that is listed in the embassy website but they did not gave me any info they told me to keep checking the app dates on the website and if in 15 days before my app I dont recieve packet 4 to call back..do you have any other phone number that we can call?

Well that information is all good and well but what if your interview falls within the first five days of the month ? How are you going to be able to set up the medica appointment in such a short time. I plan on traveling to Bogota with my fiance(e) but that would make the time factor very critical. Also the packet would have to be picked up personally at the embassy to get the documents that you have to take to the doctor for the medical exam. This mail system is terrible.

Thats exactly what Im thinking about all we can do is wait till tuesday or wenesday to see the november dates and hope for the best

Yes that may be the earliest we find out what date the interview is scheduled. On a topic related; any good leads on hotels near the embassy that are reasonable ?

My wife (in Cartagena) and I have NEVER recieved a thing from the Embassy. Our approved I-129F arrived August 21, 2006 --- It wasn't until we took action that things began to roll.

1. After a month of waiting, we called to find out that Packet 3 was sent.

2. Downloaded all forms in Packet 3 and returned via fax/courier

3. After waiting another couple of weeks we called again to find out our Interview date was scheduled for Nov 3rd

4. After waiting 2 more weeks, we still have not recieved Packet 4

5. Downloaded new DS230/DS156/7 carried to Bank Union to pay for visa (recieved bar code sticker to attach)

6. We decided to move the interview date forward because there was not enough time to prepare (ie, waiting for the Packets screwed everything up)

7. Scheduled medical and will arrive early to pick up Packet 4 at the embassy prior to the medical.

Perhaps the mail is hit or miss, but it has been a severe NEGATIVE for us. We would have simply done all of the things I described above and bypassed all the waiting time spent "hoping" the mail would come.

Hi james I call the embassy on the number that is listed in the embassy website but they did not gave me any info they told me to keep checking the app dates on the website and if in 15 days before my app I dont recieve packet 4 to call back..do you have any other phone number that we can call?

Well that information is all good and well but what if your interview falls within the first five days of the month ? How are you going to be able to set up the medica appointment in such a short time. I plan on traveling to Bogota with my fiance(e) but that would make the time factor very critical. Also the packet would have to be picked up personally at the embassy to get the documents that you have to take to the doctor for the medical exam. This mail system is terrible.

Posts

Steps