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Aruba US Consulate Reviews
Average Rating: 2.8
/ 5
5 Review(s)
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| Bogota, Colombia |  Review #32140 on June 5, 2023: |
Zakana2209
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Admin review due to "system being down"
| | | Bogota, Colombia | Review #27917 on February 2, 2020: |
abymarie
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Let me start the review of by saying that I do not live in Colombia. I'm an Aruba citizen and was sent to Bogota, Colombia for my visa process.
Arrival:
I had my interview set up for Jan 27th at 8:00 AM. The hotel I stayed at was a block away from the U.S Embassy so, I can't speak for how the traffic is for making it on time. I've read several reviews saying not to come super early so I arrived at 7:32 AM. Still thinking it was a bit too early, I went up to the officers at the gates anyway. They checked my passport, my DS-160, and my interview confirmation and asked me what visa I'm going for. Once everything was cleared I was let in. Once inside I had to wait in a line for about 20 minutes with other K visa applicants / Resident visa applicants. My appointment was set for 8:00 AM, but that doesn't mean you will be interviewed at that time. Just make sure you are there, and inside before 8. They call out groups by appointment time and let you in.
Once Inside:
After the 20 min wait there were two little tables where you get called at so the officers can check your documents and organize them in order for your interview. Make sure you have everything on hand as they will not let you in if you're missing something. They asked for the Birth Certificate of my US Citizen fiance, but I didn't have it. (luckily it wasn't a requirement, but if you can get it please take it!)
After your documents are checked, they will put them in order in your passport, give you a green sticker and send you through security to check your bags.
Once you get through security (which is very quickly) you will be on your way to the interview spot!
I thought it was going to be an indoor setting with different offices, but it was in fact an outdoor setting with numerous phone booth type stalls.
With a K /Resident visa they will direct you where to go,because inside it's a mix of every kind of visa.
1st "Interview":
So once I was inside the interview area I was called up to a small table so the officer can check my documents, see if they are still in order and asked me to write my phone number and e-mail. I told her I didn't live in Colombia, so I don't have a Colombian phone number. She said it's okay and to write whatever number I use and my email anyway. I also asked her if the interview can be done in English (Because most of the workers and officers spoke Spanish) and she said yes, to simply ask the person at the booth if they can speak English. (My spanish is kind of bad, which is why I asked)
The officer directed me to sit down, and eventually I was called and told to stand in line on Booth 31.
Once I was there this nice colombian lady asked me a couple of questions (in english). She asked me what kind of visa I was going for, asked where I lived, if I was ever married, any kids, and then proceeded to ask me for my sealed Physical Exam envelope. She opened it, sorted it out and placed it; along with the rest of my documents in my passport. She also asked me for my payment receipt since I paid my visa fee online and it was all good. She also made me sign a new "Intent to marry", eventhough I did bring an updated one of my own!
I thought that was it, until she gave me a number card! This is where ALL the waiting began.
2nd and "actual" interview:
When I tell you that this was the longest wait of my life. I got number 34 and when I sat down in the waiting area (they will direct you as to where) I saw people that had number "20" on their card. I waited for a solid 3 hours before I was called up to the booth. This is it, this was the final interview. Again, it was a telephone booth kind of setting. The lady (this time it was an American) asked me for my passport containing the documents. The interview was very smooth sailing and I actually had a wonderful time talking to this person. She asked me what my fiance's name is, where he works, who he lives with, how we met, if we have any wedding plans, when did we know we wanted to get married, when and how did he propose, how many times do we see each other a year and how many days was my longest stay in the USA.
After that she said she will be right back, took about 3 minutes, came back with this red piece of paper and handed me my rights to read.
Once I finished reading and singing a few papers, she handed me the red ticket and said my visa was approved!! I had this huge folder with me with all my evidence of on-going relationship and she never even asked for one thing, it was crazy lol.
She made me write down my phone number and email again, but I explained to her the phone number situation and she made sure to write on a sticky note in the back of my passport to PLEASE E-MAIL. I also explained to her that I'm from Aruba and I have a plane ticket to leave Colombia on Feb 1st. She completely understood and just asked if I will remain in Bogota (and not travel to other cities) until then.
She expedited my stuff and I got to pick up my passport and visa on Jan 31st! (Yes, I did get an email!)
Conclusion:
If you're not from Colombia, but you've been sent there for this process I highly recommend booking a ticket for at least 10-11 days. (I booked for 10 days and finished the process just in 9 days). Make sure you arrive to everything ON TIME even if you're super early. It's better to hang around the area for a bit than to rush to get there on time.
The interview at the US Embassy will be atleast a half day event, so plan accordingly. I was in there for 4 and a half hours! Unless your US fiance is with you or you have kids that you are also petitioning for , they will not let any other third parties in.
Inside of the Embassy waiting areas they have a cafe and bathrooms, so don't stress too much on not eating for 4 hours.
And finally, yes. If you are traveling to Colombia from another country to do this process they WILL take your situation into consideration and WILL do their best to speed things up for you.
A wonderful experience and very nice people!
Good luck everyone!
| | | Caracas, Venezuela | Review #11917 on May 6, 2013: |
Serendipity_95
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I arrived at the Embassy at 7.30 in the morning. There was already a long line outside by the parking lot. Within 10 minutes they started to let everybody in to the parking lot where they have tents. Here they gave us information about security and what is allowed and not into the Embassy. Cellular phones, big bags, CD, USBs and dark plastic binders are not allowed into the Embassy. Make sure you don't take these items cause you will be denied entrance at the first security check point and you will have to reshedule your appointment. After this brief information they started letting people in by their appointment hour. At the first check point I told the lady that I came from Aruba for my K1 interview. She gave me a small form and I headed to the first security check point. Here they checked if I had any CD, USB or cellular phone with me. The security guy even made me drink out of the bottle of water I had with me. From here you go will walk inside. If you have a K1 interview you don't have to wait here with everybody else. Just tell the person there that you are there for a K1 and they will let you through to the next security point. At this security point they will scan all your belongings. Once you are through security you will head outside to the next point where you will be let in to the building. Again here you don't have to stand in line. Just tell the scurity that you are here for the K1 interview and they will let you in right away. THe security showed were I have to be for the interview and handed me a number and then the waiting begins. The space for the K1 interview is very small. It's 3 windows next to each other, so there is no privacy and everybody can hear each others business. At this point it is was around 9 am. After an hour of waiting it was my turn. First the lady asked me for the forms, my birth cerificate, affidavit of support, my medical papers and my fiance's tax papers. Then she asked me a couple of basic questions; where did we meet, what kind of work I do, how we keep in touch, if we both had childeren, if this was our first marriage and asked me to show her the photo albums I brought with me. Then I asked her if there is anyway I can get my passport and visa that same day, since I knew the next day they were closed due to a national holiday. She said she will check and directed me to the cashier, where I had to pay the $240 fee for the visa. After I was done paying I came back to hand her the receipt and had to wait again for an other hour. Then a friendly man called me to the next window. This is where the actual interview happens. He asked me again how I met my fiance. After I told him our story he was impressed and thought we had an amazing story. He also asked for my fiance's age and then told me that he has no more questions and that my visa is approved. He told me that he's going to request a urgent processing for my visa since I'm leaving on saturday back to Aruba. I was done by 11.30 am and had to be back there at 3pm to pick up my visa. I went back to the hotel and called my fiance and family to tell them the happy news. By 3 o'clock I was back at the Embassy. Unfortunatly the computer system was down and they were not able to process the visas yet. I waited for 2 full hours but by 5pm I had my visa in my hands and was a very happy woman. The waiting wasn't that bad at all and I was able to leave Caracas on Friday instead of Saturday. Everyone at the Embassy is very friendly, so I had a very good experience.
| | | Armenia | Review #5899 on April 9, 2010: |
kemar101
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: General Review
(updated on April 8, 2010)
| | | Caracas, Venezuela | Review #3618 on November 22, 2008: |
vanessa-john
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
We were told the Embassy was going to send me a packet with instructions but they never did. After more than a month passed since we had received the letter from the NVC, I emailed the embassy myself to ask when I should expect the package. They emailed me back immediately telling me my interview would be in three weeks and giving me a whole list of documents I had to gather. They didn't want anything sent to them, they said I had to bring all the documents myself at the time of the interview.
I went through three weeks of incredible stress but I did finally manage to get every single document they asked for.
The interview itself was a breeze. My appointment was at 8:30 am but I showed up there at 7:00. This was actually not necessary because they really stick to their appointment times. I went through one security check when I arrived. You must take care not to have ANY electronic items with you. Not even a cellphone. And no lighters either.
Then I sat and waited until I was called in. The waiting area is open air and there is a little kiosk where you can buy some snacks and drinks. There is also a small booth where you can take pictures in case you forgot to bring those.
At 8:30 sharp I was called into the Embassy where I went through another security check, metal detector and x-ray. I was showed to the immigration area where, again, security personnel went through my purse and I had to go through a metal detector.
At the immigration area I had to take a number and wait my turn. At around 9:30 I was called up to the window (there is absolutely no privacy, everyone can hear everyone else's business). A Venezuelan woman took my papers and checked them. The only thing she asked me was what my profession was. She did not want the proof of relationship I had brought, she said she would ask for that when she actually interviewed me. Then she gave me a bill to go and pay the $131 fee for the visa.
The cashier was in the same building. I paid and went back to the immigration area. The same lady took the receipt from me and told me to sit and wait until she called me.
At approximately 10:30 I was called again, but this time by a very nice American lady. She congratulated me on having my application so well put together, took my finger prints and told me to sit and wait again while the prints were being processed.
At 11:00 she called me back, asked me one question regarding a name change I had had when I was a child and the told me my visa had been approved! She never even asked to look at all the proof I had brought. And I had taken plenty.
She even went the extra mile and asked for urgent processing of the visa, because I don't live in Venezuela and was supposed to fly back home the next day. I waited another two hours and got my visa on the same day! 
It was an awful lot of waiting but ultimately painless and easy. I was extremely nervous but the consular officers were very friendly and put me at ease right away. The security personnel was a little less friendly but I guess that is part of their job. Overall a good experience.
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