Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
USCIS Service Centers	SO Its true...	From looking on the boards and hearing about people calling the service offices I can understand a little bit more of why some people's applications get processed faster even when their NOA1 is more recent then someone who might have filed much more earlier. Its the dang FBI and their dang name checks... Yes I can understand that everyone's case details are different but why does an FBI name check take so long? My information is so basic cut and dry, squeaky clean I shouldn't have nothing but a leftover thin film of wood polish residue on it. I imagine most of the good people on VJ are the same and maybe a healthy percentage who even attempt this long and painful process are also in the good. So lets hope for the best. James is griping and bored at work on a friday night...	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-08-08 01:59:00
USCIS Service Centers	WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH VSC?	I know its very difficult to the OP but realize that this process actually protects the US citizen and the US Government more than anything.  While most spouse/fiancee visas are legit you can never truly know a person's intent and thus they have to protect you from yourself in a sense.  The wait game is extremely taxing and the process stressful, but if your relationship doesn't survive this than whats it to say it can survive the years in the future.  Also we still are actively looking for those that wish to do us harm and unfortunately we have to scrutinize people's applications (although some countries should be looked more at than others IMO as well as gender and profiling.)	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2013-06-07 09:08:00
Waivers (I-601 and I-212) and Administrative Processes (221g)	desperate to talk to someone, scared to call suicide prevention line	Hey take it easy I know its hard but giving up and letting go is really just going to let the ones making the decision justify their reasonings that much more. Who knows what they would say if they found out one of the spouses in the relationship went suicidal then they really will be like, 'wow saved us from a crazy?" Please don't give up, add me on here and we can talk. Suicide is the wrong answer period. James y Adriana	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-06-22 16:13:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)	NVC September filers	Hey all just wanted to start a NVC filers in September thread. Looking to try to secure an interview with Colombia CO maybe October or Early Nov. Lets see how fast we can make this happen! James y Adriana	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-09-04 05:41:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	People from latin america. Specifically Colombia your two cents please?	[/quote] You can also research the CR1 Visa. If you have all of your documents in place, and depending on your consulate, it may not take much longer than a K3. And you do not have to adjust status in the US with a CR1. Best of Luck to you!! [/quote] I looked into it. Looks like a pretty good deal. You get your visa and your adjustment in status for your spouse done all at the same time for a reduced cost? Sounds like a bargain! Curious... If they have this then why are they implementing K3 visas? Is that some sort of scheme in case things do not work out you leave your spouse in the dust? And how much money can you save by going this route instead?	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2008-12-29 23:45:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	People from latin america. Specifically Colombia your two cents please?	QUOTE (Monica&Isha @ Dec 26 2008, 05:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Why don't you try a k1 visa instead? It is for fiances and it is usually faster than k3. But you have to marry within 90 days after her arrival to the US. You can go to COlombia afterwards and have a wedding party there if u wish. Research here at VJ about K1 and see for yourself. Ah! processing times for people living on the west coast are not that long. The long wait is for East coast people because their cases go to Vermont SErvice Center. This depends on your place of residence. Good luck! Thanks so much for that link! As for K1, she wants to marry in Colombia first with her family present. Then we can renew our vows in front of my family in the states. So a K3 makes more sense. Out of my entire family I believe that only my brother will have the finances and time to come down and support me when I marry. And probably not a bad deal for him either so he can catch the alluring eye of a Colombiana senorita hehe. James	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2008-12-28 03:14:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	People from latin america. Specifically Colombia your two cents please?	QUOTE (Corinthians @ Dec 24 2008, 09:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Depending on the Visa you're trying to get (you call her your gf but you listed K3 which is a spousal visa) it will probably take anywhere from 7 to 9 months on average to go through the process meaning service center sends Noa1 to the time your gf has a visa and can move here. It costs about $455 to file and then once she's here another $1000 + to adjust status. That doesnt include fees for doctor visits, pictures, getting copies of documents you need etc, etc. Thanks Corinthians. I picked K3 visa because we will probably marry in her home country and get the ball rolling that way. I had no idea it would take so long. I thought certain countries get precedence but I must have been mistaken. Wow. Anyway thanks all in advance. I hope to catch up with you all from time to time as things get more solidified for us.	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2008-12-26 00:29:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	People from latin america. Specifically Colombia your two cents please?	Hello all I am new here and my girlfriend and I are really anxious to get the ball rolling for her to join my life here in the US. Not sure exactly but I have been reading all the info and guides. Adriana (my gf) is from Colombia, and I have known her for a good long while. She attempted to secure a tourist visa to visit me last October but they denied her thinking she was just going to live here instead. I found that hard to believe because she is a computer programmer working for a reputable company in Bogota City. Anyway after she was denied I decided I had to make the effort and go down to meet her and so I did earlier this month. I had a great time with her and she was a wonderful tour guide. But alas there was more to her than meets the eye and I believe we have both fallen in love. Love at first sight exists! So I am writing my first post here not only to introduce myself but to gather other's Colombian stories and successes. I would love to know most of all how long it actually takes and how much all the paperwork is? Thank you all for any help that you might bestow to me. James USA & Adriana Colombia	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2008-12-24 21:06:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Off to a fast start	QUOTE (RickD @ Jan 17 2009, 04:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (CoffeeisSweet @ Jan 17 2009, 05:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Princess In Love @ Jan 17 2009, 03:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> CSC is definitely doing things faster than VSC , we sent our I-130 the same day as you and we had our check cleared only yesterday and we are still waiting for NOA1 .....good luck Hey Rick this is good news. I am just curious and don't mind me being frank, being the noobie I still am I am always coming up with more questions when I see other people's progress. Adry and myself have yet to marry but we have set a date for March 21st 2009 in Barranquilla, Colombia. We want to file the I 130 because it allows her to work almost immediately when she arrives to the States and 'act' like a US Citizen. My question to you is I noticed you have also filed for the I 129F. Im assuming you are already married (because of the I 130) but why the I 129F? Isnt that not needed? Curiously intrigued, James Ivonne's parents are pretty traditional and since Ivonne was the last unmarried daughter (I like to believe that God was saving her for me ;-), we honored their desire for both the civil and Christian ceremonies to take place in Bogota. So, we are going through the I-130/I-129F process. The I-129F spouse visa petition will allow Ivonne to enter the US IF the I-130 petition takes a while. In past years the I-130 could take a year to two years to be processed. More recently, there have been cases where the I-130 and the I-129F have been approved at about the same time (six months or so). In those cases, then it would make sense to drop the I-129F and go with the I-130. My advice to MOST couples is do the fiancee visa if at all possible. Ivonne and I would be together right now if the family situation had been different. If you have a religious ceremony but do not register it with the government, then you can legally enter the US on a fiancee visa and do the legal wedding in America (but that does have the disadvantage of your spouse not being able to work right away - same situation with the spouse visa). There are pluses and minuses to each process, so each couple must decide for themselves what will work best for their situation. If you do the legal wedding in Colombia, as planned, have all the forms and paperwork on a flash drive and fill them out while you are there. Print out your wife's G-325 and have her sign it, plus an extra couple of sets of the form, (in blue ink so they know it's the original copy) and hand carry it back with you. Because we had all of the paperwork locked down before I left Bogota, I was able to next day the I-130 package to the Chicago Lockbox just two days after getting back. Having your paperwork complete, accurate, and organized will ensure fewer problems and possible delays. Between the online Spouse Visa kit I purchased ($49.95), the information on this website, and a lot of prayer, I feel pretty confident that we will have a smooth process. I pray that you have the same experience. Rick That does make more sense to me Rick, thanks for clarifying this up for me. I would definately want my hunny here asap but worried that a I130 would take a long time. James	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-17 23:45:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Off to a fast start	QUOTE (Princess In Love @ Jan 17 2009, 03:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> CSC is definitely doing things faster than VSC , we sent our I-130 the same day as you and we had our check cleared only yesterday and we are still waiting for NOA1 .....good luck Hey Rick this is good news. I am just curious and don't mind me being frank, being the noobie I still am I am always coming up with more questions when I see other people's progress. Adry and myself have yet to marry but we have set a date for March 21st 2009 in Barranquilla, Colombia. We want to file the I 130 because it allows her to work almost immediately when she arrives to the States and 'act' like a US Citizen. My question to you is I noticed you have also filed for the I 129F. Im assuming you are already married (because of the I 130) but why the I 129F? Isnt that not needed? Curiously intrigued, James	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-17 05:01:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Quick Question about NVC first package	Hi guys just wondering when you file paperwork to the NVC that if you send off your original marriage license that you get this back at the interview? Thanks! J	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-05-23 01:43:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Pregnancy + K3 ?	QUOTE (JuneFirst @ Jul 8 2009, 11:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I wonder if a pregnacy could speed up the K3 process? Seems like the women that were pregnant when they applied for the K3 got their visas alot faster? If this is sooo and I highly doubt it.. Would this be a good enough reason to have a child? Seems like a poor choice for a reason to me..	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-07-08 11:02:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (Omar and Jennyfer @ Jan 26 2009, 02:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey everyone in Colombia Club, I finally got the script from my wife's CR-1 interview. You can view at at this link, select Colombia for the embassy. http://www.visajourn...views/index.php It's in Spanish, but I can translate it and post it on the Forum if you like. Take care and good luck with all of your visa journeys. Yes pleaseeeee my espanol is not that good. I did buy the program Rosetta Stone levels 1 and 2 and hope to be using that shortly .	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-27 05:14:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (Omar and Jennyfer @ Jan 22 2009, 07:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Mononoke28 @ Jan 22 2009, 02:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Oh dude, don't get me started with Dr. Roa and his staff, I can go on and on for days. Diana So Diana, avoid Dr. Roa at all cost. How are the ratings for the Dra. Gonzalez ? You get a choice of Doctors?	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-23 02:01:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (Omar and Jennyfer @ Jan 21 2009, 03:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (gigisan @ Jan 21 2009, 08:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (jpcanon @ Jan 21 2009, 03:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Omar and Jennyfer @ Jan 20 2009, 05:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Mononoke28 @ Jan 20 2009, 09:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey guys, correct me if I'm wrong but as of last year the DAS gave people specific instructions not to open the Carta Migratoria. They used to hand it out in a sealed envelope and it was meant to be opened by the embassy only. If the document was opened it became invalid and the US embassy didn't accept it that way. Is this no longer the case? Diana Diana, I just talked to my wife yesterday concerning the Carte Migratoria. She told me that DAS gave her a sealed envelope, but she managed to see the paragraph through the almost transparent envelope. Maybe they have improved their service since many people have complained of errors in their Carta Migratoria. On another note, everything is going well on my wife's CR-1, except for the fact the she had to wait over 4 hours to get her x-rays and blood work, and another 7 hours for her physical at Dr. Roa's. She told me that exam procedures are very disorganized and that more staff are needed to take on the numereous patients that attend. Now, this is were the praying begins, her interview is scheduled for tomorrow, Jan 21st for the CR-1, wish us luck. Thanks again Colombia Club. Good luck! Let us know how it goes at the embassy..... Good luck to you Thank you all for the the good lucks. My wife had the interview this morning and was approved for the CR-1 Visa. She told me that its imperative to take as much evidence as possible, one picture will not suffice as many interviewees' were denied because of the lack of evidence. Awesome Omar I am glad for you. My fiancee and I are wanting to do the same CR-1 Visa route as well. Your story and success helps pave the way for the rest of us, bravo!	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-22 02:51:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (DeathNova @ Jan 17 2009, 02:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I personally think they're full of garbage. I just don't want them screwing her up and being in a pickle at the embassy. I've never known a passport number to be anything but the number dead smack on the face of the passport. DeathNova, that sounds so stupid. I hope you guys get past the issue.. I havent even started and I am already fearing the awe and intimidating might of this Bank just by reading through here. Goodluck to you both! James	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-17 07:01:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (subguy812 @ Jan 16 2009, 02:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well tomorrow I should know for sure if my arrangements are set to go to the interview. I think I worked it out. I was reviewing the AOS portion and it appears it is important to do this quickly after the wedding. Any helpful tips? And did I see the fees correctly??? WOW The fees that much? How much would that be?	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-16 08:57:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	Greetings and Salutations Colombia, I received information regarding the required marriage paperwork that we need to have a marriage in Barranquilla but its all in Espanol. Mi espanol es muy mal. So rather to make a mistake in my translation or my girlfriends, would anyone be kind enough to let me know what they want? " * fotocopia de registro de nacimiento autenticado no puede ser mayor a 3 meses valido para matrimonio * fotocopia del pasaporte de contrayente * declaracion de solteria * registro civil del matrimonio anterior con nota de divorcio autenticada * declaracion juramentada que no tuvo hiijo en el matrimonio pasado * copia autenticada del libro de varios(this link say what is the meaning to libro varios http://www.unicef.or...gistro/c3c.htm) donde conste la inscripcion relativa a la sentencia de divorcio cesacion de efecto civiles de matrimonio catalico o de la nulidad del matrimonio civil o de la providencia que declare nulo el matrimonio catolico o la dispensa pontisicia . Los documentos anteriormente mencionados deben ser apostillado y traducido por un traductor oficial" Thanks a ton James	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-16 00:46:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (Mononoke28 @ Jan 14 2009, 11:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Cry me a river James. This coming all the way from Denver. Diana Hehe, to say it was cold for you guys is an understatement. I was reading that some places were so far below 0 that in 10 minutes flesh can freeze. Thats incredible! I cannot imagine how cold that is much less desire to know. Then again the only way to combat the cold is a nice bowl of chili.	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-15 05:07:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (Mononoke28 @ Jan 12 2009, 12:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (CoffeeisSweet @ Jan 11 2009, 05:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Greetings to Colombia! I posted in the CR1 forums but did not get a response to one of my questions and now after pre filling out some of the stuff we were able to fill out now I formulated a couple more questions that maybe you guys can help me with. I noticed in the I 130 example form on this website the petitioner lists himself in section C (17. List husband/wife and all children of your relative.) Wasn't that suppose to be info about your fiancee or spouse? Also the I130 package checklist at the end states to include evidence of bonafide marriage? Does anyone have any examples of what they included? Adry and me of course are not married yet and do not have items 1-4 on the evidence checklist. So we have to go with affidavits and any additional evidence of an ongoing marriage. This leads me to believe you have to send in your receipts of your hotel and airline accommodations, chat logs, and or a photo album. That would be one big package to send or am I mistaken? Give me your thoughts about that part. Also and lastly the affidavits that you have your friends and family complete do those have to be signed by a notoriety? Just curious. Thanks mis amigos. Coffee, Question #17 of the I-130 asks to list the names of husband or wife and children (if any) of the beneficiary, in this case your wife. So you would put your name down because you will be her husband when you file for her CR1 visa. [=/k,. As for evidence of a bona fide marriage, basically a copy of your marriage certificate is all you need but you can also send them a couple of affidavits from friends or family members. These don't have to be notarized. You can save any other evidence for your interview. Diana Ahhh thanks for the clear up Diana. Oh and thanks you guys for making mi novia feel more at ease. I think she was worrying about the wrong items all along. And speaking about other 'item's it suree is cold in Key West. Friggin temp drop overnight made Physical training almost unbearable. I am sooo used to 70 and 80 degree weather whatsup with that ehehe. James	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-14 08:51:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (CoffeeisSweet @ Jan 11 2009, 09:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hola Yo soy colombiana y mi novio americano nosotros queremos casarnos y no gustaria saber cual es el procedimiento de la visa CR1 y si alguien nos podria facilitar un ejemplo de las aplicaciones que hay que llenar para este tipo de visa Agradecemos su ayuda Adry y James Ah my beloved put this in the wrong forum but I will put this in the spanish forums for her behalf . Ohhhh I love her!	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-12 10:19:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	Hola Yo soy colombiana y mi novio americano nosotros queremos casarnos y no gustaria saber cual es el procedimiento de la visa CR1 y si alguien nos podria facilitar un ejemplo de las aplicaciones que hay que llenar para este tipo de visa Agradecemos su ayuda Adry y James Edited by CoffeeisSweet, 11 January 2009 - 09:10 PM.	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-11 21:07:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	Greetings to Colombia! I posted in the CR1 forums but did not get a response to one of my questions and now after pre filling out some of the stuff we were able to fill out now I formulated a couple more questions that maybe you guys can help me with. I noticed in the I 130 example form on this website the petitioner lists himself in section C (17. List husband/wife and all children of your relative.) Wasn't that suppose to be info about your fiancee or spouse? Also the I130 package checklist at the end states to include evidence of bonafide marriage? Does anyone have any examples of what they included? Adry and me of course are not married yet and do not have items 1-4 on the evidence checklist. So we have to go with affidavits and any additional evidence of an ongoing marriage. This leads me to believe you have to send in your receipts of your hotel and airline accommodations, chat logs, and or a photo album. That would be one big package to send or am I mistaken? Give me your thoughts about that part. Also and lastly the affidavits that you have your friends and family complete do those have to be signed by a notoriety? Just curious. Thanks mis amigos.	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-11 19:14:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (HAL 9000 @ Jan 6 2009, 11:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> James... until you can process your wife Stateside, you won't have much luck collecting that BAH. Until your next review you may want to not mention your wife all that much in case you have a clearance at stake... although obviously that always comes up. Don't worry about the drug issue. That is pretty much all drama and nonsense. I am wondering if you asked for a military expedite on your K-3 paperwork. No Hal we have not even begun to drink enough Club Colombia to get married that quickly hehe. Still sawing out our details for a Spring wedding in March in her home town of Barranquilla. Of course i like getting started as early as possible. Anyway I have a feeling my clearance will be an issue but I am positive that I will survive any blow thrown at me. I have not heard of the military expedite process. Wow?? If it is significantly faster than maybe I'll skip the CR1 route but only if it is marginal mas. How do you go about the military expedite and what are the requirements? I live in Key West its not like I am stationed in Colombia having orders to move away from her. But still this would be a sweet deal. James	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-06 19:33:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (subguy812 @ Jan 5 2009, 01:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I have looked at almost every possibilty to be able to attend this interview on the 28th. I am seriously stressing because the chance for me to attend is looking more distant. I know it is a gamble to not go, or am I freaking out more than I need to? Subguy, I really feel for you man. Sometimes money and the demands of work can really stamp into your plans. My own job in the military has hampered many of my own personal endeavors as I have to put Uncle Sam first. I have to agree with everyone else though that you should stop stressing and worrying and just have faith in what you and your wife posses. Love is all you need. And if it is shown in your pictures and all the activities you shared throughout your visits and time spent together when together or apart then it should shine through. Omar and Jenny, I was putting my heart into a K3 VISA because being apart from a loved one is so difficult but now with everyone saying CR1 is so much better I have to agree. I looked at your timeline and was very impressed. Not too shabby i take it. I wish you also the best of luck. Artigano, hey guy I saw your questions and was thinking of how I would answer some of your questions, specifically the wait on the C130. Wouldnt that be because you wanted to be sure where you wanted to live at? What if you saw great opportunity in Colombia instead of the US and wanted to wait? Thats my take. Also how did you get a shared bank account? I imagine its a US bank. Does she take money from it every now and then? I guess thats a good record keeper right there. A woman diving into my bank account should be sufficient for a bonafide marriage alone hehe (no offense to the ladies). My ex was very notorious for plucking and sabataging my money I earned while working two jobs while she splurged on new cell phones and stuff we don't need. Ugh. Also is there anyone in the military or former military that can answer whether or not you recieve spousal BAH dependent pay for your spouse even if they are still awaiting their visa approval abroad? Or do you have to wait till you get permission from Uncle Sam? I have been hearing that even if you marry abroad your marriage does not even count until uncle Sam says it counts. I am in the Air Force serving in Key West and part of my mission is anti drugs. Of course Colombia has a past history of all bad things concerning narcotics. Just wondering if anyone has dealt with that? Thanks all. James	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-01-06 02:14:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (HAL 9000 @ Dec 30 2008, 12:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> James I agree with Diana on this one. If all sails well, the K3 route is supposed to be a month or two faster than the CR1 route... BUT... you'll be paying more in AOS costs later on down the road. Depends what you'd rather have... if your SO has a job in Colombia then it may be better to go the CR1 route since the economy isn't the best right now for job hunting, specially in South Florida. So... get a case of that Club Colombia. I got some yuca and chorizo at home. All we need is some papa criolla and any other meats to grill up. I see you're in Key West so the meet up can be somewhere between you and Marathon! Agreed, the economy is in such a downward spiral right now but I already told her it may be difficult to land a job. I believe I will go the CR1 route and start filling out the paperwork before we are even hitched hehe. And yes lovely key west has its merits but downfalls. I actually prefer the mainland more so than being in paradise all the time. Afterall, I am originally a golden boy from So Cal. Westside! Lol. But yeah I wont mind meeting up at all. I am a horrible cook but Ill grab the beverage of choice and we can have us a beach party on one of the key's beaches .	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2008-12-30 15:49:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	QUOTE (HAL 9000 @ Dec 29 2008, 07:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> James I'm serious about that Club Colombia... Ahaha ok ok I will bring some Club Colombia, although remember drinking rum and coke and a pina colada while i was down in Bogota . Say do you guys know if CR1 is a better route than the K3? In another forum I posted to I was asked to check into it. Seems like you take care of two birds with one stone with that way, but is it worth it and is the length of the process quicker? I would want my baby with me asap rather than wait a few months out of efficiency's sake. James PS HAL if I get the Club Colombia you have to come up with the Colombian comida ok	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2008-12-29 23:51:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club	Hey all I am such a noobie here. I want to join the Colombian club as a future hubby to a sweet sweet Colombiana. Anyway we haven't even married yet but plan on doing so this March. I've tried absorbing as much information as I can muster on this board topic alone but I can imagine that my spongey insides will ooze out some critical information. So of course I will come by and visit you guys from time to time. I look forward to catching up with you all on this board and hearing all the stories, advice, and support that I can get. I know that we have a long road ahead of us in the months ahead. Mi novia is convinced that the process does not take very long despite me showing her this website. Hehe, 2months anyone? Anyway i plan on giving her this link and the spanish thread (http://www.visajourn...showtopic=78366) also for her to dessiminate and read. I hope our process can be a smooth one. Many thanks in advance! James USA Adriana Colombia	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2008-12-28 03:08:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Visa delivery	Depends on the country and embassy but i read it can take anywhere from 2-10 days.	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-06-29 01:10:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Does fiance attending K1 interview make a difference?	Been haunting these boards less regularly than before now that the K1 has been sent but I was wondering a few things and hearing some reassurance or positive feedback from members that have had their fiance attend their interview with them would be nice! 1. Did they ask you (USC) any questions as well? 2. Were you allowed to go to the window with your fiance to hold their hand? 3. In your opinion, did it make a difference towards a positive outcome? ie were less questions asked or proof asked for relationship. 4. What did you wear???? My fiance is planning to come down for the interview stage. Initially he wanted to be down for the medical as well, so he could wait for me in the waiting room but since the time between medical and interview might be spaced out too far and he cant afford to take much leave for work, we settled for just the interview. We have tons and tons upon tons of proof but hoping they'll cut us some slack with him being there with me. So for those that have jointly attended the interview, any feedback or words of advice? The best thing I can tell you and probably the most beneficial is you have to read the embassy reviews that fellow VJers may have posted for your specific country's embassy. Go check out the Reviews Embassy or USCIS POE and find the country your significant other is from and read the latest and greatest there. Fellow VJers are quick to give in depth reviews there, down to what line to line yourself up at, what clothing to bring for the type of year, what the embassy personnel expect of you, and even what some of the CO names are so you can be ready for the types of questions they ask. I know whats in store for me for Colombia.. at least for the most part . James y Adriana	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-06-29 01:41:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	What do you love about your fiance?	QUOTE (pweettyy @ Jun 30 2009, 01:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> igt, then i love everything about HIM! xoxo Thats gooooooooooooooooooooood to knooooooooooooow . Say that pic you have in your avatar looks oddly familiar... Let me guess... The game "The Sims 3?" I want this game, looks very fun haha! James y Adriana	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-06-30 02:27:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Maybe USCs should have more weight in the matter...	QUOTE (Gary and Alla @ Jul 1 2009, 10:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (caliboylost27 @ Jul 1 2009, 10:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I was reading this thread http://www.visajourn...howtopic=205093 And someone brought up something that seems to hit home for almost everyone that is going through on this process. When it is all said and done, all the paperwork and the hassles of securing your loved one a visa to enter the country.. It all comes down to a single person at the embassy to be given the duty to interview you and ultimately decide whether or not your loved one should be allowed to enter the country or not. Now i know that this single job is a very demanding and stressful job.. Golly I cannot imagine living with the nightmares some of these people deal with on a daily basis but leaving it up to just a single person who decides on the whole case is pretty unfair. Should the worse of experiences happens, you or your spouse/fiancee/relative get ridiculed for bringing insufficient/overwhelming evidence, treated unfairly/biassedly/rudely, or just plain put into a stereotypical category from first glance. We should have protections set in place that a USC can petition for or complain about. The thread that i spunned this other subject from there was a man and his significant other who brought sufficient evidence but the CO said it was not enough and flat out told her to return. To protect us and valid couples, what have people done to complain or petition for another review? Like i said in that thread, "I do not like the idea of someone deciding the fate of our lives, the military does that enough for me.." What can we do in case this happens? What are our rights as USCs? What can we do to not let aholes, ignorant people, biased, and not properly trained COs dictate our lives? I'm only writing this topic thread because I want to look out for everyone else and see what our are options are in the matter. I have not experienced this myself but reading up on it from other people's experiences make me a little worried... Your opinions and discussion is greatly appreciated. James You, as a USC have a right to petition a visa for your SO. Your SO as a foreign national has NO right to a visa. NO visa is denied based on a single person's decision. Petitionss are returned to USCIS for review with a recommendation of denial. USCIS often re-affirms and re-sends the petition back to the consulate (we see threads about this here all the time) and there is a forum dedicated just to such denials and what you can do about them. It is a mis-statement to say that ONE PERSON makes a decision to deny, simply isn't true. In just as many...actually far more cases, the visa is approved with no questions asked. (i see no one complaining about that) And even then it is not the decision of one person. For one thing, the ONE person doing the interview follows the rules and practices of the consulate which was the result of many people's work. One person may do the interview but it is a mistake to assume it was his/her on the spot decision. The decision has usually been made before the interview (hence the frequent "no questions asked" interviews) by reviewing the documents YOU have presented. YOU and your fiancee have a right to present your case and provide evidence of a bona fide relationship. I suggest you prepare for it. The TWO people most influential in this process are YOU and your FIANCE(E) If you go around blaming it on the "one mysterious person" or think it is so, you are doomed to fail. Gary, That is indeed uplifting.. I was just a little worried about it and thinking that it was one person that might decide and what to do or get the help in case it happens. Of course no one would complain about the visa being approved with no questions asked.. Some couples just look great together, for that i can be thankful lol.	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-07-01 09:24:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Maybe USCs should have more weight in the matter...	I was reading this thread http://www.visajourn...howtopic=205093 And someone brought up something that seems to hit home for almost everyone that is going through on this process. When it is all said and done, all the paperwork and the hassles of securing your loved one a visa to enter the country.. It all comes down to a single person at the embassy to be given the duty to interview you and ultimately decide whether or not your loved one should be allowed to enter the country or not. Now i know that this single job is a very demanding and stressful job.. Golly I cannot imagine living with the nightmares some of these people deal with on a daily basis but leaving it up to just a single person who decides on the whole case is pretty unfair. Should the worse of experiences happens, you or your spouse/fiancee/relative get ridiculed for bringing insufficient/overwhelming evidence, treated unfairly/biassedly/rudely, or just plain put into a stereotypical category from first glance. We should have protections set in place that a USC can petition for or complain about. The thread that i spunned this other subject from there was a man and his significant other who brought sufficient evidence but the CO said it was not enough and flat out told her to return. To protect us and valid couples, what have people done to complain or petition for another review? Like i said in that thread, "I do not like the idea of someone deciding the fate of our lives, the military does that enough for me.." What can we do in case this happens? What are our rights as USCs? What can we do to not let aholes, ignorant people, biased, and not properly trained COs dictate our lives? I'm only writing this topic thread because I want to look out for everyone else and see what our are options are in the matter. I have not experienced this myself but reading up on it from other people's experiences make me a little worried... Your opinions and discussion is greatly appreciated. James	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-07-01 09:00:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	INTERVIEW PROCESS WENT STRANGE.	I believe the shoplifting incident might be the only reason why your wife is undergoing an AP. The NVC would have caught her name in their system or surely the USCIS from beforehand right? My wife is Colombiana and her last two names are Arzayus Escobar.. scary eh? But turns out these names are very common downrange.	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2009-09-10 10:36:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club Part II	Viva Colombia Club! I have returned after a crazy dry spell trying to get my account back with a bit of help from the admin folks. I have missed so much since I last logged in so I may not know whats the latest on everything. For those that do not know me I was just like you trying to find a way to get my wife into the states with all the heartache that the US Immigration system will try to throw at you. I just have to say have no fear. I am sure the Colombia Clubs record of 100% base hits and zero strike outs still holds. I will try to help answer some questions if I can, but memory only serves me correctly on the actual interview preparation. Anyway an update on us; we took a trip outta Key West Fl to Orlando to visit Disneyworld in February. From then on it was a blur, after my training, we went on a cross country road trip making stops in Omaha Nebraska (to see my brother), Alberqueque New Mexico (to visit), Grand Canyon West at the Hualabi Tribe, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, and finally to visit with my family in S. Cal. We were privelaged enough to get a chance to visit with Colombia Club's very own, Ken and Leidys in April before we had to head out for S. Korea for my next duty assignment. So pretty much been living in Korea until we can get back to the States. Despite the huge changes for Adriana since moving to the US and to Korea she says she couldnt be happier because she gets to spend it with me. Well thats whats been going on, I hope all of you guys are doing fine and hope to hear from some of the oldcomers and see how you guys are doing as well.	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2010-10-05 23:42:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club Part II	[quote name='Ken y Leidys' date='Jan 8 2010, 11:26 PM' post='3616940'] Hey everyone, Hhahha, Ken that is a very funny picture that you found on facebook. Yes we partied but on a limited basis since EVERYTHING in SouthBeach is pretty expensive! So yes as I am writing this Adriana is enjoying the family life and my apartment here in Key West. From friday on we have been doing so many things and catching up despite being separated for less than 2 months. However Miami International Airport can scratch one point for being extremely tardy. They took forever to interview Adriana because they only had one agent conducting interviews despite having numerous offices in the vicinity. I had waited 3 hours since her plane touched down at the airport so I naturally got extremely worried and was doubting even the location where I was waiting at that Adry might be exiting elsewhere. Whew but finally she came out and all worries washed away and we hit up SoBeach and all of Miami. Got a nice hotel and ate a nice dinner there too, then the next day went to see Avatar . great movie btw. Anyway guys just have hope at the POE and be extremely patient is all i can say. Now on to her residency and to S. Korea hahah. James y Adriana posting pics later...	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2010-01-10 19:51:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club Part II	We go to a wire transfer service here in Denver, it's called AFEX and you can find it in most Latino stores in the country. They charge $4 for every $100 and pay a lot more than Xoom. Last week I checked out Xoom's site because it's more convenient but noticed that they were paying like $1900 and something pesos per dollar when AFEX was giving $2040 pesos. Diana Jesh that sounds like AFEX would be the way to go but unfortunately I don't think we can use AFEX in S. Korea so might have to go with Xoom for the internet convenience. Anyway guys its only 2 days away! woot woot James	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2010-01-06 20:05:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club Part II	JOE finally awesome man. I truly believe that you will get it this time so hang in there! James PS: Im looking into XOOM as maybe the preferred method to sending money back to Colombia right now.	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2010-01-05 20:11:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club Part II	Hello allllll. 4 MAS DIAS!!! Finally lol! Does anyone know if any US Banks have connections with any Colombian banks that do wire transfers for the lowest price. My bank, albeit a very good one, unfortunately charges 35 dollars for international wire transfers. We need a bank that does wire transfers for a small nominal fee. Or a bank that can easily transfer money to Colombia.. Any ideas Colombia Club ?	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2010-01-04 18:04:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussion	Colombia Club Part II	I can for one say I watched it live! Congradulations bro, how was vegas by the way, we sooooooooo want to go over there in March.	james&adry	Male	Colombia	2010-01-01 14:24:00