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Colombia US Consulate Reviews
Average Rating: 3.9
/ 5
560 Review(s)
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| Bogota, Colombia |  Review #5384 on December 10, 2009: |
Kurt y Dora
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
We had our interview on December 9 and other than waiting a long time to reach step in the process that day, it couldn't have been easier. But thanks to all we had read here on VJ and the review posted by Mike and Fey, we were well prepared. We arrived at 6:00 AM and waited in the appropriate line (#3). The woman checking us in made certain we were in the correct line, gave us green stickers with #40 on them and then gave us an order form to pay Domesa (the company that delivers your completed visa if granted). After a few minutes they let us all into the Immigration area. We had to pass through a security hut and to leave behind our cell phones if they had cameras and pass through X-ray security scanning. Then those of us with K1/K3 visas we sent to area #40 where the process for the day was explained to us about 6:30 AM and we were given folders to organize our paperwork in. After arranging our paperwork, we lined up again and the woman made certain all was in order and then we were told to sit and wait for our name to be called. If anything, this was difficult because they would only call a persons name once and that was through loudspeakers with a very garbled voice.
The interview area is outside in a courtyard but under cover and it was very chilly in the morning. There are windows like secured bank teller windows marked 1 through 21 on one wall and 22-32 on the opposite wall of the courtyard. Windows 29-32 are for immigrant visas which is what K1 visas are considered. Along the third wall is a snack shop and bathrooms and the fourth wall is "blank" with a curved bench running the length of it. In the middle of the courtyard are (cold) metal chairs where everyone sits, a small snack counter serving coffee and tea and donuts and arepas and a small trailer which is the office for Domesa, the company that does the mailings of the visas.
At about 8:45 we were called to window #29 where we turned in Dora's paperwork: Forms D156 and D156K, photos, Passport, Copio del folio, judicial certificate, DAS Migratory certificate, Form-I134 and 1040 tax return and W2 certificates and employment letters and finally the Medical records. THEY DID NOT ASK FOR ANY PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP information! Dora signed the form D156 and D156K. Then woman asked Dora her address, if she intended to marry me and how many times I was married. Then she arranged the information in a folder that had much of the I-129 application information and we were told to go wait by Window #2. (Windows 1-6 are marked “For Immigrant Visas only”).
We then waited here until about 11:00 AM and a woman OUTSIDE of window #2 called Dora’s name and took her fingerprint and told her to wait again. At 11:30, we were called to Window #6 and the man there had the folder that was sent over from window #29. He asked Dora how we met (that information was in my Intent to Marry Letter) and then if we had 14 visits in 14 months and Dora corrected him and said 14 visits in 18 months and then he said “OK, your visa is granted”. And that was it! We hugged and kissed and then walked to the Domesa trailer, paid for the delivery of her passport (which will have the visa inside) and walked out of the interview area.
Total time from submission of the I-129 paperwork to the granting of the visa – 138 days.
| | | Bogota, Colombia | Review #5269 on November 19, 2009: |
COLOMBIA
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
| | | Bogota, Colombia | Review #5237 on November 16, 2009: |
MIKE AND FEY
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
TUVIMOS NUESTRA ENTREVISTA EL VIERNES 13 DE NOVIEMBRE. LLEGAMOS A LAS 6:10 A.M. HICIMOS LA FILA 3. NOS DIERON EL PAPEL DE DOMESA. ESPERAMOS COMO 10 MINUTOS Y ENTRAMOS. NOS DIERON LA ORDEN DE ENTRAR Y NOS TUVIMOS QUE QUITAR LAS CHAQUETAS, LAS CORREAS Y CELULARES PORQUE TENIAN CAMARA Y RADIO. PASAMOS POR EL ESCANER Y A "VESTIRSE" OTRA VEZ. AH OLVIDABA QUE NOS PUSIERON EL STICKER VERDE CON EL NUMERO 40 (LA ZONA DONDE DEBE UNO DIRIGIRSE PARA LA REVISON INICIAL DE DOCUMENTOS) DESPUES DE UNOS 5 MINUTOS FUIMOS A LA ZONA 40 Y NOS DIERON LA CARPETA CAFE. ORGANIZAMOS LOS DOCUMENTOS Y LOS ENTREGAMOS OTRA VEZ. ALLI ES CUANDO FIRMAS LAS FORMAS DS-156 Y LA PROMOTORA TE DICE QUE TE DIRIJAS FRENTE A LAS VENTANILLAS 20-32. EL ORDEN ES PASAPORTE, REGISTRO CIVIL, CERTIFICADO DE BAUTISMO, CERTIFICADO JUDICIAL, CERTIFICADO MIGRATORIO DEL DAS, RESULTADOS MEDICOS, LA FORMA I-134 (AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT) Y LOS DOCUMENTOS QUE LA ACOMPAÑAN. EN CUANTO A LOS DOCUMENTOS DE SOPORTE FINANCIERO UNICAMENTE NOS PIDIERON LOS W2 DE EL Y LA CARTA DEL EMPLEADOR.
NOS SENTAMOS FRENTE LAS VENTANILLAS 29, 20, 31 Y 32. NOS LLAMARON DESPUES DE UNA HORA MAS O MENOS Y REVISARON LOS DOCUMENTOS OTRA VEZ. ME HICIERON UNAS CUANTAS PREGUNTAS Y LISTO (CUAL ERA EL NOMBRE DE MI PROMETIDO, SI HABIA ESTADO CASADA, SI EL HABIA ESTADO CASADO, CON QUIEN VIVIA EL, CONFIRMAR MI FECHA DE NACIMIENTO) LA SEÑORA MIRABA MUCHO A MIKE Y ME REPETIA LAS MISMAS PREGUNTAS CON OTRAS PALABRAS. COMO PARA VER SI UNO RESPONDE LO MISMO O SE EQUIVOCA.
BUENO DESPUES DE ESO ES CUANDO EMPIEZA LO BUENO PORQUE DEBE UNO SENTARSE FRENTE A LAS VENTANILLAS 1 A LA 6 A ESPERAR POR LA ENTREVISTA. LAS SILLAS SON SUPER INCOMODAS (DE METAL) Y ESTABA HACIENDO UN FRIO TERRIBLE. LLAMABAN Y LLAMABAN A LAS PERSONAS Y DE NOSOTROS NADA. MIKE NO ME DEJABA IR AL BAÑO PORQUE DECIA QUE FIJO ME LLAMABAN 
ESPERAMOS COMO HASTA LAS DOCE. NOS LLAMO EL CONSUL DE LA VENTANA 4, UN SEÑOR JOVEN, SIMPATICO Y MUY BUENA GENTE. MIKE SE LEVANTO CONMIGO HASTA LA VENTANILLA. YO TOME EL TELEFONO Y EL CONSUL ME SALUDO Y ME PREGUNTO DATOS QUE ESTABAN ESCRITOS EN LOS DOCUMENTOS (SI MI FECHA DE CUMPLEAÑOS ERA TAL, QUE SI YO HABIA ESTADO CASADA, QUE CUAL ERA EL NOMBRE DE MI PROM ETIDO, SI TODA MI INFORMACION ERA LA VERDAD) ESTA PARTE ME HABLO EN ESPAÑOL. ME PIDIO QUE LO DEJARA CON MIKE PARA EL PREGUNTARLE ALGUNAS COSAS. YO ME SENTE Y ME PUSE A ORAR PORQUE SI BIEN HABIAMOS ESTUDIADO TODO EL JUEVES. MIKE ESTABA NERVIOSO QUE SE LE FUERA A OLVIDAR ALGO. Y CLARO TAMBIEN TENIA MI PARABOLICA PRENDIDA A VER QUE DECIA MIKE. EL HABLABA CON EL CONSUL COMO SI FUERAN VIEJOS AMIGOS. LE MOSTRO EL ALB UM QUE TENIAMOS Y QUE HABIAMOS DECORADO ESPECIALMENTE PARA LA OCASIÓN. EL CONSUL LE DIJO QUE NO CREIA QUE ESO IBA A CABER POR EL HUECO DE LA VENTANILLA. LUEGO LE SACO UNAS FOTOS Y LE CONTO QUE YO HABIA ACEPTADO COMPROMETERME CON EL EN MATRIMONIO, PERO LE HABIA PEDIDO QUE LE PIDIERA MI MANO A MI PAPA  EL CONSUL SE RIO DE EL Y LE PREGUNTO SI ESTABA NERVIOSO CUANDO VINO A HABLAR CON MI PAPA. (DE ESTO ME ENTERE DESPUES PORQUE POR MAS QUE TENIA LA PARABOLICA EN ALTA DEFINICION NADA QUE OIA BIEN, JEJEJEJEJE)
LUEGO ME TOCO A MI. EL CONSUL ME SALUDO ESTA VEZ EN INGLES Y ME PREGUNTO PORQUE YO HABLABA INGLES. YO LE DIJE QUE HABIA ESTADO EN USA TERMINANDO MI BACHILLERATO. Y EL ME DIJO QUE COMO HACIA PARA ACORDARME AUN TAN BIEN SI HABIA PASADO MUCHO TIEMPO, OSEA ME DIJO VIEJA EN VOZ BAJA, PERO SE LA PERDONE PORQUE AJA YO LE DIJE QUE TRABAJABA COMO PROFESORA EN COLEGIOS BILINGUES. LUEGO ME PREGUNTO LA FECHA DE NACIMIENTO DE MIKE. ME PREGUNTO TAMBIEN SI EL TENIA HIJOS O SI YO TENIA HIJOS Y QUE SI MIKE VENIA A COLOMBIA POR MI, YO LE CONTESTE QUE SI Y ME PREGUNTO QUE EN QUE FECHAS HABIA VENIDO EL LE RESPONDI ESO Y ME DIJO QUE LLAMARA A MIKE. CUANDO MIKE VOLVIO A LA VENTANILLA EL CONSUL NOS FELICITO Y NOS DIJO QUE NUESTRA VISA HABIA SIDO APROBADA. MIKE LE DIJO QUE SI EL HUEQUITO HUBIERA SIDO MAS GRANDE LE HUBIERA DADO UN APRETON DE MANOS. ESO FUE TODO… NOS DIMOS UN SUPER BESO Y NOS ABRAZAMOS. FUIMOS A DOMESA Y EL SEÑOR NOS ESTABA TOMANDO EL PELO… PAGAMOS Y NOS FUIMOS EL SEÑOR DE DOMESA NOS FELICITO Y POR DEMAS
CONSEJO NUMERO UNO VAYAN MUY BIEN ABRIGADOS.
CONSEJO NUMERO DOS TENGAN MUCHISIMA PACIENCIA Y LLEVEN SU COLITA PREPARADA PARA ESTAR SENTADOS POR UN LARGO TIEMPO EN UNAS SILLAS SUPER INCOMODAS.
CONSEJO NUMERO TRES SI VAN ACOMPAÑADOS(AS) TRATEN DE PASAR UN BUEN RATO EN MEDIO DE LA ANGUSTIA DE ESTAR ESPERANDO. HABIAN DOS PAREJAS Y LAS CHICAS SE VEIAN SUPER TEMEROSAS. ESTA BIEN SENTIR INTRANQUILIDAD PERO TAMPOCO PANICO.
CONSEJO NUMERO CUATRO PRESTEN MUCHA ATENCION A LOS LLAMADOS QUE HACEN A VECES NO SE ENTIENDE.
CONSEJO NUMERO CINCO PARA AQUELLOS QUE SON CREYENTES OREN MUCHO Y PIDAN MUCHA TRANQUILIDAD, FLUIDEZ Y SEGURIDAD EN LAS RESPUESTAS.
EXCEPTO POR EL SISTEMA DE SONIDO, EL FRIO (QUE NO DEPENDE DE ELLOS) Y LAS SILLAS QUE SON SUPER INCOMODAS TUVIMOS UNA MUY BUENA EXPERIENCIA
CONSEJO NÚMERO CINCO CONCENTRENSE AL MOMENTO DE RESPONDER, LES PUEDEN PREGUNTAR LOS MISMO UNA Y OTRA VEZ CON PALABRAS DIFERENTES.
| | | Bogota, Colombia | Review #5146 on October 28, 2009: |
markcpa1267
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
| | | Bogota, Colombia | Review #5137 on October 26, 2009: |
jimboy
Rating: 
· 1 person found this review helpful
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I went with my fiancee for her interview on October 22, 2009. First, we almost had a problem at Helm Bank when paying for the visa application fee. You must have the case number for the receipt. Just a minor detail, but a problem if you wait until the day before the interview to pay the
fee and get the receipt, which is affixed to the fiancee's passport.
The mechanics of how the documents must be arranged, which lines at the embassy are assigned for the different kind of visa applicants are discussed well by other VJ reports, so I won't repeat them. The interview was as intense as it could get, so be prepared.
A short history of how I met Monica might be insightful and explain the extremely through examination that she and I underwent at the interview. My best friend is a wealth lawyer and was in Medellin on business last year and met my fiancee at her law school during a conference there and through one of her professors. He offered her a scholarship to study in the U.S. (he is
presently sponsoring a young man from Malawi on a similar scholarship). She applied for a student's visa, and notwithstanding a full scholarship, she was refused. In October 2008 he returned to Medellin for some surgery, and I went with him. Monica came to the hospital to see my friend, and that is where we met, and we developed an interest in each other. I returned to spend time with Monica after Christmas 2008 and again in March 2009 at which time I proposed,
and she accepted. .I had the expected photos of our being together during those three different trips, my hotel bills, passport stamps, several hundred e-mails. . . . I thought it would be a five minute interview.
We arrived at 6:30 am and by the time we were admitted to the area for the interview, which is outside the actual embassy building, there were over a thousand people waiting for some type of interview. After the initial processing, we were told to set in an area which was designated for
family type visa applicants. At a little after noon, the process stopped for lunch and we were told the interviews would resume at 1:30 p.m. Monica was the first to be called after the lunch break and I approached the interview window - it is conducted through a window with a telephone - but was instructed to set down and that I would be interviewed separately. Monica was interviewed
by a very pleasant but very persistent man who said that he was from Spain, originally. I got the impression that he was not a U.S. official.
Her interview was the only one conducted by him the entire day. Monica’s questioning took 42 minutes, and she left the window in tears. I was motioned to the window, and was questioned in depth about my friend, why he would offer a scholarship, etc. I have know this man for 25 years, and I was questioned about information the interviewer knew that would only have been known by someone who had done serious, serious study. In sum, the interviewer had reviewed my fiancee’s prior application for a student visa and had really, really done his homework. And this was an area that my fiancee and I had not really discussed because our relationship is real and we didn’t think her prior application was an issue. It was.
Additional, after we were engaged in March, Monica decided to do a backpacking trip through a number of counties in South America. She had withdrawn from her law school studies in January in expectation of studying in the U.S. based on her scholarship. She was questioned substantially about her travels. The interviewer wanted to know why she was traveling, where she stayed, who paid for her travels. . . . He ask me if I knew about her trip, and I tried to show
him the e-mails that we had exchanged during her sabbatical, but he firmly said: “just answer my questions, sir”.
The interviewer was always very pleasant, but very probing and would ask the same question two or three different ways. He wrote down every answer that Monica and I gave during our
respective questioning. He ask questions that we didn’t expect, for example: where was our first kiss, where was the first restaurant that we went to, he ask if my fiancee had any scars, tatoos,
piercings, etc. At bottom, if we did not have a bona fide relationship, there was no way we could have given consistent answers. All total, the interview took a little over an hour. At the conclusion we were simply told: “an officer will be with you shortly, sit down”.
A couple of hours later, the embassy started shutting down for the day. The shades of one window after another were being closed and the guards began securing the area. Finally, all of the applicants (remember there were well over 1,000 people there at 7 a.m.) were gone. We were the last two people left in this vast open area. I didn’t know what to do or what was going on.
Finally, the shade or shutter of a window was opened and an very professional looking female officer called Monica’s name over the loud speaker, and you could see that she had a thick packet of documents in her hand. Monica and I approached the window, the officer smiled and said the application is approved - you are going the U.S. and getting married, and we were directed to pay
the delivery fee. I have no doubt that had I not gone to the interview the application would have been denied. The experience was so intense that Monica told me as we were waiting that there was nothing in life that she wanted more than be married to me, but that if she had to return for another interview that she simply couldn’t go through that again.
The diesel and gasoline filled air of Bogata never felt so fresh and clean. We stayed up almost all night recounting the events of the day and then were able to again look to the future. She will arrive the first week of November. What an ordeal!
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