Mark and Carol

Jared, Good luck with the interview... Your's really moved Fasttttt

Mark ,I posted a question for you in CC2 forum..

Drew,

When Maria calls one of the doctors in Bogota, they will ask her for her interview date. They will then schedule the exam for 2-3 days prior to the interview. Since your interview is on a Wed., they will probably schedule the exam on Mon. According to Diana, you can pay for the visa now.

Glad to hear that she got her passport. I think it says in the P3 or P4 instructions that you can still go to the exam without the appointment letter.

Drew,

She can pay for her visa and make her medical appointments now that you're sure you have a visa interview. Like you said, don't hold your breath for packet 4 to arrive since Colombia's mail system is so unreliable. Just make sure she has her BGT number with her so they can find her that way. She can pay at any branch of Banco Helm.

There are only two doctors who can do the medical exam and they're both in Bogotá, you can find their info in the interview package link. She needs to make an appointment with them ASAP because they get booked pretty quickly. What most people from out of town do is make the medical appointment 2-3 days before the interview, get their lab tests in the morning so the lab has time to send them to the doctor's office and then get their medical that same afternoon. If she lives in Bogotá, she can get this done any time, just make sure she gets her lab tests done before her medical.

Diana

So once we have an interview date, Carol can go to a Banco Helm branch in Cali and pay for the visa?

You know it brother.. No sleep Sunday night, hahaha!!!

Finishing up the final touches on things this evening, sending money, confirming hotel, and saying a few prayers..

Jared,

Will Milagros be returning with you in May? I would love for Carol to return with me, but I'm going to the interview so she will have to come to the states alone. Our thoughts will be with you and Milagros on Monday...GOOD LUCK!!!

There is hope!! I received notification today that the noa2 was approved yesterday (with no touches in four whole months)!

So happy to be moving forward

Good luck!

Congrats! Happy you are moving on to the next step.

Exactly. Check the appointment package found in the US Embassy in Bogota web site and follow their instructions as written. The only thing they've changed is the visa fee which shows to be $350 (possible future amount) but as of today, the fee is still $131.

Diana

Diana,

Do I need an interview date before I pay the visa fee?...I'm sure this is a stupid question. Do you have to pay the fee in Bogota or can you pay at any Banco Helm?

Thanks Diana.

Mark

Hey Mark,

Que pasa? I am still hangin' in there! Valeria is still planning on coming the end of June. Her son is in school in Colombia until like June 18th or so. Her visa is good until July 13th, so that is the drop-dead arrival date. I am actually going to visit her April 25th for a week. Man, it has been a long wait...

Hope all is good with you!

Joe

Joe,

Good to hear from you! Glad to know that everything is good with you. I'm still waiting for Carol to send me info so I can complete the DS-230.

I hope to fax her paperwork in this week...fingers crossed! You know how slow these mujeres colombianas can be.

Diana,

Thank you so much...Now I know why you are referred to as the Queen of Colombia Club II

Drew,

Diana is correct as always, but try this link to the DS-156 form: https://evisaforms.state.gov/ds156.asp I found this info about DS-160 on the DOS website: The implementation of the DS-160 will be phased-in during this year, 2010. Not all U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad will be required to use the form at the same time. If it's not in your Packet 4, then I wouldn't worry about it. They will probably implement the change to DS-160 at a later date.

Do you have to have touches before the NOA2? We have none. Got NOA1 on 1/25/2009.

You mentioned contacting your senator. How did you go about that, and do you think it helped? Do you think it's too soon for us to do that?

You do not have to receive touches before you are approved. My last touch before receiving my NOA2 was 12/09/09. It took me 101 days to receive my NOA2, so try to be patient...yours will be coming soon.

Hi,

Thanks for the information , and good luck next week!

Ur welcome and thanks. I need lots of luck getting Carol to go to the DAS office and the internet cafe to provide me with more info. Colombianas do not get in a hurry about anything. I wish that I was more like her, but us Americanos are very impatient.

Good luck with your journey!

Thanks Carol and Mark, those links were perfect. Cary is meeting with our helpers this week in Cebu probably to complete the forms. I have a laundry list of copying to do. Thanks again for the information.

Cary and Jim

Jim,

Ur welcome...any time that I can help me mates.

Good luck with your journey to the Isles of Embassies!

Good for you boss.. Booked Milagros's tickets this morning... Sunday night is going to be a long one for me.. :dance: :dance:

Jared,

Good luck with Milagros's interview...I hope we hear good news from you on Monday, the 12th.

Interview scheduled!!! April 19th!

Congrats Captain!! That was really fast!

Good luck with the interview.

Some reasons are: previous marriage by the Colombian person, maybe a tourist visa revoked, many trips outside Colombia- things like that can set off a red flag! Most people don't get AP, but it can be a short wait or in my case, it was 8 1/2 months, which sucked big time!

Joe

Joe,

I haven't heard from you in a while...how is everything? Is Valeria still coming in June? Won't be long now...I bet you are very excited for her to come (no-brainer).

Good luck,

Mark

With interview date in hand you can just go down and pay your $131 now, can you not? I can see them saying no, go back and pay another $219 on day of interview....... I wouldn't wait the 5 weeks...

Good question...I wasn't aware that you could pay that far in advance. Don't you have to pay in Bogota and need to take the completed DS-156 form to the bank? Carol lives in Cali, which is a 10 hr. bus ride to Bogota.

Hi,

Thanks Panamjack. She did not put a date on the forms because we thought it would be better to wait unti the day she faxes it. We should wait until they have received the physical package to fax or is the electronically okay? I read somewhere the embassy won't take action until they recieve the physical package.

In about a week call DOS @202-663-1225 x1, x0 to talk to a live person. They can tell you when the embassy received your petition and whether they have mailed the Packet 3. Then you can fax, mail, or email the forms. If you email, then the signed and dated forms will have to be scanned into your computer and then emailed...easier to fax.

What was the visa fee when you paid it?

Uncle Sam is currently in conference trying to decide whether or not to increase the fee. Until they make a decision, the fee remains $131. I hope they take their time deciding!

Captain,

Is it sent via mail or Email?

Cary and Jim

Try this link to the US Embassy in Manila: http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwhniv1.html#Step1

They don't require a Packet 3, just a Packet 4 with DS-156 & DS-157. You must fill out online and print.

Try this link also: http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=Philippines&cty=Manila

Good luck.

I thought the same Ken but I founded it in Spanish, just one thing, the form is a previus edition (2007)

and the ds-156 form in spanish here ds-156 & ds-156K

Thanks for the link. On the DOS website, the instructions for the DS-156 state: Enter the information requested into the appropriate spaces on the form. Please answer all questions. Your answers must be in English and must use English characters. Letters like ñ, é, ü, ç are not recognized by the system.

I guess you can use the spanish form, but your answers must be in english. Who knows...this is all very confusing.

My wife told me the DS-156K is only available in English.

I just read this in another thread here on VJ:

"DS - 160 replaces three previous forms, (DS‐156, DS‐157 and DS‐158) and eliminated the need to determine whether supplemental forms are required."

I'm wondering when the DS-160 will be included in the Packet 4 instructions.

Ken,

I believe the instructions in Packet 4 states that the forms have to be entered in english. I also found this on the DOS website:The U.S. Embassy and Consulates listed below require nonimmigrant visa applicants (excluding K-1/2 fiancee and E-1/2 Treaty Trader visa classes) to use the new Online DS-160. The implementation of the DS-160 will be phased-in during this year, 2010. Not all U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad will be required to use the form at the same time.

So I'm not sure when the embassy in Bogota will start accepting it. According to the above mentioned, K-1/2 fiancee visas are excluded.

Hi, and thanks for the response. In the Colombia Consulate information section , I was able to get packet 3 from the link. But the packet 4 link is only bringing me to the embassy website. Thanks for your help. Have you faxed/emailed DS-2100 and DS-230 to get an interview?

I am really watching closely to your case and Panamajack.

You can find the DS-156 & DS-156K forms at the following DOS webpage: http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/forms/forms_1342.html

I have not faxed the forms yet because I need more info from Carol before I can complete the DS-230. Once completed, I'll email it to Carol . I provided Carol with the embassy webpage so she can fill out the DS-2100. I hope to fax the forms next week...fingers crossed. As you have noticed, everything moves very fast after receiving the NOA2, so start preparing the paperwork and evidence now.

the DS-156 is available in both languages, the DS-156k I have never seen it in Spanish, is not so complicated to fill it in English, here in VJ you can find an example

Where did you find the DS-156 in spanish?

Thanks,

Mark

I emailed the Kingston Embassey in Jamaica the same question and they told me that would be fine. My fiance doesn't have access to a computer, so that was our problem.

The DS-156 will have to be completed online in order to assign a bar code to the form. Access this link in the Embassy Info section for more info http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=Jamaica&cty=Kingstone You can also access the embassy website from this page.

Hi,

I have a few questions, when do we we fill out the DS-156 online? Or just fill out the forms needed for the interview in any order? My fiance does not speak english and I have only seen the online application in english. Has anyone seen it in spanish? I read that the DS-156, DS-156K does not suppose to be signed until the interview because the consular officer needs to witness it. Can I fill out the forms in english for her and she just signs them it in the embassy?

The DS-156 and DS-156K forms are part of the Packet 4. Packet 4 is mailed out after you schedule the interview with forms DS-2100 and DS-230. You can go online and fill out these forms whenever you want. I have not found these forms in spanish and yes, you can fill out the forms in english as the Consulate Officers are bi-lingual.

Hi Everyone,

Congratulations, as always, to everyone on the progress they are making. It is good so many people post their achievement information it is helpful in planning what to do next. We December filers seem to be more chatty than our CSC counterparts. I hope I have an easy question. I received in my hand the NOA 2 on March 25th, I was lucky enough to get through to the NVC yesterday. The informaion I received is they received my file on March 31st and it takes about two weeks to get to the Manila Embassy and she didn't know the processing time in Manila, she also gave me a MNL number. Do I do anything with that number or it a tracking number for the embassy? Is there a way to track progress using that number? Thanks in advance for the help.

Cary and Jim

About a week after you find out that the NVC has mailed your petition to the embassy in Manila, call DOS @202-663-1225 x1, x0 to talk to a live person. They can tell you when the embassy received your petition and whether they have mailed the Packet 3. They will ask for your case #, the beneficiary's name, and your name.

Good for you!! Your timing is impeccable...good news on both of your birthdays.

Drew,

I found this info in the Bogota Embassy section http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=Colombia&cty=Bogota

Visas are now being shipped to beneficiary via Domesa (a courier). Visas may NOT be picked up at the embassy. Beneficiary can stipulate delivery address and MAY be able to pick up the visa at the Domesa's office. Example reasons for picking up the visa at Domesa include that you are staying at a hotel. Your best, safest, fastest and cheapest option is to pick up your passport at the delivery service's office in Bogota.

Hope this helps.

I am making a to do list of documents that Carol and I will need for the interview. Read over the above link to see if you have forgotten anything.

In all the planning and rush to gather evidence and documents, you might forget something so it's best to review in the instructions again.