No appointment yet

rjstuff says on Jun 24, 2005, 19:11:

You should have been on June list http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwfivad.pdf This is the June list about to be updated for July interviews shortly. My understanding is that if you send it by the 20th - your interview is the month after that; if you send it after the 20th - your interview is two months after that. If you sent your docs on April 28th - you should be on the June list. good luck

0 funny, 0 helpful.

rona says on Jun 24, 2005, 20:24:

you SHOULD be concerned mi novia is in Cartagena and received packet4 15 days after packet3 was sent - however she both faxed the OF-169 and DS-230 and sent them through servientrega's same day service just to be safe . . . in your case, with Medellin being closer you should have received a response by now

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Jeffrey says on Jun 25, 2005, 01:45:

That is a long time... I myself am still waiting for things to get done for my fiancée in Cali, but she received her packet 4 in about 10 days after sending in her required forms from packet 3. She sent hard copies and faxed them as well too. I personally wouldn't feel safe with just a fax. Maybe you should re-send them via "snail mail" or even take a trip to the embassy with papers in hand and try to find out what's going on. But the time it seems be taking is a bit long. I'm no expert myself in these procedures, but can at least tell you that ours (packet 4) did arrive in less than two weeks.
Good luck!
Jeff

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Crazy4Cali says on Jun 25, 2005, 05:59:

I can understand your anxiety If you haven't heard from them after all this time, I'd suggest faxing them the forms again. After all, if you have to send them some form of written correspondence, you might as well send them the forms they need. You could put in your cover letter that you are resending the forms for case # BOG2005.... so they figure it out.

In any case you should have received something by now, whether it's the packet 4 or seen your appointment date on the list.

If you can use a courier service that might be better, but at this point, if it were me, I'd give up on the last fax and just try again.

Good luck with your application!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

silviat says on Jun 25, 2005, 11:49:

I suggest you to fax and mail your forms again along with a sheet of paper where you state you are resending the forms for case BGT.... and her complete name.

Its really weird you havent receive your interview date and I think you should find out what happened.

Other posibility is that you were actually assigned an interview date but packet 4 got lost (that has happen before).

So check this website and look for your case number and see what happen.

Good luck

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Jun 26, 2005, 10:45:

Yes, I agree with the posters above. They are usually very prompt and if you haven't heard something, it's because something has gotten lost.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mikeyr says on Jun 26, 2005, 11:36:

No visa appointment for us either My Fiancee did not receive her packet 3. I received notification that packet 3 was sent to her. We were vacationing in Costa Rica and downloaded the packet 3 forms and faxed them to the embassy in Bogota on June 3. When I returned to the U.S. I resent the forms via Fedex on June 13 and they received them on June 14. We have not yet heard anything from the embassy. Calling the embassy is of no help even if it is asking for the date of the interview. They will not acknowledge receipt of our information. Can anyone offer any other suggestions? How sure are other posters to this board about the embassy reciving packet 3 before 20th of the month and interviews are the following month?

Yes I am anxious. We do not want an interview scheduled for the first part of July and have the embassy say we sent you packet 4 considering she never received packet 3.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Jun 26, 2005, 12:16:

Go to this page next week once they have the July appointments listed and look for her case number: http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwfivad.pdf They need to stop using the frigging Colombian mail system!

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

silviat says on Jun 26, 2005, 13:54:

yes, servientrega isnt much expensiver and at least they do actually deliver the things.

Since a so huge percentage of the packages gets lost is really surprising the embassy doenst use another system... they dont really want to be helpful

0 funny, 0 helpful.

silviat says on Jun 26, 2005, 13:59:

mikey why dont you try sending a notarized letter to someone you know in bogota and see if they do actually give packet 4 to that person (thought with the interview schedule coming out probably tomorrow it may not worth it.

And about your question "How sure are other posters to this board about the embassy reciving packet 3 before 20th of the month and interviews are the following month?"

I have just heard of one case in this forum and in Visajourney where they sent their forms on early may and didnt receive a june interview...

There may be more but I just have heard of one.

So good luck!

Silvia

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Brians says on Jun 29, 2005, 05:25:

You should have sent it also They are not answering emails and it is obvious that they did not get your fax . This happened to us also. We then sent the forms certified mail. You should have had your interview in June based on your timeline. We sent our forms back 1 week before you and she had her interview, came to the US and got married. Yet you are still waiting on your info. She must be so mad at you right now.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mikeyr says on Jun 30, 2005, 21:35:

Packet 4 My GF in Cartagena has never received one letter from the embassy. In my earlier posting I mentioned that I received notification that packet 3 was sent but she never received it. Today the new interview dates for July are posted and she has a July interview (Whew) but she has never received packet 4. She does not have friends or family in Bogata to pick up packet 4. Is there another way for us to get the information? Will the embassy send me packet 4 in the United States?

On a K1 visa how much money does she need to have with her for the total interview procss including he medical exams? I know there are a number of different fees and not all are spelled out on the embassy website.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Mikey

0 funny, 0 helpful.

rona says on Jun 30, 2005, 22:06:

wow they're really f#!^*+g up mikeyr - my fiancee is also in CTG, and she received all her packets for her interview later this month, I don't know what to suggest but what silviat mentioned I think makes sense . . . as far as costs? so far I know that the lab, medical and bank fees run roughly around 500,000 Col. pesos, - I'm probably leaving out some other stuff - so anybody - feel free to add on to this total - of course I'm not including hotel, cab fare, etc. - I'll post an exact number later (after I get some sleep) so that we can compare notes . . . once again good luck to everybody - we're in the home stretch!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

silviat says on Jun 30, 2005, 23:17:

ok I think you should have an agency do it There are 2 options

1) When I was living in Argentina and I was required some colombian documentation that needed to be processed in bogota, I hired an agency that specialized in doing different types of paperwork. Their name is Operama and I found this in google, I hope it is usefull
"Operama
Cra.7A. NO.48A-60 Of.201
Santa Fe de Bogota
Fax: +5742508389
Tel: +5722859491
Email: comtur at epm.net.co"

In case you decide on using them you would need to ask them the exact name and CC number of the person who would pick it up, so your fiance can make a letter saying:

Me, Silvia Gomez identified with CC number bla bla bla bla de Bucaramanga, autorize Mr. dlkfjaklds kdjfladjfs identified with CC number blablabla de bogota, to pick up the paquete 4 (packet 4) correspoding to the K-1 visa process my fiance Speedy Gonzalez and I are doing in that embassy. My identification number is BGT...

I sent that one so I could have someone pick up packet 4, and if you want me to I can mail your fiance the draft in spanish.

2) The second option is to travel to bogota some 5 or 4 work days before the interview and pick it up yourself. I recommend doing it several days before the interview so you can make sure you have all the paperwork and you can do the medical check and those things.

Whatever you do, start planning on it now so you wont be running against time at the end, and if you need any guidance, I can tell you some things from my experience and I am sure other pbh people can guide you based on theirs. But seriously hurry up to pick up that packet.

Now, about the money:

135000 for the medical exam
120000 for the lab
that makes 255000 which if we take the dolar at 2250 means 114 dolars or so.

100 usd for the visa interview fee

And you have to add up whatever acomodation cost. Do;a Flor guest house (it may be recomendable if she is going by herslef, I heard they are really suportive there) charges from 20 to 30 dolars a night (sometimes a little more, like now that is the high season).
Food, taxis, etc.

Sent your fiance this link too

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=49413&hl=bogota

It was post by Paola, a girl who just had her k-1 visa approved yesterday. She is super nice and she did post a very specific text about her experience, that at least for me was quite helpful.

I Hope everything goes good with your interview, and remember, pick up that packet now!

hugs

Silvia

0 funny, 0 helpful.

silviat says on Jun 30, 2005, 23:19:

oh other thing I dont know if you do check visa journey very often or not, but now there is many people having their interview and their experiences can be very helpful and give you lots of guidance.

www.visajourney.com, and what i usually do is a search for bogota and there will come all of the post with the word bogota on them.

Silvia

0 funny, 0 helpful.

rjstuff says on Jul 1, 2005, 10:37:

Costs for the visa interview My fiancee has her interview on July 21st - she will be flying from Barranquilla - rough costs that she told me in US dollars
Flight to Bogota and back 165
Hotel at 30/night 150 (she's going on a Sunday and coming back Medical and lab 255 on a Friday)
visa fee 100
Food and misc. 300
Total $970

So, I am assuming rounded $1000

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Sonny says on Jul 1, 2005, 15:56:

rjstuff Why is your medical costing you so much. Ours cost $185.00Seems you spending a lot of money. Bob in Bogota has a bed and breakfast two blocks from the embassy for a lot less then $30.00.t asking is all. Not my business but just seemed like a lot of extra cost

0 funny, 0 helpful.

rona says on Jul 1, 2005, 16:29:

Sonny rjstuff's figures are close . . . his expenses mirror mine:
figures in (US $)
my fiancee is flying down from Cartagena = about 180
hotel for the week = about 350
visa fee = 100
medical fees = about 110
food, taxi, etc. = about 300

total = about 1000

. . . we'll be in Bogota on the 20th and staying thru the 28th, how can I contact Bob in Bogota? - I'd like to save some money too - thanx in advance

0 funny, 0 helpful.

rjstuff says on Jul 1, 2005, 17:29:

I think the lab and the medical together were 255. I wrote it when she told me and I will confess I wrote some figures in Pesos and some in Dollars and then tried to convert them all to dollars (not my fault - she confused me!) I think Dona Flores at 30 per night is not too bad - it has a good reputation (on PBH) and that is the least of all the costs!
By the way when I was in Barranquilla the cheapest hotel I could find was $130 a night (Canrnaval time.) So! I am more than happy with that portion of her expense.
I also saw where Silvia was quoted twice the amount by Dona Flor - so I think my fiancee lucked out on that one.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

silviat says on Jul 1, 2005, 20:03:

yes you monika was lucky do;a flor charged jack_smith like 75000 for him and his wife... anyway I think this is a high season so that explains why she wanted to go a little higher.

Ok julio started and our interviews are getting closer... good luck to all of us :)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Sonny says on Jul 1, 2005, 21:31:

rona bob at bogotacolombia.net Great B and B within two blocks of the embassy. You can see what he has to offer on this site not to mention the best prices on Flowers I have found anywhere. Good luck
Maybe someone can tell me the cost of airfare from Cali to Bogota and return.

0 funny, 0 helpful.