PBH / Colombia / Forums (active) Travelguide Cheap hostels Pictures

My Wife Got her US Tourist Visa Today

Marce had her interview at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá today. She was applying for a Tourist Visa so we can visit family and friends this summer. The interview lasted about 10 minutes. The U.S rep. did not look at too much of the information. He did read a long letter that I wrote explaining the why and what’s of our vacation plans and that Marce had every reason to return to Colombia. In the letter I listed all of the reasons why Marce would return, e.g. She has a fulltime job and just got promoted, she is enrolled in the University of Tolima, we own our home outright with no mortgage, we own our car with no payments, Marce’s parents and family live here in Bogotá and are an important part of her life, we have all of our furniture and personal possessions with us in Colombia and own nothing or have any possessions in the U.S.

The U.S. rep wanted to know how we met (we met in Scotland when she was visiting her sister who is married to my best friend). He asked about Marce’s expired Permanent Residency in the U.S. He gave Marce some advice on what to do with that information. After Marce showed him pictures of our home in Armenia he just smiled when she told him about the quality of life we had in Armenia as compared to the U.S.

What we did and what Marce did was twofold: First, we provided a ton of information that shows we (Marce) intends to live in Colombia and is only visiting the U.S. Second, Marce was relaxed in the interview and told the truth. She did not try to hide anything. She even pointed out a piece of information that the Credito Banco in Pereira got wrong. In short we used the recommendation of another PBHer in her and provided every reason why she will return to Colombia.

Now she has to put up with the sniping and jealousy that will occur at her job from two other teachers who had their Tourist Visa requests denied.

By Rikito on Feb 25, 2009, 18:18 in Friendly Talkzone.

griffbos says on Feb 25, 2009, 18:22:

Glad to hear

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Robert Jorge says on Feb 25, 2009, 21:26:

I am pretty sure if the visa was granted at the US embassy, they are going to the US - not Scotland. Maybe I missed something? They MET in Scotland.

Anyway, congrats Rikito and great information for people pursuing tourist visas in your situation.

"You can not take the barrio out of the girl you really can't." Oneforamillion

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rikito says on Feb 26, 2009, 03:29:

Not sure if the U.S. is more difficult...maybe becasue of the poor reputation and sterotype of the Colombian. SDhe went there to see her sister who is Colombian. A Tourist visa in the U.K. can run up to 6 months with no extensions.

No on the Nelly question.

Marce lived with me in the U.S. on a wife visa for 2 1/2 years. We were getting ready to process the visa to a Permanent Residence becasue the wife visa was going to expire, (the K-1 is not forever) but several personal (not illegal) things happen on top of the immigration assholes in the U.S. being completley unresponsive. These clowns are worse than the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá and that is pretty bad.

I really do not plan on ever returning to the U.S. on a permanent basis. When you live abroad as much as I have (out the past 40 years only 10 were in the U.S. you see a much different side of USA that is not good. Arrogance, rights of entiotlement up the ying yang, the government waste and corruption, and the overal hypocrisy of the country in general. I can understand why Noerth America is disliked so much by countries like Venezuela, Middle East, etc.

...and so it goes

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mononoke28 says on Feb 26, 2009, 10:23:

Rikito, that is excellent news since tourist visas are so often denied, so congratulations on that.

Diana

0 funny, 0 helpful.

esanch36 says on Feb 26, 2009, 10:39:

. "Arrogance, rights of entiotlement up the ying yang, the government waste and corruption, and the overal hypocrisy of the country in general."

Funny i thought this stuff was in colombia too, especially the government corruption.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rikito says on Feb 26, 2009, 11:35:

The Embassy told my wife that they reject 85% of all Tourist Visa requests. Why? Too many discrepancies in the paper work. People are not truthful and cannot answer questions. They think that because they got to the interview they will definitely get a visa. Not truthful. The Embassy guy told Marce that it is amazing how many people come to the interview unprepared. They think it is a done deal and it is not. I told Marce that she does not have a Visa until she is on the bus leaving the airport to my brother’s house.

esanch36 I thought the U.S. was just misunderstood, but they really are not. They will do whatever they can to perpetuate their way of life. Colombia is a kindergartner compared to the U.S. Just look at Obama's Cabinet choices and the tax problems they have...and they overlooked them in the end. The Treasury Chair is an admitted thief. He only paid his back taxes recently because he got caught. It's the Clinton Presidency all over again, but this time there is some class with the President's wife. She will define Obama 4 years. I think that in time she will be viewed as one of the best wife of a President in the 225 years or so. She has the class and temperament that is needed. She will be a wonderful role model for women everywhere.

...and so it goes

0 funny, 0 helpful.

esanch36 says on Feb 26, 2009, 12:28:

Yes alot of corruption is in the Us government but it has nothing on what goes down in colombia. I really cant beleive you comparing the 2.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

esanch36 says on Feb 26, 2009, 12:30:

Dont get me wrong i love colombia, and didnt want to leave after i spent a year there, but when i finally came home I realized how much life was easier in the US and all the bullshit that i had to put up with in colombia.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rikito says on Feb 26, 2009, 13:04:

I must be living in a dream world here in Armenia. We don't have that much B.S. to put up with. Maybe if you could give some examples. I get the same TV the same radio, resturants are on average a D+ to C. The Police, etc. are a bunch of goofs...I rate them as a D. They don ot enforce anything unless they have to...a very passive approach to protecting citizens, schools are way over rated...gice em a C. Very little entertainment unless you are into Hispanic music...it's ok, but not as a steady diet. weather is an A for me and my wife, Cost of living is a B+, I deal with government types very seldom, but the ones I do deal with are no different that the U.S. which is generally lazy and pathetically irresponsible. My neighbors are better than I had in the U.S.

I guess it comes down to what you want in life. For me just leave me alone.

...and so it goes

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mononoke28 says on Feb 26, 2009, 14:15:

Rikito says on Feb 26, 2009, 11:35 (today): flag

It's the Clinton Presidency all over again, but this time there is some class with the President's wife. She will define Obama 4 years. I think that in time she will be viewed as one of the best wife of a President in the 225 years or so. She has the class and temperament that is needed. She will be a wonderful role model for women everywhere.
---------------------------
I agree. She already got a group of people working for her to help her get started on the issues she wants to address. We'll see how much she can accomplish but at least she's trying.

Diana

0 funny, 0 helpful.