Visa Approved!

Brians says on Jul 19, 2005, 10:08:

Congrates Silvia Wow,
I just realized who you were when I looked at your Visajourney link. I have seen your posts many times etc. My fiancee was approved back on June 1. We got married June 15th and are happily adjusting. I was following Sam and Andres etc. to see how their interviews went. Keep me posted on your new life here in the US. I tell you what. I give myself maybe 5-10 years more here then back to Colombia for good.

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Neonovo says on Jul 19, 2005, 11:19:

My lady just got the 1st pack from the embassy...but I think she's a bit overalarmed.

I tried to put her at ease by letting her know that pictures, and copies of plane-tickets are not required, because my submission already established enough evidence of a relationship.

She's insisting...even though this statement appears in the embassy package: "Si el peticionario ya presento estos documentos ante el servicio de Imigración hace menos de 12 meses, UD no tendrá que mostrarlos el dia de su emtrevista"

The embassy is also asking for: 3 years of 1040s; W2s; and one year worth of "Earning Statements or pay-slips"; and a letter to confirm employement, which the company I work for furnishes but only through a service called www.theworknumber.com; and the infamous affidavit of support I-134.

These are a done deal. I hope the embassy is up to contacting theworknumber.com. I wish I had found this info or read this thread more careful, so I could've brought it with me on my last trip in June. As it is I'll have to FedEx the pack.

Kind of sounds like an overkill to me; CAN ANYONE TELL ME if one year's worth of pay-slips is an absolute rquirement? (I get paid biweekly, so that's like 30 copies).

I would appreciate any comments...

Paz
Neonovo

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rjstuff says on Jul 19, 2005, 12:45:

Congrats Silvia hope you picked it up today! As far as paystubs Neonovo; send them if for nothing else but to keep her from freaking out. It's not that big a deal, so don't worry about whether they really need it or not - its better for her peace of mind. Good luck

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Neonovo says on Jul 19, 2005, 13:56:

rjstuff, thanks for the input... A few more sheets of paper will not change the cost of this FedEx package, which I hope will be it.

Neonovo

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Sonny says on Jul 19, 2005, 15:16:

great news Silvia I am happy to hear the news. Our interview is on the 29th. I still have finger nails left on my right hand but the left hand nails are gone already :-)
I have done more then I need I think but it is better to have it then to need it. It may be over kill but to my gal it was important so she has all she needs plus. I am buying a new home that weekend if all goes well and we can start our lives off in a nutral place that she can feel she is a part of. I did not want her coming into my old habits. I hope your lives are as wonderful as dreams are made of and wish you a world of love together.

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comboamerican says on Jul 19, 2005, 16:24:

hey guys hey what in the world is a visa k-1

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Dan says on Jul 19, 2005, 16:37:

comboamerican K1 = Fiance Visa

God Bless America!

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silviat says on Jul 20, 2005, 14:26:

Hola chicos :) So we are back to Bucaramanga with a passport, visa and medical exams in our hands!

I cant believe it... I feel so much better, a lot less stressed.

Sonny good luck on the 29th. I am sure you will be a part of the 100% K-1s approved I have heard of so far.

About the girlfriends pushing for you guys to add and add more documents... Seth, my future husband can tell you about it. I made him print emails and more photos that they didnt even look at... But at least I felt more secure having them with me because just in case they wanted to see more evidence... well there it was.

Now, in many cases they dont even watch the proofs of relationship but for example in Sam & Marius case the women read emails and pay atention to the photos and things she took to the embassy... so as I told Seth... Es mejor mucho mucho que poco poco.

About the paystubs I would suggest the same neonovo. Add them, if they are a big bulk of papers it doesnt matter... maybe they wont pay atention to them... maybe they wont even care about those or the emails or the photos, but I am sure your novial will be a thousand times more tranquila knowing they are there.

Maybe that will add up a little bit in the Fedex cost, but your fiance feeling more calm and secure and feeling she had everything they could posibly asking her for during the interview... That is priceless!

I tell you for experience.

I wish you guys good luck! and remember, dont wait for any packet more than 2 weeks. If by 2 weeks you havent receive it... Go pick it up or send someone

For now I will keep organizing bags, my pre-wedding party on Bucaramanga this saturday, and seeing my beautiful fiance work on his computer right in front of me... knowing now that we dont need to be apart anymore makes me teary and happy :)

Chao chicos lindos

Silvia

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BAQ says on Jul 21, 2005, 01:54:

BETTER TO HAVE There is an old saying you people should follow when dealing with the embassy on an issue as important to you as a K-1. TIS BETTER TO HAVE AND NOT NEED THAN NEED AND NOT HAVE. You guys get ONE shot at this so do it right, otherwise you might end up with a broken heart.
As far as what you THINK they "don;t even look at". They SEE more than you think, they may not ASK for it but "Trained eyes" know how to SCAN the horizon. Try showing up with a SLIM PACKET of papers and see what happens. They know about how thick a folder should be and what the corners of a picture look like ect ect ect. For those of you who have never been in the military "Pay attention to detail", you ex military guys know EXACTLY what that means.


Not trying to sound like a know it all, Just some friendy advise from a retired Fed now living in Colombia.

Semper Fidelis !

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rona says on Jul 21, 2005, 19:03:

congratulations Silvia! Good Luck to everybody with upcoming appointments . . . I´m currently in Bogota (just flew in this morning) and so far so good . . . . her appointment is for the 26th. - if anybody is in Bogota through the 28th, PM me to see if we can meet and compare experiences or just to grab some coffee . . .

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silviat says on Jul 22, 2005, 10:02:

cool rona!!! You are just one step for the interview then!

Thats amazing and we are happy for you.

We will flight to Bogota on the 28th night since we travel to MIA on the 29th.

We will be arriving in the night, probably 8.45pm and are planning on a dinner with a few friends, cousins, nothing fancy, just order some food and a few bottles of wine.

Let me know if you are interested!

Abrazos

Silvia

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Crazy4Cali says on Jul 22, 2005, 11:22:

Nosotros también My fiance's visa was approved in Bogotá, yesterday, as well!

The two lessons I would pass on to those who follow are:

1) attention to detail (can't be said enough)

2) the early bird gets through the lines first

We were reminded of the first when we got to the bank to pay (by the way, the bank is open from 8:00 to 3:30). I had the wrong passport number on the form DS-156 so we were frantically filling out a new form in the bank line. Then, while in the taxi after leaving the bank, we noticed they misspelled her name so we had to return to the bank and have that corrected. Fortunately the girl at the bank remembered my finace and was very accommodating, but it could have been worse.

For the second lesson, we showed up to the laboratory at 6:10 for the 7:00 appointment and my novia was the 4th in line. By 7:00, there were about 30 people waiting to get in. At 7:45 we were off to the next stop. However at the embassy, we showed up at 6:20 for the 7:00 appointment and didn't leave until 1:15 that afternoon.

Our wait at the embassy was lengthened further by listening to the directions. One of the embassy people herding the applicants into the embassy told us we should be in the other line just as we were about to enter, (we were in the right line, of course) so we lost a place or two in line as we sorted out the confusion. Bottom-line: 6:20 is not early enough for a 7:00 appointment.

But, I would agree that it's better to have too much than not enough. One of the K-1 applicants wasn't approved because they were missing some documentation. Fortunately they weren't disapproved, but they have to go through the embassy process one more time. That they don't seem to look at everything doesn't mean they don't see it. During the first "interview" our papers were reviewed the CO was going through her checklist and marking each item off on her checklist and on the documents. Of course that they look at everything doesn't mean they always see it the first time. The CO rifled through the papers and then asked my novia for my divorce certificate. After a millisecond of panic, my novia said that all that was in the first application package, so with a bit of a scowl, she rifled through the papers again and found one she was satisfied with (I had submitted two) and we were on our way to the next stop.

The "real" (i.e. the second) interview went very quickly. I was a little nervous, however, my novia told the CO that I spoke spanish very well (which is a bit of an overstatement) so the CO interviewed me in spanish. Fortunately, after a bit of stumbling at first, I seemed to have answered everthing to her satisfaction. Everything being: "What does your novia do for work," "where does she work" and "what are your plans for the wedding?"

With that anxiety behind us we are now planning her trip to the U.S. in 2 weeks!

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lpdiver says on Jul 31, 2005, 08:47:

I disagree You don't get one shot at this. I kow of about a dozen people personally that had issues to clear up. This does take time and is stressful and to be avoided if possible; but, there is certainly no one shot limit.

T

"cook some rice!"

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captbill says on Jul 31, 2005, 13:24:

tourist visa for wife Just a quick question. My colombiana wife from Medellin married May 27th 2005 in Cartagena and I went to the embassy in Bogota and did the colpatria thing and made a cita for August 30th or 31st for a tourist visa for her. I lived with her for a few weeks after and then returned for several more weeks after returning to New Orleans and going and getting forms from Immigration or DHS or whatever they are now called. Since then I have sent off the I-130 to Mesquite tex on the 15th of July, and will be having back surgery sometime I guess soon at the VA hospital in New Orleans which has supplied me with a letter stating I will need assistance recovering from the surgery and I included with the I-130. I was also told another route may be humanitarian parole direct to Washington. When I was at the fed building about a week ago they said they are now processing march 2005 visas. They originally also said they did not think or wasn't sure Bogota would approve a turist visa since she and I are already married.

I am returning to Medellin this week and haven't booked the return fkight and also sent an email with a copy of the g-325's and the letter from the VA asking for any help to get her approved, to the bogota visa website email address Friday morning.

Does anyone have any firsthand knowledge of the tourist visa under these circumstances. The VA could send me papers for the operation tomorrow and I need someone preferably my wife here to help me after they do the surgery. I have until tuesday to make the return flight date without penalty for change and if there is a shot of her getting a tourist visa at the August 30th appointment, I'd be grateful to know and I will stay until then.
Thanks for taking the time to read all the details.
Capt Bill

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