Bill y Bella

Congrats on all the recent approvals!!! This club has sure grown!! Glad to see the turnout. To the few that remember, and to everyone else too....Wendy's AOS interview is on Wednesday. Send us some good vibes please.

Good luck with the interview. I am sure Wendy will do great!

I am on my way to Peru to see Oscar for the first time since June...........I still have heard nothing from VSC on the RFE.......been since Jan 7th since they recieved it........I hope by the time I get back next Tuesday we will know something.....It will be 230 days or 8 months on the 30th.......I am so very tired of being ignored by them but they hold all the card.....Oh well at least I will be able to look into Oscar's eyes and tell him how much I love him and how sorry I am that my government is so inept.......see ya guys

Have a nice trip Lora!

I thought for sure we would hear about our interview appointment by today. It has been 3 1/2 weeks since we faxed in our response to package 3. So I waited on hold with DOS for 1 1/2 hours this morning until it finally dawned on me that they are not open today. It would have been nice if they told me that instead of telling me that my expected wait time was 15 minutes and please continue holding.

I appreciate your reply. How is Yenifer adjusting to her new surroundings?

Cameron

Yenifer is doing fantastic....we are very happy!!!...in fact, our civil marriage is on Wednesday and then off to Vegas for 4 days...can't wait!!!

When we get back home we will start the AOS paperwork and begin planning our formal wedding in Medellin for August

Thanks for asking

Wow. Congruatulations!

The visa process is so long that sometimes I forget the goal of this whole ordeal is to get married.

DS-230? When sending this form in with packet 3, is it signed or not signed. The instructions say signed and the OS-169 says unsigned! Appreciate your reply.

Cameron,

The DS-156 and the OF-169 will need to be SIGNED...go back to page 188 to see the steps for the shortcut if you are not sure.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=1329162

Yeah but he asked about the DS-230.

DS-230? When sending this form in with packet 3, is it signed or not signed. The instructions say signed and the OS-169 says unsigned! Appreciate your reply.

We signed Part 1 of the DS-230 when we faxed our package 3 response on Dec 27. DOS says we are eligible for an interview appointment but so far no appointment. Given that we are eligible for an appointment, I assume the signed DS-230 was acceptable, but until we have an interview date I won't swear to it.

What did other people do?

Congratulations to Steve & Sandy and M&J!

they schedule interviews at 6.30am?

is that normal? which other embassies start so early?

Bogota, Colombia starts at 7:00 AM and everyone has their appointment at the same time. People start lining up at 5:30 AM.

If you want to call the embassy to discuss your petition you can do so during a 2 hour window Wednesday afternoon. If you can't get through during those 2 hours you have to wait until the following week to ty again.

Obviously they try to make things as convenient as possible for petitioners and beneficiaries.

Here is the written testimony presented by USCIS director Gonzalez to the House Judiciary Committee. It is dated today.

We still don't have our interview appointment. DOS computers are down and trying to call the embassy during the measly 2 hours that they make themselves available each week was useless. Out of 20 or more tries the farthest I got was being transfered to a phone that rang unanswered for at least 5 minutes until I finally gave up. The rest of the time the line just rang busy.

Congratulations Bundy. That is great news.

Was Paola able to determine why the 5 women before her were denied?

I got it! The stupid machine wasn't working. In two different call I got two different messages!

I had to download the form and fax it because the automated system was not working. It sounds like you solved the problem but if you need the form you can download it here. Click on IRS Form 4506T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return) to get the form from the website.

Congratulations to everyone who had their visa approved today. That is great news.

We are still waiting for our interview appointment. The embassy has had our package 3 response since Dec 28. I am beginning to worry a little bit.

Hi Bill and Bella,

I remember that the embassy hold our appointment for about the same time you guys had been waiting too, they took them around 3 weeks to set up the appointment, they received our package from NVC Nov. 26 or 27, just after Thanksgiving, and not until around the 16 or 18 of December that I called the DOS we were able to find out about the appointment, it's hard for me to tell you not to worry, I'd been in your shoes, I would worry if passing the 20th you wouldn't hear anything. in the main time, fax package 3, it'll save you a couple of weeks, my husband faxed twice, one at the beginning when we estimated the arrival and 2 days after we found out the exact date.

Good luck...... Ana

We sent Part 1 of the DS-230 (signed), the OF-169, ID page of Bella's passport and a cover letter. All were in English. Did I miss something?

Hey Bill,

You didn't miss anything that I can see...did you try calling the embassy to see if they have in fact received your fax? If not refax...in fact refax anyway!!!

After 18 days DOS now reports that as of today the embassy says that our package 3 response documentation is complete. But no interview appointment yet. Hopefully we will still make the cutoff for a February interview.

... is DOS the # that u can call till midnite?

I'm not sure. I never called the DOS number.

DOS takes calls Mon through Fri from 8:30 to 5:00 US east coast time. Wait time normally varies between 3 and 10 minutes. If the wait gets longer they won't let you into the queue.

Congratulations to everyone who had their visa approved today. That is great news.

We are still waiting for our interview appointment. The embassy has had our package 3 response since Dec 28. I am beginning to worry a little bit.

So should I call the embassy or email them (I doubt they will answer) and ask if they got my case by giving them the case number NVC had given me on the letter???

THANKS TRINNER!!!!! :D

Why not try both?

U r right!!!!!! :D I'll do it tomorrow

Mirla and everyone else who wonders about the status of your package after it leaves NVC:

Call DOS @ (202) 663-1225. option 1 then option 0. They can tell you if the embassy has received it, when the embassy sent package 3 (if applicable), when the embassy receives your package 3 response (if applicable) and the date of your interview. If you do not have your new case number they can provide it based upon your USCIS EAC #.

They may be able to also tell you if your package has arrived at NVC, but I am not positive about that part.

One thing to keep in mind is that DOS has no music while they have you on hold so you will wonder if you have been disconnected. Do not hang up, they will eventually pick up the call.

Speaking of poor cats, Aly, my poor Jasper became suddenly ill. I took him to get checked out Thursday and again Saturday and there was nothing that could be done for him. Needed some massive surgery and chance of susrvival was only 20%. So, I had to have him put to sleep. I am absolutely gutted. Even though I'd only had him just 2 weeks I loved that little guy so much. I'm really depressed.

I am sorry to hear this news. I know it can be tough to lose a pet.

We are still waiting for an interview appointment. Our package 3 response was received by the embassy on Dec 28. Did anyone who sent in their response at about the same time or later receive an appointment yet?

Thanks!

I sent my pack 3 in dec 27th. I have my appointment in feb 4. My fiance called to DOS. But I have not got my pack 4.

Hmmmm. That is the same day I sent our response. How long have you known about the appointment? Ours is still not scheduled. I call DOS once or twice each day.

Ups! that is weird, my fiance called to DOS in jan 8, That day we knew about our appoiment day. After 12 days.

Thanks for the information. Hopefully there is no problem and we will have our appointment soon.

It looks like you might have waited to receive package 3 from the embassy before you requested the interview. I sent in our request as soon as I knew our packge had been received by the embassy. I hope they did not change the package and we are missing a document.

We sent Part 1 of the DS-230 (signed), the OF-169, ID page of Bella's passport and a cover letter. All were in English. Did I miss something?

I'M FINALLY F*CKIN APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations! That is fabulous news!

We are still waiting for an interview appointment. Our package 3 response was received by the embassy on Dec 28. Did anyone who sent in their response at about the same time or later receive an appointment yet?

Thanks!

I sent my pack 3 in dec 27th. I have my appointment in feb 4. My fiance called to DOS. But I have not got my pack 4.

Hmmmm. That is the same day I sent our response. How long have you known about the appointment? Ours is still not scheduled. I call DOS once or twice each day.

We are still waiting for an interview appointment. Our package 3 response was received by the embassy on Dec 28. Did anyone who sent in their response at about the same time or later receive an appointment yet?

Thanks!

Bill and Bella,

I don't know what kind of resource you're using to check the appointment, the only way I know and for a fact is the fastest is for you to call everyday the NVC, they will know the same day the embassy assigns the appointment, after the 15 you can also check this link, it's hard to be patient when you see the day closer, just call everyday and when you least know it they'll give you the good news.

http://bogota.usembassy.gov/iv-appointments.html

Good luck........ Ana

Thanks Ana. I call DOS once a day. They are easier to talk to than NVC and they have access to everything the embassy enters into the system.

We are still waiting for an interview appointment. Our package 3 response was received by the embassy on Dec 28. Did anyone who sent in their response at about the same time or later receive an appointment yet?

Thanks!

I am APPROVED!!!

Congratulations!

Period Sent        NOA1's   Approved    Open   % Complete
    Jan             28         28         0       100
    Feb             41         41         0       100
    Mar             51         50         1        98
    Apr             46         44         2        96
    May             67         55        12        82
1st 1/2 Jun         48         38        10        79
2nd 1/2 Jun         25         23         2        92
1st 1/2 Jul         32         25         7        78
2nd 1/2 Jul         93         66        27        71
1st 1/2 Aug         14         10         4        71
2nd 1/2 Aug         24         14        10        58
1st 1/2 Sep         18          6        12        33
2nd 1/2 Sep         29         10        19        34
1st 1/2 Oct         37          2        35         5
2nd 1/2 Oct         27          0        27         0

As of December 11

Period Sent        NOA1's   Approved    Open   % Complete
    Jan             28         28         0       100
    Feb             41         41         0       100
    Mar             50         49         1        98
    Apr             46         42         4        91
    May             64         51        13        80
1st 1/2 June        47         35        12        74
2nd 1/2 June        23         19         4        83
1st 1/2 July        31         24         7        77
2nd 1/2 July        82         30        52        37
1st 1/2 August      14          0        14         0
2nd 1/2 August      17          1        16         6

In reading about the whole process and posts here, I've learned the importance of the baptism certificate. My fiancee was born in a rural area and a birth certificate was not registered until she turned 18 and needed one for her CEDULA. Her baptism, however, was recorded shortly after her birth. The problem is that on her baptism certificate, her second name (middle name) is different than on her birth certificate and passport. She was not happy with her second name when she was 18 and decided to change it.

What is the best way to approach this discrepancy? I assume I should list the full baptismal name on the I-129F and G-325A as other names used, but I imagine doing so will cause additional delays or an RFE. If I don't, we could be accused of providing incomplete information, which could be catastrophic. Either way, we will have to account for the difference in some official fashion. I will be in Colombia again next week to go over all the paperwork with her and get her original signatures on all the initial documents, so I'm trying to find a solution rather quickly just so the initial packet is in line with everything else that will happen over the next 6+ months.

Bella has a similar situation. Here is how we are dealing with it:

1. I listed the original name as an "other name used" on the I-129F & the G-325A. It did not cause an RFE or any delays. I think that it is imperative that the other name be disclosed from the beginning to avoid any claims that you provided false or incomplete information on your petition.
2. We have change of name documentation from a notary. Bella actually obtained this a long time ago when she decided to make a change in her name. It was not difficult to obtain. Basically she paid the fee and changed her name. We recently went back to the notary and obtained a "fresh" copy of the document because in Colombia documents without expiration dates can still be considered "too old". It is always best to obtain fresh copies of all documents including birth certificates.
3. The baptism certificate refers to the name change in the margin notes. Bella obtained this very recently. To obtain it she took the name change document from the notary to the place where her baptism certificate was issued and requested a new one. They would not change the name on the baptism certificate but they did add a reference to the name change in the margin notes.

I hope this helps.