CarolinaVenezuela

Buenas noches estimados aplicantes a la Visa K1 en Bogotá, Colombia.

Primero que nada les cuento un poco sobre mí. Axel y yo aplicamos para la Visa K1 en Septiembre 2019. Nuestra I-129F fue aprobada en Enero 2020. Y nuestra entrevista, que era en Abril 2020 fue cancelada debido al coronavirus. Desde entonces, no hemos recibido noticias de la embajada. Hasta hace unos pocos dias que recibi un correo de la embajada solicitando una lista de documentos escaneados que corresponde a aquellos que se deben llevar para la entrevista.

La cuestión es que tengo dudas sobre como responder correctamente a este correo. Ya que en sus instrucciones indican:

"Si tiene todos los documentos, responda a este correo electrónico indicando en el asunto del correo su número de caso y la frase "documentos escaneados". En este correo debe enviar todos los documentos escaneados, por ambos lados en formato PDF (por favor envíe un solo archivo con todos los documentos escaneados, no se aceptarán los documentos enviados de forma individual en diferentes correos)."

Entonces:

1. ¿Debo responder en UN solo correo pero puedo adjuntar TODOS los documentos escaneados en archivos individuales? o...

2. ¿Debo convertir TODOS mis documentos a UN solo archivo PDF y enviarlo en UN solo correo?

Gracias de antemano por su tiempo. Y dejenme saber si alguien mas recibió este correo. Y que significa? Estarán pensando en reanudar las entrevistas pronto?

Saludos!

On 2/7/2020 at 3:25 AM, Eric&Mirella said:

Hotel regency suites in quinta paredes. It was an average of $40/night. The rooms are studio apartments,so you can cook,wash clothes, store food in a full size fridge. You also get daily housekeeping,free breakfast and 24hr front desk help. 
 

full address: Carrera 43 numero 22 A -30, Teusaquillo, Bogotá. 
 

I paid for my hotel since my fiancé paid for the tickets. It was around $700. Maybe a bit more. The embassy is on a walking distance. But I paid a taxi the day of the interview and was only 5,000 pesos(very cheap) less than $2. In my case, me and my husband shared all the expenses of all our trips plus the visa process costs.  Because I honestly preferred  it that way.  I always advise that if it gets too expensive it’s ok to let the other person know that contributing to the process is all right. 
 

Costs can add up! So even $1000 can make a difference. 

Hello again Mirella! Finally got my interview appointment for April 22 (I booked it this morning) after waiting 1 moth to get the "Package of instructions" but I haven't received any. I know from this website which is the documentation required from 2017.

I would like to know from your experience if you got the "Package of instructions" and if you have it, could you send it to my email? martinezmontilva1996@gmail.com

And, is that package a "must" and "mandatory" document to show the day of the interview?

Thanks in advance!

8 minutes ago, Allalex said:

Your DS-160 is good for 30 days . So get it done. Pay for Visa fee and you can see what is available for interview 

30 days to the interview? I want my interview to be at the end of April. But I want to schedule now. Is it possible?

Hello. My case shows as "Ready" at the NVC web site. It changed last night Feb 5th. Can I start filling out DS-160? When is it the right moment to schedule a visa interview date?

On 1/29/2020 at 5:29 PM, Eric&Mirella said:

I flew from Bogota to  L.A, tickets are incredibly cheap. I stayed from  March 14th to April 2nd. I did the lab tests the 15th, my medical was the 20th.  I got my biometrics appointment the 26th and my interview the 27th. My visa was issued on the 29th but wasn’t ready for pick up until April 1st very late in the afternoon around 4:30-5:00pm.I left the very next day. 
 

*For the lab tests you should be there around 6:30, they start working really early and also take cash around 450.000 pesos (if it hasn’t changed)  To pay for the test,they don’t take cards or cheques.  I went early and was out around 8:20 am. Fast for at least 8-12 hrs( I know it’s hard) it’s required. 

* You can pay for the medical with cards or cash. 

* I totally recommend using Uber/lyft/cabify instead of taxis. 

* I was advised by the staff in the hotel to show up early at the embassy , and it worked pretty well. I was the 3rd person to be interviewed.  My appointment was at 7:30 but showed up at 6:45. And got in around 7 o’clock.  

* Organize your documents according to the instructions package, they will review them at a checkpoint before entering the embassy. 

 

If I can recall any other details I’ll let you know. 
 

 

That's invaluable information. Thank you so much Mirella!

I would appreciate if you can help me with one more question... I'm struggling with the Bogota trip, it would be easier to have done in Caracas, but... Where did you receive you K1 Visa after it was approved? At your hotel? Because I know that on the DS-160 form you need to provide your mailing address (I guess it's because they will send your visa there), but what happens if I will be in Bogota and I want to have my visa in hand in Bogota?, but I don't have an address to receive the visa, only a hotel location in Bogota... I don't want them to send the visa to Caracas.

Thanks in advance!

22 minutes ago, Eric&Mirella said:

No, it’s not necessary at all. Mine weren’t. Make sure to take your fiancé’s original birth certificate. If you have them then that’s fine, but as of last year it wasn’t necessary. They will send you a package with instructions and a checklist.  You’ll have to make 2 appointments one for biometrics and another one for the interview itself. Arrive early, there’s a lot of people going there and no designated waiting area. You have to wait outside the embassy across the street. I recommend DR. Dennis for the medical. You also have to make a separate appointment for the lab test. 

Thank you for your advice Mirella!👏

I'll try to get them legalized just in case. 

I have another question for you, that you were on that point already, how many days do you recommend to stay in Bogota to complete the process? From medical exam to visa in hand... We are thinking about flying to the US from Bogota if everything goes well.

Hello!

Currently my case is in the NVC, and it will soon be sent to the United States Embassy in Bogota. I am Venezuelan, but as some know, the embassy in Caracas has suspended its activities until further notice and the cases are being treated in Bogota.

Now, regarding the documents I need to carry for the interview: My birth certificate and criminal records, is it necessary that these be legalized and apostilled to be valid for the interview?

Thanks in advance.

@Greenbaum Thank you so much! That is a big help!! 🎈🎉

12 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

Hello CV. Did I miss sending you the P3 letter for Columbia or was that someone eles?

I guess it was someone else, I don't have any information about a package 3. I would like to know more about it so I can get ready with the documrntation needed. Thank you!!💕

Hello group! Congratulations on your NOA2!

I have a question... What exactly is a package 3 or 4? Is that an e-mail you should get with instructions from the embassy or is it the documentation needed for the interview?

I am Venezuelan🇻🇪, but less than a year ago the American embassy closed because of political issues. Now, all Venezuelan cases are going to be treated in Bogota, Colombia🇨🇴. So I'm not sure which instructions I should follow... This an stressful situation for Venezuelans do to all the traveling and logistics, but we will survive hopefully!!💕

Omg. Happy to see those approvals! Hopefully I'll see more soon including mine, I'm driving crazy! 110 days of waiting🙏🏻💕

14 hours ago, Merbibbyxox said:

Noa1 23rd sept  

awaiting noa2 hopefully soon

10 hours ago, Lissweetaspie said:

Noa1 sept 25... I’m with you lol

Mine is Sep 20th! Hopefully next week will be our week! 🎉🤞

7 hours ago, Trese said:

Guys, we're finally approved! 💖

 

NOA1: 09/04

NOA2: 12/20

 

107 days waiting, all in all.

 

Thank you so much @Brazasian! She was the one who told me we got approved!

Hey! Congratulations!❤️🏅👏🏻

But I have a question, how do you guys notice / know that you were approved? Do you receive a notification or do you need to check your case status online time to time to finally know if you were approved? 

My NOA1 is on September 20th, so I guess I need to wait like 2 weeks more if we are lucky.

Greetings! And congratulations again!!

21 hours ago, Eric&Mirella said:

You cannot interview for a K1 at any embassy. You can do it for other types of non immigrant visas though. 
the reason is because you have to provide either citizenship or legal residency in the third country.  I’m telling you this because I was part of the first group of people who  were interviewed in Bogotá this year. My appointment was cancelled in Caracas and the instructions were clear. All cases will be transferred to Bogotá  with the exception of Venezuelans living abroad and who could prove legal residency in the other country. 

Well my fiance and me were going to apply in Rome at first. He works at the US embassy, we asked them personally about it and they say it was ok. It is up to embassy if they accept your case, as you can read in the I-129F instructions. I don't live in Italy, he does. At the end we decided to apply in Bogota because we were not sure about the time the K1 visa will be done and he having orders to move to US again soon. There's also cases of Venezuelans applying in Dominican Republic, and Panama. 

I traveled with my "prorroga" to US and Italy and nothing happened, my entrance was ok. I think you should ask for it, because it is way more difficult to ask for a new passport. And very risky to think about the 5 years extension with no stamp. My "sticker"has security a hologram on it. Hundreds of people are living Venezuela everyday at the end of the day, and many of them use the prorroga.

15 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

Also note the US Dept of State is accepting the 5-year announced extension on Venezuelan passports.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Venezuela.html

 

Effective, June 7, 2019, Venezuelan passport validity was extended an additional five years  past the date of expiration printed in the passport. Venezuelan passport holders who have already received an extension or “prórogga” will have the validity period extended by five years from the end date of the extension. NVC will accept all Venezuelan passports, valid or expired, so long as it is still considered valid after adding five years to the printed expiration date.

 

 

This is true! Excellent explanation 

14 hours ago, Eric&Mirella said:

We filled out ours without the N/A thing and we didn't receive an RFE.  All you can do is wait, on the bright side petitions are being approved faster now in comparison to last year. 

That's a relief. We answered all the questions that concerns to us. But left the rest in blank. Thank you❤

2 minutes ago, Ryan G said:

Hello Carolina,

 

Until you receive anything all you can do is wait. If you do receive an RFE read it carefully and complete the request back to USCIS. People are able to move forward after completing an RFE but your delay does not necessarily mean you will receive an RFE.

Yes, I think I am over thinking about it. I'll wait for the notices whatever it is. Thank you! ❤

Hello community! Me and my fiance are applying for a K1 visa, received our NOA 1 in Sep 20th 2019. The problem is that I'm a little bit worried about getting an RFE because I have read that it's common in RFE. Should I get prepared to receive an RFE? If I get it, should I resend a new I-129F package or only the mistakes marked in the RFE? Thank you for reading.

1 minute ago, feito/feita said:

Thank you for your post. When did you ally and receive it in 3 months. She recently got one for her daughter that was delayed 13 months

I asked for it in February 2019 and got it in May 2019. Mine had a lot of pages in blank, and it was going to expire in July 2019, so what they did is that they stamped my passport to make it legally for 2 years more, and they didn't gave me a new passport because mine had enough blank space. I traveled with it and there wasnt any problems. The problem in Venezuela about passports is that they are missing the material to do them and the process is not efficient, you do your papers to ask for it, and then you relax and wait. So better so start soon.

25 minutes ago, feito/feita said:

Hello, hope i am clear with my question.

I am in a relationship with a venezuelan woman. I am wondering about the possibilites of a k1 visa for her, or even how to hope for one since we no longer have people in the embassy there? In addition, because travel from US to there is banned I cant go there to see her now. Worse, her passport is about to expire (04/20) so she cant travel to another country for a meeting. The delay for her to get another is over a year, IF THEY WOULD EVEN GIVE HER ONE. (she said the goverment is not wanting to give them out because too many people are leaving the country.)  Anyone here have any recent experience or direct knowledge of this situation and advice?

Hello. I'm Venezuelan and I understand everything that is happening to you both. I recommend work in getting her passport ready to be able to travel as soon as possible. I renewed my passport in about 3 month, I know it's a lot of paper work, but it will be better if you start now. After that, meet in another country different from Venezuela, my fiance and me met in Italy, he proposed me there, we took awesome pictures and made our I-129F "Petition for an Alien Fiance(e)". Don't worry about the Venezuelan embassy being closed, you can apply in any embassy around the world, but most commonly Venezuelan cases are taking place in Bogota, Colombia (where me and my fiancee are applying). Good luck! You both can do it! Start as soon as possible to be with your fiancee as soon as possible. ❤

3 hours ago, Brazasian said:

That’s a very nice way to look at the RFE.

 

Thanks @Greenbaum! I’m ready for getting a RFE for not putting NA on all blank fields, but I know that if it happens, it’s a quick fix!

I feel the same. We didn't put NA. 😓 

Hello! We got our NOA1 in September 20, but I would like to be updated with the news of October filers also. Good luck! 

 I updated my profile Thank you for your recommendation. It's going to be a long waiting, but it will be worth it, I wish you luck to everyone. 

I'm the beneficiary from Venezuela but our interview will be in Colombia, because the American Embassy in Venezuela is closed due to the political situation. I hope to meet him on the day of the interview in Colombia. Let's see. I can't wait ❤️❤️❤️❤️