Pre- Packet 3 (K1) questions

Sonny says on Aug 30, 2005, 08:17:

1. If I have three years' 1040's well above the minimum threshold (e.g. 125% of poverty level or whatever) and three years' w2's with the same employer...
- Do I need a letter of employment from my employer?
- Do I need a letter from my bank (I also can sub. montly statements)

Answer.....Yes but pay stubs unnecessary but good to have in case.
You need the letter from company you work for in stationary
W-2's son't due

2. Anyone have their I-134 notarized at a notaria in Colombia - or must it be notarized in the U.S.

Answer.......HAve it done here is will be OK

3. I understand that K1's do the I-134 not the 864 (at this point) but VisaJourney also has a note/post saying that some specific embassies require the 864 anyway... what about Bogota?

Answer....... I- 134 is all you need

Relax you have it all under control and then you will enjoy going to the airport and picking her up and then coming to your casa and life begins. Mine did. She arrived last night and life began. It is a wonderful feeling coming home to someone you love

flaleo says on Aug 30, 2005, 11:08:

to clarify... Ooops, to clarify -

The question is -
I want to have my I-134 notarized in Colombia, am I able to (not do I have to)? :)

And do I have to have a bank letter, if I have monthly statements and 1040's showing sufficient income? I mean, what about people that don't even have bank accounts (nor bonds per item 4)? Specifically, has anyone not used a bank letter and been approved, and what did you do instead?

Thanks!

utopiacowboy says on Aug 30, 2005, 13:48:

They can notarize any documents that need to be notarized at the consulate.

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.

Crazy4Cali says on Aug 30, 2005, 14:16:

What's the problem? If you have the necessary income, the amount in the bank isn't a big deal, but the letter is. If you don't have the necessary income, the amount IS a big deal.

But if they want a letter, you should probably bring a letter from the bank. If you're worried about the amount, just go to the bank on payday, before you write any checks.

mikecolombia says on Aug 30, 2005, 20:00:

you have to have it notorized and apostled in the U.S. What good does it do you to have it notorized in Colombia?

utopiacowboy says on Aug 30, 2005, 21:04:

If you bring the I-134 with you and for some reason, you don't get it notarized in the US, you can still get it notarized at the embassy. It doesn't need an apostille.

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.

Crazy4Cali says on Aug 30, 2005, 21:13:

The only catch is... ...you have to go with it to get it notorized on Colombia. If you are just sending it to your novia and not going to go to the interview with her (or him, as the case may be) then you would have to have it notorized in the U.S.

But...

If it were me, I would want as few "loose ends" as possible on the interview day, so I would do it all before leaving. In fact, in my case, I took two copies to the notary so I'd have two notorized copies. (Since the notary services were free, why not?!)

Whatever works...

flaleo says on Aug 31, 2005, 05:33:

I guess I should have better worded it - can I notarize during one of my many trips to Colombia in the next months, while I'm at a notaria having a pile of papers notarized... or do I have to make a special one-off trip while I'm in the USA to do this?

But, you answered all those questions, so thank you all!

So, while I'm waiting for my K1 paperwork to move from CSC to NVC to BOG, what should I do regarding paperwork other than the following (K1, no previous marriages for either of us, no children involved):
- bank letter
- employment letter
- 1040s and W2s
- I-134
- letters of intent to marry (her and me)
- 4 passport-style photos of her (for medical and interview)
- immunizations at her regular doctor in Cali so not to do them at exam
- ????

Am I missing any action items or paperwork (related to the visa, not the move) that we can do now versus waiting for Packet 3 or 4?

Thanks!!

flaleo says on Aug 31, 2005, 06:00:

Conflicting info here Interesting, the US Embassy in BOG website (thanks mikecolombia)
http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsc152.shtml#12
says that an I-864 must be used. Is that a slight error and K1s use the I-134, or is BOG like a small list of other US Embassies that require the I-864 even though standard instructions only call for the I-134? Who here has used the I-134 for a K1?

Also, it says the Affadavit must be notarized by a U.S. notary, and that the embassy will only do this at 1p (thus don't plan to do this in Colombia whether that day at embassy or days before at a notaria).

utopiacowboy says on Aug 31, 2005, 06:32:

They use the I-134 for the K visas. That is what we used.

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.

bobbyb says on Sep 1, 2005, 14:45:

I-134 I filed for I-129F fiancee visa while I was in Panama with my colombiana, in April. I was told at the embassy there that I didn't need the I-134 and this was confirmed when I called the National visa Center and read the same on the State Departments web site. What they all said is that I would file that form with others AFTER mi Novia arrived here. I have since read on the Colombian Embassy web site that the interviewer wants to see some evidence of support. I plan on sending my novia documents, (ie) bank statements and a standard financial statement, in lieu of my taxes and the I-134 form. I'll send them later as is required. I'm reluctant to send my taxes in the mail.
By the way my application was approved May 10th, sent to Bogota July 12th and from what I hear my novia will receive her packet within 2-6 months. I talked to am immigration lawyer and he tells me that this is normal wait time but that I should expect a 3-4 month wait time.

flaleo says on Sep 1, 2005, 22:57:

bob, read up here and and visajourney.com - if you nkow that your paperwork was sent to bog on 12/jul (i.e. you have a nvc case number), from what i understand you can contact the embassy, confirm that they have your paperwork, and create a "packet 3" from forms on the internet (ds-230 part I and ds-2001) and get that to bog without waiting. then you can monitor bog's website and once you have an interview date assigned you can have someone pick up your packet 4. that process may save you months. don't deal with a lawyer.

i haven't done any of the above, but in case you don't get any first-hand stories, it's what i've read of other posters.

Crazy4Cali says on Sep 2, 2005, 06:59:

Yup that's what we did--used a "virtual" packet 3 (thanks to another PBH customer!). It works like a champ!

Packet 4, on the other hand, is VERY important to receive becauase it contains the "letter" which is your ticket to admission at all the things you need to do for the interview: Lab, Medical, Bank, Embassy.

No letter. No admission.

bobbyb says on Sep 2, 2005, 08:15:

The embassy will not tell me if they received my case, I even bought a pin number to talk to someone and they only directed me to a recording. The recording was a colombian with a thick accent speaking, or trying to, English. It was useless.
Anyway I created the Package # 3 for her and sent it today via e-mail to my novia. I have been told that after she completes it she should hand deliver the Pack to the embassy and at the same time pick up her pack 4.
Is that the way to do it? Or Fax and mail it? I heard the fax number is a problem and besides they want a "live" signature. dime

Crazy4Cali says on Sep 2, 2005, 08:40:

We faxed it My novia faxed the two forms they needed and, of course, we didn't hear anything back for 2 weeks, one way or the other.

The schedule is something like:

Forms received before the 20th of the month get interview dates in the following month. You cannot get a packet 4 until you get assigned an interview date so waiting at the embassy for packet 4 could take a while (i.e. don't bother). It takes about 2 weeks to be assigned the interview date. The interview dates for the following month are usually (though not always) posted to the internet by the 26th of the preceeding month.

While all this was going on for us, I was also getting mail from the embassy, sent to me the same time it was sent to my novia. To show you how bad Colombian mail is, I usually got the letters (in the U.S.) before she did in Colombia. Go figure. Usually, I would receive the Embassy letters about 3 weeks after the date on the letter.

So, about a month after you get the letter from the NVC saying they sent your packet to the embassy, you (the gringo) should get a letter from the embassy saying they received your package AND showing your Bogota case number BGT2005.... I would NOT send any correspondence to the embassy without that number on it (Featured VERY prominently, BTW) because without that number, matching your fax or mail to your file will be very time consuming for them (i.e. it'll be put in the "things to do sometime in the future" pile). With the number, the correspondence is matched up very quickly.

If it has been a month or two since you received the letter from the NVC saying they were sending your package to the embassy, then I would start to worry. If not, it's still too early to get worked up.

Remember things don't happen quickly in this process.

fabiolaf says on Sep 5, 2005, 19:28:

Question!!! Hi, I have a question about online DS-2001 form!!...at the top of the form there is a box and it contains the following:

APPLICANT'S PRIORITY DATE (dd/mm/yyyy)

FOREING STATE CHARGEABILITY

INMIGRATION VISA CATEGORY

My question here is...should I write something in this box??...if yes, what did you guys write in : "FOREING STATE CHARGEABILITY" and "INMIGRATION VISA CATEGORY" ?????

Thanks

utopiacowboy says on Sep 6, 2005, 07:56:

Priority date and state chrge Priority date and state chargeability do not apply to spouses or fiancee visas. Technically the K-1 anmd K-3 are not immigrant visas but I don't think it would hurt to put them in the visa category. They are handled by the immigrant visa unit.

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.

bobbyb says on Sep 7, 2005, 14:30:

state rep I talked to my congresswoman about not receiving anything from the embassy, she actually did something!!!!!!!!!!! She contacted the embassy and they said they sent her packet #3 on July 22 to the wrong address!!! They never sent me anything. So I gave her the correct address and she is giving it to the embassy. So I hope she gets it soon. In the mean time I did send her, mi novia, the 2 forms and instructions, en espanol, that come with packet 3 and she copied them but then made a mistake. So she went to copy my e-mail with the forms, again, but now she tells me that the internet cafes that she goes to have some pretty bad equipment and the copies that they print out are unreadable. Does anyone know of a good place to print out the forms in Pereira?

Crazy4Cali says on Sep 7, 2005, 15:33:

you could always cheat... ...and just send the forms via fax from the computer (as in print to fax) and then no paper is required. I did that when I had to send a fax (I don't have a fax machine) and it works great.

I don't know if the Internet Cafes support this or not, but a fax connection from a computer is pretty much a no brainer these days.

bobbyb says on Sep 7, 2005, 18:10:

I tried that but the machines in colombia still use termographic paper which can't be used for documents, althought she could copy from them on a copier.
But now I have another question. Can she go to the embassy and pick up her packet #3, fill it out and then hand delivery that packet and then pick up packet 4 in the same day? She lives in Pereira and it's not easy to take a 9 hour bus ride.

Crazy4Cali says on Sep 7, 2005, 19:21:

Nope You can't pick up packet 4 immediatly after you drop of the forms from Packet 3. This has been answered in more detail in another thread.

bobbyb says on Sep 10, 2005, 07:06:

how about this can she hand delivery the #3 packet and wait a day or 2 to pick up the #4 packet? Here's the sceniero. She doesn't want to do the virtual packet, she wants her own, real packet. The embassy sent the packet to the wrong address. She is going to Bogota Sunday and then the embassy Monday, I read the hours that they're open: Mon-thurs at 1pm (doesn't say what time they close)She lives in Pereria, a long bus ride with a 5 year old kid, I want to save her some time and travelling by trying to get the 2 packets at least in the same week. We're afraid the embassy will send the #4 packet somewhere else in spite of them now having the correct address. I'll review some of the threads for the answer but I know what tread I'm on here and can find this one easier. Soy estupido

utopiacowboy says on Sep 10, 2005, 09:03:

The answer is NO, she is not going to be able to get both of them. They have to process the papers she sends back to them from Packet 3 before they send out Packet 4. When they send out Packet 4, they have scheduled an interview.

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.

bobbyb says on Sep 10, 2005, 10:19:

claro so how long will it take before she will get the #4 packet?

cam0940 says on Sep 10, 2005, 10:48:

cam0940 We've communicated before, and I empathize with you bro. I don't know what the official listed wait time is for Packet #4, but I can tell you what happened in my case:

My girlfriend went to an internet cafe. I called her on the phone. I told her what URL to go to to get the DS-230 and the DS-2001 (on another thread I advised you to just copy the URLs and send them to your girlfriend in an email. Technically, I verbally read the URLs to my girl). We sat on the phone and filled them out. She printed them. We did this because my congresswoman told me that the embassy botched the address for MY fiancee too, and she never received her Packet #3. During that exchange, my congresswoman ensured that they had the correct address for future correspondence. Back to the cafe....

She printed the forms out, signed them, faxed them. The following Monday my congresswoman contacted the embassy to confirm whether or not they got the faxes. They had not, and they told my congresswoman that they don't accept faxes anyway. I knew this was BS because I knew Crazy4Cali's story. But anyway, we said OK fine, and my girlfriend went to the post office to send the DS-230 and DS-2001, that she had printed off the internet using the URLs I gave you, and she sent both of them for guaranteed next business day delivery, which would have been Monday, August 29th. Tuesday, August 30th the list for September appointments came out and we were on it. That means they received her mail, processed the docs, and gave us an appointment the SAME DAY. Thursday, September 2, still in the same week, my girlfriend received her Packet #4.

I can imagine that your girlfriend is uneasy with the "virtual" package, but a DS-230 is a DS-230 whether she gets it online or if it comes in the mail. That's all I'm saying. She may be stressed and want to make sure every t is crossed and i dotted. I fully understand that. But again, the form is the form, and the main focus should be getting her hands on it.

utopiacowboy says on Sep 10, 2005, 11:22:

I think your advice is good, Cam, although you have to admit that getting the forms in a day before they set the interview list for the next month was a stroke of luck. I don't see why she can't do what you suggested from where she lives and save a trip to Bogota.

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.

bobbyb says on Sep 10, 2005, 12:16:

dumb but beautiful? Cam I have been following your advise and others and it has been working. I have all the forms downloaded and my congresswoman has given the ebassy the correct address. At the least, I now know the current status of her packet, where it is, how to get them and how to continue the process from this point,(I hope anyway). She is nervous and wants all the t's crossed. She made a mistake with the forms she was able to print but failed to make blank copies in case she did make a mistake. So I filled out the 2 forms here and sent them to her via e-mail but now she says she can't print them clearly at the cafes' that she uses. I suggested that I fax them to her (also your advise I think) But now she tells me that she just wants to get "her own Packet". Maybe she just wants a weeks' vacation in Bogota?
What's the word in spanish for "spoiled brat"?

bobbyb says on Sep 10, 2005, 12:43:

I still need a clear answer so I have a clear question or 2.
Can she pick up her packet 3 at the embassy?
Can she return the completed packet 3 to the embassy in person?
I know she has to wait for packet 4
I think she just wants to be sure that they give the packet and receives the completed, and with the past address problem I know she is nervous.
Thanks guys

utopiacowboy says on Sep 10, 2005, 13:08:

Malcriada in her case.

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.

bobbyb says on Sep 10, 2005, 13:24:

I have the answer from the danneyhern thread

cam0940 says on Sep 10, 2005, 15:48:

UTC is correct, Bobby. I should have mentioned that I too, was surprised with the speed of our appt after mailing in the forms. I should have mentioned that I suspect the congresswoman's office writing them about the case had something to do with it. Or, as UTC put it, maybe even a stroke of luck. I tried the start the post with a disclaimer about not knowing the official wait time, which I still don't know. This is just our story.

But again, the pressure of whether to go pick up 3 at the embassy, stay there or not to receive 4, etc is REALLY adding more stress to an already stressful situation. I highly, highly, highly recommend you sit there with her on the phone, have the forms open on your computer and walk through it with her while she's filling it out on her computer at the cafe. Proofread before printing. Have her print it, and mail it in guaranteed delivery. This will be cheaper, faster, and just far more convenient than riding a bus up there for 9 hours. NO QUESTION. I don't want to cause an argument with your loved one, but you have GOT to make her understand that she can get the form right there at a local cafe, and she doesn't have to ride that bus yet. It's bad enough she's going to have to ride up there a month later and stay a few days for the medical and the interview. No need to do it at this stage. It's hard with women I know. But as you said, she's already seen the form. That IS the form (or forms, I should say). DS-230 and DS-2001.

bobbyb says on Sep 10, 2005, 16:56:

all set I just talked to her on instant messenger and she was able to copy everything and is going to send it to the embassy monday via courier. I think she is just nervous. I am too but someone has to be rational and the advice from here helps me think more rationally. I love latinas but I think they get really emotional which clouds their thinking. I also think that the congresswoman helped and I hope mine will have the same affect. I have my documents ready to send her including my taxes, I'm a little nervous sending these docs to colombia. I know they open all the mail.

cam0940 says on Sep 10, 2005, 17:11:

Excellent. Then I take it you aren't going down there when she has her interview? What you're doing is fine, but I don't have the anxiety really of sending such sensitive info because I'm going to Bogota. You see, our appt is on a Tuesday. With the medical and everything, my girlfriend actually has to arrive the previous Thursday. That's a long time for her to hang out in a hotel by herself. So I'm going to keep her company and I'm bringing all my tax docs and stuff with me. Then we're flying back together a couple days later after picking up the visa.

bobbyb says on Sep 10, 2005, 18:15:

I wish you luck and I expect an update. My girlfriend has a brother in Bogota that she stays with so it's not so bad for her. I would like to go with her but my doctor ordered me not to fly or scuba dive because I have an ear problem so no more flying. In order for me to meet this girl I drove my jeep from Atlanta to Panama, Colombians don't need a visa for Panama. Talk about an adventure! I was like a god to some of the women I met in central america. I was propositioned by girls and GUYS of every age! But finally meeting her in person was everything I expected and more! :)

bobbyb says on Sep 11, 2005, 05:25:

bilingual form DS-230 because my girlfriend made a mistake on the form and we had trouble e-mailing copies of them, I sent her directly to the El Salvador Embassy site to make her own copies, I discovered that they changed the DS-230 form to a bilingual one, english/spanish. Should make it easier for the girls to fill out

cam0940 says on Sep 11, 2005, 07:51:

Yeah, I noticed that too. Did you walk through it with her? The thing I don't like about the Spanish version is that it's not a fillable PDF. She has to print it out first, then write in the answers manually. But still, a DS-230 is a DS-230.