Paco415

My husband had his interview on June 23, I was with him by his side. I just got back to the United States yesterday.  He is also in administrative review pending medical results. It’s disheartening because he is from Venezuela and has to wait there for this to be finalized. They have his passport so essentially he is stuck there until it’s resolved. And we have to pay for housing and food in the meantime. Thankfully he can work remotely. This is very frustrating considering how long we’ve been waiting due to COVID 😒.

I have learned via the WhatsApp group that the one lab being used for visa applicants in Colombia was basically falsifying results due to inadequate resources to process specimens 😨 … the embassy doctors alerted the embassy to this and canceled their relationship with the lab. This has caused many many IVs to go into administrative processing. The attachment indicates it involves gonorrhea results but another applicant received a letter stating tuberculosis results, so I suppose all results are suspect. The attachment is a screenshot in Spanish but I will cut and paste below what someone shared from the embassy in both English and Spanish:

“Greetings from the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia. You are receiving this email because we have been advised by the panel physicians serving the Embassy that they have reason to believe your IGRA (tuberculosis) test result, performed at Instituto y Laboratorio Clinico, Calle 38 No. 8-28, Local No. 1, Bogota, Colombia, is not reliable.  They advised the Embassy that the laboratory  did not have the required supplies to perform the test and falsified the report for that test.  We understand the laboratory did draw your blood but did not test it.  The laboratory then reported a “negative” test result for tuberculosis to the panel physician without performing the test.  The panel physicians (Dr. Roa, Dr. Dennis, and Dr. Piñeros) immediately terminated their relationship with the laboratory upon discovering the laboratory’s actions.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has determined, for your specific case, you do not need to have a new test performed.  If your visa has already been issued, your visa is valid and you may travel to the United States before the expiration date printed on the visa.  If your visa has not yet been issued, we will process your case to conclusion using the medical examination in its current state.  However, the CDC advises that it may be beneficial for your own health and safety to seek repeat testing to confirm that you are negative for tuberculosis.  At this time, we have no evidence that any other components of your medical exam were compromised.   

As soon as the Embassy was informed of the situation, we banned Instituto y Laboratorio Clinico from participation in any further medical examinations.  The lab administrator has offered to provide a refund of the cost of the test that was not performed.  The panel physicians are discussing with the lab how to request a refund and you will receive more information once those details are finalized.

We are deeply troubled by the laboratory’s actions, and we are sorry that it has caused you inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Immigrant Visa Unit
U.S. Embassy Bogotá
jvb

-------
Estimado solicitante o acudiente:

Saludos desde la Embajada de Estados Unidos en Bogotá, Colombia. Usted recibe este correo electrónico porque los médicos del panel que atienden a la Embajada nos han informado que tienen motivos para creer el resultado de su prueba IGRA, realizada en el Instituto y Laboratorio Clínico, Calle 38 No. 8-28, Local No. 1, Bogotá, Colombia, no es confiable. Avisaron a la Embajada que el laboratorio no contaba con los suministros necesarios para realizar la prueba y falsificaron el informe de dicha prueba. Entendemos que el laboratorio le extrajo sangre pero no lo analizó. Luego, el laboratorio informó un resultado de prueba "negativo" para tuberculosis al médico del panel sin realizar la prueba. Los médicos del panel (Dr. Roa, Dr. Dennis y Dr. Piñeros) inmediatamente terminaron su relación con el laboratorio al descubrir las acciones del laboratorio.

Los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) han determinado que, para su caso específico, no es necesario que se realice una nueva prueba. Si su visa ya ha sido emitida, su visa es válida y puede viajar a los Estados Unidos antes de la fecha de vencimiento impresa en la visa. Si su visa aún no ha sido emitida, procesaremos su caso hasta su conclusión utilizando el examen médico en su estado actual. Sin embargo, el CDC advierte que puede ser beneficioso para su propia salud y seguridad buscar repetir las pruebas para confirmar que es negativo para tuberculosis. En este momento, no tenemos evidencia de que otros componentes de su examen médico se hayan visto comprometidos.

Tan pronto como se informó a la Embajada de la situación, prohibimos al Instituto y Laboratorio Clínico participar en cualquier examen médico en el futuro. El administrador del laboratorio se ha ofrecido a reembolsar el costo de la prueba que no se realizó. Los médicos del panel están discutiendo con el laboratorio cómo solicitar un reembolso y usted recibirá más información una vez se finalicen los detalles.  

Estamos profundamente preocupados por las acciones del laboratorio y lamentamos que les haya causado molestias.

Cordialmente,

Unidad de visas de inmigrante
Embajada de los Estados Unidos en Bogotá
jvb ”

15 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

What laboratory are you talking about?

The lab in Colombia. A system failure in the process is causing administrative delays in visa issuances out of the embassy in Bogotá.

7 hours ago, LazyPerroFarm said:

So sorry for another question, but was wondering what your priority date was?  I know our DQ is very close, but I had forgotten that priority dates play a significant role in when your interview would be.  Many thanks for sharing and best of luck on the 23rd! 

We filed I-130 Nov 2019, approved May 2020 but I doubt that has anything to do with our interview date, but who knows?

I heard about this, I’m on a WhatsApp discussion group for my embassy and people are livid! Especially the people that had interviews tomorrow and had to make travel arrangements to get to the capital or even the country from elsewhere. It’s really inconvenient!

On 6/9/2021 at 5:39 PM, mrveg said:

So, I'm American and applying for someone from Curacao.  I'm trying to research where the interview will take place and it seems like it is in Colombia for all 3 ABC islands.  I looked on the website and it said "immigrant" visas will be in Colombia but nothing about nonimmigrant visas.  However, Colombia looks like it is shut down due to Covid right now.  Is there any way to transfer it to another embassy?  Thanks.

The Colombian embassy IS OPEN and actively interviewing for immigrant visas, including K1. There is no option to go to another embassy. My beneficiary is from Venezuela and we cannot process for his IR1 anywhere else, we have to process in Bogotá since the embassy in Caracas has been closed for over 2 years now and Bogotá has official oversee over the visa issuance of Venezuelans now, and the ABC islands as well.

38 minutes ago, LazyPerroFarm said:

If you don't mind me asking, what date did you receive your letter and what date is your interview?  Just trying to perhaps estimate a time (fingers crossed) in which we would receive our interview notice.  Many thanks! 

If you don't mind me asking, what date did you receive your letter and what date is your interview?  Just trying to perhaps estimate a time (fingers crossed) in which we would receive our interview notice.  Many thanks! 

We received the email May 24, interview is June 23. I’ve heard through the grapevine that some people got even less notice for an interview at my embassy. We are scrambling to get everything in order including travel arrangements but looks like we are in track so far. We already made appointments for medical exam and biometrics too. 

1 hour ago, LazyPerroFarm said:

Oh wow, we were DQ on 12/4/20 only 2 weeks after you.  Fingers crossed but that may suggest we should receive a letter very shortly.  Had you received any information prior suggesting that your interview was only a month away or was this the first correspondence giving you a date?  Many thanks for the information! -

This was the first correspondence about our case since our DQ email in November! We have been waiting so long that we got complacent and estimated we wouldn’t hear anything until after the summer. Then my spouse texted me a screenshot of the email the other day from abroad with the interview date asking me if this is what he thinks it was. Sure enough, I checked my own email and I had the same one. It would be the one day I decided not to check my email to concentrate on other things LOL. So, keep an eye on your email it’s probably coming to you soon!! 🤞🏽

Our IR-1 case was DQ on 11/18/20 and we just last week received an interview date in Bogotá for late June. This kind of caught us by surprise since we’ve been waiting so long and we really didn’t expect anything to happen until the fall. Now we are scrambling to get flights and final paperwork together. My beneficiary is from Venezuela so we’ll have to plan out housing too! It’s crunch but we are excited this is finally moving!

On 5/26/2021 at 6:21 AM, LazyPerroFarm said:

I've been looking at the last four months of visa approvals out of the US Embassy in Bogota, Colombia.  My wife is DQ and we are awaiting interview on a CR1. What's interesting is that CR1 approvals are very low, while they are processing nearly 10 times IR1.  Does anyone know if they are prioritizing IR1 over CR1, or is still based on the date in which you were document qualified through NVC?  Thanks!

We were DQ on 11/18/20 and just received an interview date in Bogotá for late June. Long wait! We are IR-1 but I think it’s because of the slow reopening of the embassy due to COVID. I don’t think IR’s are more of a priority than CR’s but I may be mistaken.

My spouse just received an interview appointment for the end of June at the embassy abroad (Colombia). IR1 visa. Our DQ 11/18/20. We did not submit a police certificate at that time because it was difficult to obtain due to Covid. But they DQ us anyway stating we should bring to interview. Also, it turns out we uploaded a different copy of the birth certificate as intended. We now have an official one that has the same info but looks different and has official seals.

My question is: is it too late to upload (update) new documents to the NVC portal or should we just take our updated documents to the interview without uploading? I am particularly concerned that the birth certificate won’t match the one that we uploaded last year. And will uploading new docs reset the DQ or affect interview date?

14 hours ago, Louis61404 said:

You can check here: https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx but almost certainly it will say "At NVC" still with your DQ date.

Yes that’s exactly what it says, thanks for the information.

On 11/23/2020 at 6:08 PM, Tacos said:

 My fiance and I are also waiting for Bogota to resume interviewing. I’m checking the website of the embassy and their social media, and this site for updates. Our case has been at the NVC since June. Not sure if you read the other thread? Sounds like there’s some good news...https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/752088-another-colombia-embassy-live-stream/

So, we were DQ on Nov 18, but that is the last communication we had from NVC. Does this mean our case is still @ NVC? I fear we will be waiting months for an interview

Incidentally, yesterday was our 2nd wedding anniversary, so our CR1 is now officially an IR1  

15 hours ago, Louis61404 said:

I am in this situation.  We are in a weird spot, because if the embassy said okay, your interview is December 1st, she couldn't get there.  They just opened Copa to connect in Panama, and all the availability is gone until January, when it really opens up.  I am hoping for a mid January interview.

 

The land border is still closed.  It's very stressing, hoping for an interview, but hoping she can get to Bogota at the same time.  It really needs to be in January or later.

Does Colombia even understand the problem of Venezuelans getting to Colombia to process if they cannot get out of Venezuela? This is ridiculous. My husband was hoping to come see me when the next flights opened up which were this month but then they were all booked. Was going to fly through the Dominican Republic to get to the USA on his current B2. If we have to wait until January so be it. At least we will be an IR1 by then (our 2nd wedding anniversary is in Dec). He is hoping just to get out of Venezuela ASAP and wait out the time in another country until the interview, that is the only way he will be able to get to Colombia.

By the way, when you say "really opens up" is Venezuela planning to resume more operations by then? Because they have been doing this for months and they keep delaying. Then again, this is Venezuela so I am not surprised.

I am glad to hear from someone else here who is in the same quandry as we are. Thanks for writing!

1 hour ago, David G said:

Yes, Finally they addressed a question about our visa category. 

 

I even recorded it with my phone in case that they deleted that. I don't know, I thought that I was dreaming.

Is your spouse also in Venezuela and has to process in Bogota? I am in the same situation and very stressed out / impatient! 😩

My husband and I are awaiting for the US Embassy in Colombia to reopen so that we can get his interview scheduled for the IR1 (our 2nd wedding anniversary is next month, so our CR1 application now becomes an IR1 thankfully). He is actually from Venezuela, so that is an added burden because commercial flights are very limited right now from that country and he needs to process for the visa in Bogota because the embassy in Caracas has been closed for now almost 2 years. He cannot even get to Colombia right now if he wanted or needed to. We submitted our documents this week to NVC and are awaiting DQ. We are eagerly awaiting services at the embassy to resume so that we can get him his visa and he can finally come home to the USA with me.

Any updates on the situation will be much appreciated. We have been physically apart for almost a year and this has been very stressful (not that the world doesn't know this stress, thanks COVID! 😒)

On 6/1/2020 at 12:49 AM, xhidex33@gmail.co said:

Hello everyone, I have some questions regarding this process and I'd like to know if this scenario would work. 

I understand that traveling to the US with the intention of getting married can be considered fraud and all that, but what if I honestly just wanted to marry my SO (in the US), return to my home country, and apply for CR1 from there? Would that work? 

 

Also, how do you find out what documents you might need in case of courthouse marriages? 

 

Thank you.

I married my spouse while he was visiting me in the USA on an existing tourist visa, he returned home a month later (which was still a month before his 6-month I-94 expired). He has visited me again one more time since then on his tourist visa after we had filed for the CR-1. We have not seen each other in person since due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Our I-130 petition has since been recently approved and we are at the NVC stage. While we are eager to complete this step, we are not rushing too much considering we likely wont get an interview anytime soon. If we complete it by the end of the summer we are still good. In all likelihood, he will likely be entering the USA with his immigrant visa after our 2nd wedding anniversary, in which case it will be an IR-1 visa and he will get a 10-year green card (thereby avoiding $600 to remove conditions).

I went on a big tangent, sorry  ... to answer your question: NO, it is not illegal to do what you are planning, many of us have done it and in the long run it is cheaper that way.

GET MARRIED ALREADY! LOL

Seriously, when you do get married, get married somewhere that you get an ENGLISH marriage certificate, that way you wont have to get it translated  

Hello, I am a US citizen sponsoring my Venezuelan citizen spouse for an immigrant visa. Our I-130 petition was recently approved and we are now at the beginning of the NVC stage. Since the US Embassy in Caracas has been closed for over a year, I understand that the immigrant visa interviews are being conducted in Colombia. I would love to have some insight into the process of a Venezuelan traveling to Colombia for the final interview, and anyone that has been through this process personally is someone I would love to hear from.

In the interest of planning ahead, I have several questions:

1) Is the US Embassy in Bogota even open right now due to COVID-19? Are interviews on hold?

2) How much advanced notice is given for the interview date (to plan for travel to Colombia from Venezuela and from the USA since I intend on going to be there to support my spouse even if I cannot attend the interview)?

3) Must the medical exam appointment be made and completed in Colombia?

4) Must Spanish documents be translated to English even though Colombia is a Spanish-speaking country (I ask because I read conflicting information online)?

5) How long after the interview is the immigrant visa issued and what options are there for receiving back the passport with the visa in it (return to embassy, DHL)?

I may have other questions which I will ask later, but these are the most pressing. Thanks in advance!

6 hours ago, Jay&Sid said:

 

This morning brought good news for us.

My son petition has been approved today. All the praises and thanks be to Allah. I am on cloud nine after getting this surprised news especially from Vermont center.  Now I am waiting for my spouse petition which is still pending at Vermont and my daughter petition at California. Following are the timelines.

 

PD 4th Nov, 2019

NOA-1 Texas service center

1st date update 23 Feb, 2020 – case transferred to Vermont

2nd date update 1st May, 2020

NOA-2 Approval 5 May, 2020

K3- filed on 23 March

K3- received on 30 Apr at Vermont

I-130 Approved in 180 days

 

Best of luck! 

Congrats!! Send some good vibes our way to follow you! 😁

Another date change on my account of May 1, 2020 😳 .... still waiting! 🤞🏽

2 hours ago, Davron said:

Hi all,

 

Little late to the party, but I'm a November filer as well.

 

I-130 for CR1/IR1 - USC petitioner

PD 11/15/2019

Service Center: TSC (no transfers)

 

Latest status change in USCIS website (02/24/2020):

 

In Process
Your benefit request has been accepted and is under review. 

 

Hopefully I'll get a good news soon after seeing approval posts, congrats all!

Did you confirm that you weren’t transferred? No one was notified and you pretty much have the same update date as everyone who was transferred.

23 hours ago, Jay&Sid said:

 

I-130 for CR1/IR1 - USC petitioner

PD 11/07/2019

TSC transferred to VSC on 2/23/2020

1 case out of 3 transferred from VSC to CSC on 31/3/2020

 

No updates so far. Lets hope for good news

Did you get transferred to CSC? I have not followed up with USCIS to find out whether I’m still in Vermont. I just am too lazy to find out.

Congratulations to all approved!

I-130 for CR1/IR1 - USC petitioner

PD 11/15/2019

TSC transferred to VSC on 2/23/2020

Did not file for K-3

No other updates at this time.

Still waiting … any insights from similar filers?