KathyB

Hi everyone,it's been quite awhile since I have posted and really happy to see how active this forum is! Francisco has been here a year now and happily, his children will be moving with us in 2 weeks! Francisco received his visa in April 2007; we requested interviews for his children in February 2008 and attended interviews with them at the end of March. Although we were very close to the year limit given for "follow to join" benefits, we had no trouble at all!

Now of course we are preparing for them to leave Colombia. Francisco is leaving next week for Colombia so he can fly to the US with them. We will have the papers from the mother, giving permission. Is there anything else we need to be prepared for when they leave?

Also, just to relieve some anxiety, is the DAS police certificate one of the documents that's sealed in the brown envelope? His son is afraid he lost it but I think the embassy would have either kept it in their records or passed it along in the envelope.

Kathy

Whew - getting the AOS packet ready is like signing mortage loans!

2. I don't have the I-693A yet and after calling around within a reasonable distance from me, they want $100 just to fill it out. Did anyone submit theirs without this form? And tried to complete it at a later time? You could do it later, but it will mean an RFE and delays in processing the AOS package. Try asking around at your local public health dept.- in Chicago it was completely free to fill out.

5. I'm only including W-2s for the past 5 years and not including any 1040 printouts. I think that should suffice. I included tax transcripts that only took about a week to receive after ordering from a live IRS rep; very courteous.

Monica and Chester

Hi Chester, my husband's green card just was approved. I did not submit the I693A with our petition and did not receive an RFE. I did include the DS-3025 vaccination supplement with the initial paperwork. I simply read the instructions that a vaccination supplement was required on I485 and sent what Francisco received from the physical in Bogota. However, numerous people have received RFEs for not submitting the I693A and I cannot deduce why some and not others! So if you want to ensure no RFE for it, it's probably good to include.

We did receive an RFE for tax transcripts because I filed an extension this year and copies of my tax forms and W2s were not enough. I did just what Willy suggested and ordered the tax transcripts. They came very quickly and yes, they were very cordial on the phone!

Good luck!

Steve n Ana, thanks so much for keeping this list updated throughout the last few months! Happily, you can add our approval date: November 10.

Hi Club!

Francisco's green card was approved November 10! We were transferred to the California service center in August so we had a few months of inactivity but not enough to make us crazy. No interview. We had one RFE for tax information. And though I expected an RFE for the vaccination supplement (I-693A), we never got it! We had just submitted the vaccination supplement from the Department of State (DS-3025).

All said and done for nearly the next two years. However, considering we applied for the K1 visa at the end of October and just one year later, he is a permanent resident, I am extremely pleased! All the more reason to celebrate!

Francisco's grandmother is coming to stay with us for three weeks to attend our December 8 wedding ... must go practice my Spanish!

Chao!

Fantastic news Angela! Congratulations to you both.

Kathy

How exciting to see all the approvals! And even happier that we can add another one. Francisco's EAD came in the mail today. No email notification, no online update change since we filed, just a shiny new card in the mail.

Congratulations and good luck!

Congrats Celikkanat and wexford!

And good luck for the interviews tomorrow guys!!

Celikkanat, reading your post made me realize my incessant checking of our online status really is pointless!

Mike,

RE the I-693A form: I've seen many people write about the RFE for the vaccination form recently. When I read the instructions for the I-485 form, I read "vaccination supplement" and didn't realize USCIS had a specific form for this! If they do indeed require the I-693A form, I wish the instructions were more specific. But nothing to do now but wait.

Now as for the SSN replacement card, you're right...we probably don't need to get a new card. I just thought it would make him look more official, but really how many times do you have to pull that little card out anywhere???

And wow, you're interview is right around the corner! Good luck!

Kathy

Our process for SSN was pretty straightforward. I printed out the pages from the SSA Manual (that are in quite a few places in the boards) to show that as a K1 visa holder, he can have the SSN, but never had to show them. The reps in the Indianapolis SSA office didn't even question it.

We waited about 2 weeks from when he entered the US and his information was already in their system. We had to show his visa and passport. His card shows his full name (first, middle, paternal and maternal last names) as we were told they will accept only what is in the system for the card. Came in the mail roughly a week later. It is stamped with "Authorized to Work with DHS Approval Only" or something like that so we will have to request a new card once we have the EAD or AOS. It's been very helpful...my company and bank don't require the SSN for benefits and membership, but they acknowledged that it sped the process up!

Ironically, I spent more time in the SSA office changing my name than he did requesting his first card!

Hi everyone!

It's been three months since Francisco arrived, so far everything is going very smoothly. However, I don't think I prepared myself as well for the AOS as I did for the visa petitions. Have already received one RFE for additional tax info and guessing by all the information on the boards that we will probably receieve another RFE for the I693A. We sent in the DS-3025 that we got in Bogota but am not sure if that's enough. However, our case was transferred to California Service Center from the National Benefits Center last week. So I've got my fingers crossed that we are close.

Francisco has been volunteering at a church in downtown Indianapolis since about June. I work downtown too so we can commute together. And he feels very productive--just like a normal working joe...minus the paycheck!

We have been fortunate given that he was able to get SSN, state identification card, health benefits (from my employer) not to mention the love and companionship of myself and a more-than-slightly dysfunctional Labrador Retriever.

I'll keep everyone posted on any developments. Glad to see all the familiar names. And congrats maviwaro on getting married! (I need to read through the whole thread to see what else has gone on!)

Kathy

Congratulations Steve-n-Ana, Heather&Justice, and Bobby_DE...I hope I haven't missed anyone!

Steve-n-Ana, could you update my timeline with a transfer date of August 10!

Angilla, I couldn't agree more. I think we had the same RFE--I sent my W2s just last week. I believe on the same day, we received a note from the Indiana BMV stating they are holding Francisco's identification card pending receipt of documentation we gave the day we applied!

When we went to the SSA to apply for the number, we used only his first last name on the application. We were told that we had to use both because both last names were on his visa.

Good luck lucho! My best advice is to relax and be confident in your answers.

Kathy

Hi all,

I'm a little late to join the thread but am a June filer. We filed on 6/15 with a NOA1 on 6/20. Biometrics scheduled for 7/23.

Good luck!

Hi all! It's been a while since I've been on Visa Journey. Francisco arrived the beginning of May and we have been busy ever since! Francisco has adjusted here better than I could ever have imagined. Anyway, I was reading through posts to get caught up on everyone...but only got as far as Dre's post! That's amazing! Congratulations!

Saw maviwaro's new forum for Colombian AOS and will sure be posting on that as we have just recently filed (last week).

It's good to be back!

Kathy

I have to agree with TonyS. The day we interviewed for the K1 visa, all beneficiaries with their SO were approved. However, many solo beneficiaries were approved as well. So my advice is to look at your case critically and think about any potential issues that might raise some questions in the CO's mind--is there anything they might need you to answer/confirm for them? How good is your evidence? How many times have you visited since getting married? I noticed in your timeline that you met in June of last year and were engaged within 3 weeks and married within 3 months. That could generate a question or two especially if you have not lived in Colombia. I don't need to know the answers to any of these--just some questions you should answer for yourself.

I think your decision should be based upon how strong you feel about the evidence you have provided and how well your wife is prepared for the interview.

Francisco was interviewed for a few minutes and then they asked to speak with me. The CO spoke to me just as long as she spoke to Francisco. The questions she asked were not difficult and we were approved with no trouble. However, I think if I had not been there to affirm what Francisco had said, he might have been questioned a bit more. Just my experience, but I know I made the right decision in attending.

Good luck to you both!

Does anyone know how I can contact the embassy in Bogota? According to their recorded message, they are no longer taking inquiries about immigrant visa applications. The problem is that the NVC sent out my petition on March 21. Over a month later, my fiance has received no packet 1. So I really need to contact the embassy, but I have tried 3 different numbers and none of them are working. The NVC told me I had to contact the embassy directly, the woman on the phone at the embassy switched me to a pre-recorded message that said something like, "This number is not taking inquiries," and the number THAT message directed me to didn't ring through at all. I'm really frustrated . . . what should I do?

Hi olafgypsy,

You can fax inquiries to the embassy: (571) 315-4155. Try that route to see if you get an answer. You might also consider calling the Department of State in the US. People have had luck getting interview date information from the DOS help line; they might be able to assist you in getting to a person in Bogota.

Kathy

thanks for the info Tonys!

But I went to the Website of the Us Embassy in Colombia, and if you look at the forms that they have for the K-1 visa. In the instructions sheets for K-1/K-3 if you look at it they have the form "OF-169". ( is one of the last sheets)

So to everybody that needs that form is right there for you.

Good catch! I had to go the embassy website today for some information and noticed that it has been revamped! Packet 3 is now posted on the embassy website under Immigrant Visas/How to Begin the Visa Process. The instructions for Immigrant Visas, K1 Visas, and K3/4 Visas are then organized into separate sections. You will see a link saying "Package of Instructions for K1/K2 (or K3/K4) Applicants." Nice work Bogota!

For those coming up in the process (if you read back through the old posts and get a little confused about sending PMs to VJ members for certain forms or needing to go to El Salvador embassy website for forms), note that the Packet 3 instructions are now posted on the US embassy in Colombia website!

I think maviwaro would like to attend the interview in Bogota. Many of us going through Colombia have attended the interview. So taking time off to attend the interview would jeapordize his job and have both of them out of work when she moves to the US.

One detail you might need to consider, maviwaro, is that the NOA2 has a validity date of 4 months. Check the validity date on your NOA2; if I have read correctly, that is the date you need to send Packet 3 information to the embassy. Perhaps you can wait to send information back and see how late that moves your interview date out.

Kathy

Hi Corey,

The only documentation you need to fax/mail to the embassy prior to the interview are the DS230 Part 1, OF169, and a copy of your fiancee's passport page. We included a cover letter to specify what we were sending. We also included our BGT2007xxxxxx number on each page we faxed. I only faxed the documents and confirmed with the embassy that they had received our fax. Other people in this thread have both faxed and sent the originals via courier to the embassy. It is not required to do both, but it would give you peace of mind especially if you are close to that mid-month cutoff for the next month's interview. We missed the cutoff for March interview dates, but we had our interview on April 2. So missing the cutoff did not impact us too much.

Good luck!

Kathy

I feel like a new person today! And alert enough to give some details about our interview. We arrived early (about 6:15) but as you can see from my earlier post, it made no difference. We were the last people to be interviewed--just dumb luck, I suppose. You are given a folder to insert all the documentation. We could not determine where to put the DAS certificate (Migratorio) so Francisco was going to ask when he got to the first window. I went with him to the first window after we were called but was told that I was not needed. So I waited for him to go through the first check. All papers were in order and the DAS certificate was still not inserted into the folder. We then went to wait with all the other family based petitioners. From what I could see, about 75% of the people were approved. No interviews were taking too long at all, regardless of the outcome. We were finally called and Francisco was asked several questions:

How did we meet?

Why did I travel to Bogota? (to visit my brother and his girlfriend on the first trip--I met Francisco in Armenia when all of us travelled there for holiday)

Why is my brother living in Bogota?

Where do I live in the US?

What did he send me for my birthday this year?

When was he divorced?

Then she wanted to speak to me. She talked to me a few minutes about Francisco's answer and basically had me confirm them. She also asked me about the dates of my two other trips to Colombia after our petition was filed.

Then the big question (which we knew would come up): Did I know Francisco was still legally married when we met? (Yes, he had been separated for many years but had never had the divorce finalized. He only did that after we met.) I explained our circumstances (and that he had told me from the very beginning) and she was satisifed with my answer and approved the petition. No more questions for Francisco. No photos. No emails. Just told me that we can come back at 4 the next day to pick up the visa! And I do want to add, the CO was very polite and respectful to both of us. The interview was painless for us.

I think my advice to all those with interviews coming up is to recognize any potential issues the CO might have with your petition and be prepared to address them. I had documentation to support everything I was saying but they were only interested in my explanation. The COs are reviewing the papers before you are called so if you can review your petition through the eyes of a CO and think about what might cause them to give something in your petiton a second glance, that is probably where the questions will come from.

Anyway, that's it to the best of my recollection. Oh, and we left the embassy with the DAS certificate (Migratorio) still sealed. I have no response to that and am curious if anyone else has had the same experience.

Thanks again. We are absolutely thrilled today and are still pinching ourselves! He is planning to come at the end of April so I have a lot of work to do! I am still happy to help--it seems like several people have interviews coming up over the next few months.

Kathy

Hi all,

I have nothing helpful to provide, just a note to say that our visa was approved this morning! We were the LAST people to be called but that was the hardest part. After a much needed nap, I will provide more information about the interview. But this thread has been invaluable, truly I would not have been prepared at all. But here is the irony...after all our careful preparation of documentation, evidence, photos, we were not asked to show anything. I saw many other people show photos, etc. but we were not asked to. Go figure. It only shows that each case is evaluated very differently by the COs. However, we felt much more confident with our folder of stuff.

More info to come, but thanks everyone for the advice!

Kathy

Congratulations! I wish you both all the best...and I hope they are still in a good mood next week!

Francisco and I have stayed at this hotel last September. It is not close to the embassy but as Mike mentioned the time you need to go to the embassy will be very early in the morning--probably a 20-minute cab ride to the embassy. The staff was very polite--the room was nice, with a small kitchen, dining table, and sitting room. It is located in a nice neighborhood. Not sure how long you intend to stay but there are many restaurants, cafes, etc. very near to the hotel so probably more enjoyable to stay in this neighborhood rather than closer to the embassy. My brother and his girlfriend live just a few blocks from the hotel, so I'm familiar with the area. I would definitely stay in this hotel again, but not needed for our interview as we are staying at my brother's apartment.

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