Are we screwed or what?

Robert Jorge says on May 17, 2008, 23:44:

Oh boy.

#1) No you are not screwed. Just do it the right way and start a K1 fiance visa process.

#2) He suckered you. You paid a person money because he told you what you wanted to hear. I would call it "stupid tax". I have paid that tax myself many times.

If you want help - it's free, I'll be glad to help you through the fiance' visa process. It takes 6 to 10 months. If you have a legit relationship, are really in love and intend to marry, aren't in poverty, it should work out. There shouldn't be any negative consequences from the tourist visa (bad choice) being denied.

BEWARE of gold diggers.

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njtea5 says on May 18, 2008, 00:10:

if you say 4K you got a deal!

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goin_south says on May 18, 2008, 00:14:

now, who can possibly be up, flaggin my posts at this hour??

Where do we go from here?

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802MARK says on May 18, 2008, 00:42:

He promised 100 percent on something he has no control over. The embassy can tell you no just because they are having a bad day. file your k1 visa and the needed paperwork for her child at the same time. take the post above up on his offer to help you file it. you don't need to hire another liar to help you. you two have a great shot at getting approved. for one thing you have been in colombia for months, and you two are the same age.. this is something that they don't see much of at the embassy, most of the time it's some fat ugly 42 year old trying to get a k-1 for his 22 year old girlfriend.. HEY, that's me and my wife I was talking about, and we were approved. been married for 4 years now and have a 2 year old mean as a snake little girl..


if they ask about the tourist visa try, just look em in the eye and say yes I wanted to give her a chance to see where I lived to make sure she would feel at home there before we thought about taking the next step to file a k-1 for her.. We didn't know she had three months to do that on a k1 visa before we got married.. that should get you some good points with them right there. be sure to tell them that if they ask, because overwise it looks like she is just trying everyway to get into the u.s. and since the tourist thing failed then she is willing to marry you to get there.

it will take about 8 to 10 months to get it, and things like emails you to have sent each other helps, as will you being there with her. you don't have to be but it helps. they will ask both of you questions like where you work, what your hobbies are, family names/ have a over kill of proof, man I had one huge folder with copies of phone records, email, family photos, plane tickets, western union gifts, you name it. wish you both the best

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Robert Jorge says on May 18, 2008, 01:20:

802mark is correct ... never lie. When and if you go through the K1 process - DO NOT LIE. Just tell the truth, like he said. If the topic comes up during the interview, and your fiance is asked about it, just tell them the truth, like 802 said. Trying to cover up is where things go bad.

The good news is that you should have no trouble getting this done. It will take time. Less than a year - as short as 6 months (possibly).

BEWARE of gold diggers.

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huskie says on May 18, 2008, 03:21:

Why would you pay somebody to get you a visa? Don't people read about this crooks who take money and ran away after promising a visa? Come on, really....
Just go to the embassy and ask for one, be truthful and that is all you need. Maybe you will get it, maybe not.
Cheers

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds-"

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Brians says on May 18, 2008, 05:02:

You are screwed for the money. Just do the K1 as was mentioned and it takes about 8 months. Now I don't know about her daughter coming on a K1? I am sure there are many her that have done it and just go to Visajourney.com. That place has all the info. you need. I would never give someone that type of money in Colombia. Is this Elkin a lawyer?

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guacharaca says on May 18, 2008, 06:45:

This is one of the few occassions where a person should trust the advise on this board over Colombian family advice. In the future, ask your questions above before you pay the money. When making decisions based on advice, always evaluate the source of that advice (Critical Thinking 101).

Here is some more advice. After you applied for the fiance or marriage visa, get your butt back to Colombia and stay with her during the waiting period.

Colombianos: Las armas os han dado independencia, las leyes os daran libertad. (Santander)

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vicshere says on May 18, 2008, 07:35:

"She talked with her aunt who lives in Puerto Rico on a visa that this man helped her with. She recommended this guy so I talked with the man his name is ELKIN "

are you sure this wasn't a set up....highly recommended and the guy screws you...what kind of family is that....my family wouldn't let that happen to me...they'll try to screw me directly but not let any outsider try to take me

listo

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vicshere says on May 18, 2008, 07:54:

I guess they think if an outsider gets it there is less for them to try to get their hands on....but so far they haven't made any kind of dent...although they do try hard bless their greedy little hearts

listo

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CatGirl says on May 18, 2008, 08:06:

RJ ' you have put quite a postive perspective on this...good way of putting it.

Vic - I think you might be closer to the mark.

Uhhh wot kind of name is Elkin BTW - sounds like an undercover conartist name.

To the OP - RJ is giving sound advise.

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

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Medellin Traveler says on May 18, 2008, 08:10:

Why do people always post after the fact? They could have saved themselves alot of money, time, and heartache by posting ahead of taking any action.

I would say YOU need to calm down. If it's true love, you can WAIT for the process to take whatever time it takes to get your novia and her child their visa. She won't get the tourist visa, but she still has the opportunity for the K1 visa.

It's the same old scam, people in the US will also help seperate you from your cash with promises of getting your novia a visa.

Good luck.

"Huevos Rancheros en Medellin, No Quiero Taco Bell." - www.medellintraveler.com

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aztec says on May 18, 2008, 08:12:

Unbelievable!!

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chester says on May 18, 2008, 08:13:

go to visajourney.com

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nueva york bombero says on May 18, 2008, 08:49:

Hey - one question.... what about a close friend or girlfriend?
Do you need to be engaged to get a travel visa?

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OneHappyBoy says on May 18, 2008, 08:50:

I will go out on a limb and say that since she is Colombian, and welll... you both are probably Catholic... Most diocese have family re-unification programs. I originally started to hire and attorney to get my then fiancee/now wife here.. for $3000 plus fees.. I thought maybe, as an accountant, I know how to file forms as well as the next guy. I called the case worker at the diocese for input on a couple of questions. I paid a crappy attorney a few hundred here and there to answer questions. I OVER DOCUMENTED everything and had my family and her family write letters how much we were in love. and filed it myself for ALOT less than ELKIN..and the $3000, well it was better spent on airline tickets for her to come here to visit-well for MORE evidence that we were married!

Bottom line- don't follow somebody blindly during this process, LEARN as much as you can about this process, and use professionals where needed, not guys LIKE ELKIN! For what you paid Elkin, you could have bought and paid for a REALLY GOOD immigration attorney.

Our route here was to have her come her on vacation. We decided to get married here, in the US, and then I sent her back to Colombia. Then we filed the I-130, then K-3. We are close to the same age, and made our lives an open book to the immigration service. Visajourney.com is good, and formassistant.com is great for filing in the forms. If you decide to engage an attorney, the information is all on theG325A and with your supporting documents, they can get the job done. For us, the trick was copies of many emails, many airplane tickets, many reciepts for Moneygram, showing support, and many phone records showing phone calls.PLUS the promise to continue to show MORE documentation as they requested..

Don't worry about being denied. the only way it would matter in the future is if they found out one of you was a criminal, or you were trying to skirt the immigration laws, or you have brought a string of girls from Colombia to the US through the immigration process. ALWAYS ALWAYS Tell them the truth!!!

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Medellin Traveler says on May 18, 2008, 09:05:

OneHappyBoys says, "For us, the trick was copies of many emails, many airplane tickets, many reciepts for Moneygram, showing support, and many phone records showing phone calls.PLUS the promise to continue to show MORE documentation as they requested.."

They actually request that information?

What if she doesn't have a computer, no emails. And, you don't send money, no receipts.

You are than left with only a passport stamped various times.

Is a lawyer really worth it? I have heard not, from several that have gone through the process alone.

How have things worked out for you and your novia?

"Huevos Rancheros en Medellin, No Quiero Taco Bell." - www.medellintraveler.com

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Gator says on May 18, 2008, 09:28:

What was that Saying? "A fool and his money are......." Well you know the rest.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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Corey3368 says on May 18, 2008, 09:42:

Listen to the advice giving by others to check out the site visajourney.com. I just want to add, at the site, type into the search box, Colombia Club. This is a subsection of the forum that has members going throught the process in Colombia. It contains huge amount of information to assist you.
Best of Luck!

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OneHappyBoy says on May 18, 2008, 09:54:

Medellin traveler- If you were asking me about me and my novia-Great!! no problems and very happy... You are right- you have to use what resources you have... Without some way to document an ongoing relationship, it gets pretty sticky. We were just fortunate to have the ablility to document a long distance marriage.. From what I can figure out, for us, through this process, the US Embassy WANTS incontrovertable evidence that a couple is married.If you don't have the ability to maintain the "virtual" marriage, then I think a guy, (or gal) HAS to spend a lot of time in Colombia, and your spouse, or fiancee a lot of time here. I felt like I had to share "the family photo album" so to speak, with the government. Many letters between my wife and I, many pictures.Pictures with her and my family, pictures of me and he family. Vacation pictures.For one month, we carried a camera around and asked people out of the blue to take our picture in front of some landmark that was easily recognizable, with a date and time stamp. Every time she came to visit, I wrote a letter for her to give to the customs agent with my name, address, phone number, my employer's name and phone number. I asked for entry, promised support of her, and I included a foot note that entry was not to be for more than 45 days or 60 days etc, so he didn't think we were using the trip for her to come and stay..then we had him sign a copy, and we used THAT for evidence she was seeing ME. And it depends on who is working your case at the embassy. me, traveling to Bogota for the interview, mattered ALOT to the guy.

You are right. You don't need an attorney to do the work.. It just helps to run things past somebody, for me an attorney and the case worker at the church, for questions I had, and to look over the forms. IF you want somebody to do it for you.. Then I suggest an attorney, and not a guy like ELKIN! With an attorney you have recourse if they fuck up.

Chao!

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nueva york bombero says on May 18, 2008, 10:03:

But you must be engaged?
You can't apply for a travel visa as a Colombian citizen?

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rjstuff says on May 18, 2008, 10:13:

Some people use a lot of documents like Onehappyboy others use the minimum possible - I filed for my fiance with one line on how we met (on I129f) and sent two pictures of us together - approved; for the interview she took 4 or 5 copies of emails and chat records (nothing else) and they looked at one email for 3 seconds - approved in five minutes. Money paid to lawyers etc. ZERO! I did the AOS (geeencard) after marriage also - money paid to lawyers ZERO; I just filed for removal of conditions (10 year greencard) - waiting for approval any day - money paid to lawyers - you guessed it - ZERO! Visajourney is a good forum, spend some time reading guides and examples and you can do it for free. Good Luck

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ColombianoGringo says on May 18, 2008, 10:45:

A bit late for this case, but this is from the Bogota embassy appointment package for immigrant visas.

"WARNING: The Consular Section does not endorse or have a "special relationship" with any individual or business that offers advice or assistance with the visa process. No one can guarantee the issuance of a visa to you. All U.S. government forms are free. Beware: many visa applicants lose money or are permanently barred from the United States as a result of misleading information and fraudulent applications provided by visa consultants. Any document or information presented in connection with your immigrant or K visa application may be investigated by our Fraud Prevention Unit. Any attempt to misrepresent a material fact to a consular officer may make you permanently ineligible to obtain a visa. By law, an immigrant or K visa petitioner may be imprisoned for not more than five years or fined up to $250,000, or both, for entering into a marriage contract for the purpose of evading any provision of the immigration laws. In addition, a petitioner may be fined up to $10,000 and imprisoned for up to five years, or both, for knowingly and willfully falsifying or concealing a material fact or using any false document in submitting a petition."

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OneHappyBoy says on May 18, 2008, 10:48:

Nueva york- you don't have to be engaged to get a travel visa. you just have to show that you have a purpose, other than taking up residence, like a vacation, visit relatives, get medical care.. They don't care as long as you have ties BACK in colombia, and you have the financial means, or another person will support you while you are traveling and you INTEND to return to Colombia.

Also, if you have a history of overstaying visas or have any criminal activity in your life, that probably won't get you here to visit..

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nueva york bombero says on May 18, 2008, 10:54:

Thanks! I looked at the website stated above, but not much info on what type of visa is necessary. Is it just a general travel visa? Also, what's the chances they'd approve it if there is no immediate plans of marriage?

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Gator says on May 18, 2008, 12:52:

slim to none two choices, B2 tourist visa or F-1 student visa.

pay the $$$$$ and gtake a chance.

I always post the old Texas saying, "Chances are slim and none and Slim just rode out of town."

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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elk says on May 18, 2008, 12:56:

Cat Girl:

Uhhh wot kind of name is Elkin BTW - sounds like an undercover con artist name?

Elkin is a very common name here in Medellin. It's used as a first or last name.

My last name is Elkins. I think the Colombians dropped the "S". (I hope the above Elkin isn't related to me)

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vicshere says on May 18, 2008, 13:04:

those Elkins are a bunch of cats

listo

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Medellin Traveler says on May 18, 2008, 14:33:

What are the odds of a Colombian applying for a student visa for someone who has graduated from a University, works as an accountant, and studies on weekends and owns a mom-n-pop storefront?

As Gator suggest, does one apply for F-1 student visa?

"Huevos Rancheros en Medellin, No Quiero Taco Bell." - www.medellintraveler.com

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angelcanada says on May 18, 2008, 16:16:

That what happen wheb=n you do not know hwo to contact and you do not ask peaple for advice, there are a lot of those here in Colombia. next time be more caerfull..I speak better than that I write.

MY NAME IS ANGEL. I AM COLOMBIAN AND LIVED IN CANADA AND THE USA FOR 18 YEARS. I RETURNED TO MEDELLIN AND WOULD LIKE TO OFFER SERVICES AS INTERPRETER/ ESCORT AND DRIVER. I CAN ALSO HELP IN FINDING SHORT TERM APT. RENTALS.

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dwmte7 says on May 19, 2008, 06:29:

so who deleted the truth????? hmmmm

dwmte

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dwmte7 says on May 19, 2008, 06:29:

common, fess up.

dwmte

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Mononoke28 says on May 19, 2008, 09:18:

What's funny is that I've knowing people who got their tourist visas that way, they're now in Queens. But one of my cousins, his cousin and his aunt paid this one guy for their visas. Same schpill. They even mortgaged their home, went to the embassy and they were all denied. And the weird part is that they never saw the guy ever again. I think they paid $7k USD each.

Diana

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GregYohn says on May 19, 2008, 11:59:

Hola!

You usually will not get a tourist visa to come to the USA from Bogota. It is a waste of money, even to pay the VISA Fee! The US Embassy knows that so many never come back, so why hand them out? Accept it as a fact of life and then look at your other options.

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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dwr says on May 19, 2008, 12:11:

There was actually an article in El Tiempo over the weekend. Around 60% of all visa applications to the USA from Bogota are granted.

http://www.eltiempo.com/tiempoimpreso/edicionimpresa/bogota/2008-05-18...

167.971 el número de visas de negocio y turismo que se expidieron el año pasado en la Embajada de Estados Unidos en Bogotá.

1.300 el número de personas que, en promedio y todos los días, se presentan a la embajada para postular a una visa. Al 60 por ciento se le otorga.

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GregYohn says on May 19, 2008, 13:03:

Hola!

How many people have decided to not even try to get a visa? The figure shown in the article are the one's that thought they would get a visa when they applied!

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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lpdiver says on May 19, 2008, 17:12:

nj...are you a resident of USA or citizen. I would say your best option is to go live in Colombia and apply for direct consular filing.

t

"cook some rice!"

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Robert Jorge says on May 20, 2008, 07:43:

dwr, that is shocking information. The old quote, one that I have used a few times, is that "2% of applicants for a tourist visa receive one." Thanks for the correction. 60% is a HUGE difference than the 2% myself, and I am sure a lot of others here, were under the impression was the 'real' statistic.

BEWARE of gold diggers.

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