AriSmith

go to chicagomeetshavana..like her page & she will send you a step by step guide on what she did from beginning to end..her fiance just got approved..

We FINALLY scheduled our K-1 visa interview at the embassy in Bogota. You have to create an account and get your DS-160 first. https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-co/niv
 
Then after you do that, create an account on that website and schedule your interview. If it doesn't let you schedule it, email them at: asa_contactus+co+ivcasenumber@visaops.net 
And include the following in your email:
1. Subject: Case number is not ready to be programmed. 
Full name of the applicant:  Applicant's date of birth:  Scanned copy of the appointment notification letter you received from the National Visa Center (NVC) or the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) or letter of instructions you received from the Consular Section.  I included my NVC approval and attached it to the email as proof. 
 
Buena suerte!
Follow our visa journey!
https://www.facebook.com/chicagomeetshavana/
 
 

We just finished most of the process in June and July in Santo Domingo, so hopefully this helps you.  I know how frustrating it was, because there was not much up-to-date information about the process there.
1.  We filed DS160 online after receiving NOA2, prior to having NVC number.  You will be asked for the USCIS application number when you complete DS160.  It does not ask for NVC number.
2.  You will register for an account at http://www.ustraveldocs.com/do/ to schedule both your VAC appointment and the interview appointment at the same moment.  You must pay the fee prior to scheduling.  We were able to pay on this website with a credit card, so it was not necessary to go pay cash at Banco Popular.  It is recommended to schedule them at least 3 weeks apart to leave time for medical results (we picked up results in sealed envelope about 8 days after the medical was conducted)
3.  See #2
4.  I don't think there's any such thing as "Packet 4" anymore, or at least, not in the D.R.  We never received any such thing.  The NVC told me they send the file to Santo Domingo embassy electronically.  Sure enough, I received an email from the embassy the following day, telling me to proceed with scheduling appointment (which I had already done 3 or 4 days prior).  You need to take this printed email from the embassy with you for the medical exam!  I don't think that is in any of the instructions, and my fiance had a problem because he did not have it with him.
5.  Nope!
6.  It is not required for petitioner to attend interview, but I wanted to be there with my fiance.  Although not required, I think it helps to add legitimacy to the case, and maybe less likely that they have suspicion.  If you have very strong documentation of your relationship, it is probably less important.  If you don't have much proof/documentation (photos, receipts, airline boarding passes from previous visits) then maybe it is better for your fiance to attend the interview.  Also, it's a very stressful and intimidating day, and a very beautiful moment to share together when you are approved!
7.  My fiance's police certificate that we used is a "Certificado de no antecedentes penales" which he was able to obtain online electronically.  
 
Marc

Hi all,
 
First @AriSmith I almost cried when I just read your post and I don't even know you, but I've been following your story.  I am so sorry.  That is unbelievably frustrating.  
 
I'm super new to this and the probably the last one in line in this group.  Just mailed our I129F last week.  I really appreciate that there is a website like VJ and subgroups like this one for people going on this stressful journey with the added complications of poor diplomatic relations.  So, hello!  And great job organizing yourselves.  The information here is so helpful. And count me in for any future groups or spreadsheets. 
 
Best everyone, and happy holidays.  I am traveling to Cuba after xmas for a few weeks

Update. The U.S. Embassy in Bogota CANCELED our K1 visa interview 10 DAYS before we were scheduled to attend. We had this interview booked for a month! I want to cry but I have too much fight in me to sit down and cry. 
 
So upset. 
 
I emailed the consular section IVBOGOTA@ state.gov to ask why our appointment got cancelled for no reason. I'm waiting for their reply. This is really saddening. 

Yeah everytime I called the NVC, I got a different person who told me different . I swear. They don't even know what to do. So frustrating. 
Try just following the process on the link I gave you above. Also, I'm working on a document that outlines the exact steps, from scheduling your visa interview, to getting your Columbian visa to travel, and what's needed to interview in Bogota. 
 
Instead of calling the NVC, just email them and ask for a case update. It does NOT take a month to transfer a case from embassy to embassy. It's all electronic. People are lying! LOL. 

Yaoooo good news mi gente! We scheduled our K1- visa interview in BOGOTA. yUP. SURE Did. 
 
So we emailed the NVC for a case update, "what is the status of my case" https://secureforms.travel.state.gov/ask-nvc.php 
And they emailed us back with the same info on the NOA2 BUT changed it from Havana to Bogota. 
 
So then I emailed the bogota embassy with this new updated email showing us that we're approved to interview in bogota.
 
If you want more instructions on how we did this, here's the link to our FB page where we posted the deets: 
 
 
 
 

Thank you
 
My husband is going back to Cuba tomorrow (we are island hopping through all of the visa free countries in the mean time so we can just be together), and I want him to grab all of the documents if possible.

We FINALLY scheduled our K-1 visa interview at the embassy in Bogota. You have to create an account and get your DS-160 first. https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-co/niv
 
Then after you do that, create an account on that website and schedule your interview. If it doesn't let you schedule it, email them at: asa_contactus+co+ivcasenumber@visaops.net 
And include the following in your email:
1. Subject: Case number is not ready to be programmed. 
Full name of the applicant:  Applicant's date of birth:  Scanned copy of the appointment notification letter you received from the National Visa Center (NVC) or the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) or letter of instructions you received from the Consular Section.  I included my NVC approval and attached it to the email as proof. 
 
Buena suerte!
Follow our visa journey!
https://www.facebook.com/chicagomeetshavana/
 
 

Does anyone know which is faster in Bogotá: 1) Have the passport delievered to your home or 2) Have the passport delivered to a DHL center for pickup?
THANK YOU!