Bypassing Team Papi Membership

[valleydude]

I just returned from Cartagena at 3:00am, and it looks like there was some news going on. (Congrats to Bundy)

I went to Cartagena last week to see my girl and it looks like we went a little further and bypassed joining Team Papi completely. On Friday morning we caught a plane over to San Andres, and we where officially married on Saturday.

I believe I have now shifted from the Swiss Fan Club to Team UC, as for I am now married to a Paisa Viuda Bonita. However; I don't think I will get my Team Shirt until August, when she is officially over 30.

It was just the two of us and we were married at the notary's. Afterwards we spent a couple of days on the island, then returned to Cartagena. I am a little tired and busy right now, but I will be back after work to post some more.

Officially,
MarriedDude

P.S. Has anyone else here been married on San Andres? I am curious if I can start the paperwork right away, or if I need to do something before I can begin?

[sean126]

That's Great dude.  I'm extremely happy for you and your wife!!!!  Congrats.

[bundy_138]

CONGRATULATIONS!      Great news!  We (my novia and I) thought about going the same route, but decided on the K-1 first, getting her here and then a wedding.  Glad you had a good time in SA.  Maybe I'll get a chance to meet you when I honeymoon in Cartagena! 

Good luck to you and your new bride!

Bundy

[jm21-2]

How many clubs are there going to be? Hahaha...

Congrats dude!

[william3rd]

Get the signed G325 for her, passport photos, marriage registration and translation, birth certificate and translation, then come home and get started.

[fathertime]

Yo VD, Your woman is stunning, georgous eyes! GREAT job and get her over here in a hurry!  It is good to see so many regular good guys coming back with such bell-ringers!

Fathertime!

[soltero]

Congratulations, ValleyDude! Here's to many years of wedded bliss for you and your beautiful new bride!

[el_ruso]

Congratulations!  I wish you happiness and speedy immigration process.

[papi]

I will still send you the T shirt as Team Papi accepts both K1/K3 applicants. Congrats!! I know you struggled a tad with project latina and happy to hear you got married. Bravo!

On the immigration, I received a PM from a member of the Fan Club asking me some questions on the process and going the DIY route (Do-It-Yourself). I will try my best to help out the fan club but think it would be difficult to go the DIY route unless you speak good spanish and sit down with your novia to go over the forms. But to get things started, VisaJourney is the way to go.

[daytrader]

I'm happy for you ValleyDude.. you did very well!  Mucho Congrats!

DayTrader

[Parlay Rey]

Congrats, to you and your new family! Sincerest wellwishes! Cartagena and San Andres nuptials would seem like paradise overload!

[jediknight]

congrats, your wife is beautiful. now, getting her over here. since you're married you have a choice of going K3 or CR-1. here is a link that explains the difference.
http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?autocom=custom&page=compare


doing it yourself is NOT difficult, you just need the time to research, gather documents and read the info carefully. if you haven't done so, go over to visajourney.com and register. there are lots of people who are very helpful. once registered and depending on which visa you plan on pursuing, check out the forums for K3 and CR-1.

a  note about the things you'll need. for either K3 or CR-1, you'll need to fill out the I 130 and send in addition to a copy of your marriage certificate (If not in English then again get a translation), Copy of the Birth certificate for the US Citizen (front and back),If either you or your spouse were previously married, submit copies of documents showing that all prior marriages were legally terminated,A copy of a prior spouse's death certificate. (If one or both were married before, and the prior spouse died),G-325A (all four pages) filled out by the US Citizen signed and dated,G-325A (all four pages) filled out by the foreign spouse signed and dated,

PLUS
Evidence of a bonafide marriage

They list examples of acceptable evidence as:
1. Documentation showing joint ownership or property; or
2. A lease showing joint tenancy of a common residence; or
3. Documentation showing co-mingling of financialresources; or
4. Birth certificate(s) of child(ren) born to you, thepetitioner, and your spouse together; or
5. Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties havingpersonal knowledge of the bona fides of the maritalrelationship (Each affidavit must contain the full nameand address, date and place of birth of the person makingthe affidavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner ofbeneficiary, if any, and complete information and detailsexplaining how the person acquired his or herknowledge of your marriage); or
6. Any other relevant documentation to establish that thereis an ongoing marital union.

JK
 

[william3rd]

You may use the faceplate of an unexpired US passport issued for at least five years in lieu of the birth certificate for the US citizen

[valleydude]

Thanks a million guys!

I am very happy with her. She is just the coolest/neatest girl. She just never ceases to amaze me. One small thing is that each time I think I have gone to far and ruined a moment by being a clown, she just can't get enough.

Something that I thought was kind of funny was our wedding dinner. I was thinking all day how I could make it extra special for her. I had my eyes out for someplace nice to eat on the water, and planned on spending/doing whatever it took. When the time came, we ended up getting Presto Burger and eating/watching people on the balcony.

Thanks for the info on the side. I want to get her here quick, but I am back here in the states. I have the original and certifed copies of our "Registro Civil de Matrimonio", but it isn't translated or apostilled. Will I have to be heading back to Colombia to make something official? She has copies as well, so maybe she can do it? I hope I just didn't set ourselves back. I plan on spending all weekend reading Visa Journey. I thought we would probably be doing a lot of FedEx'ing and I left her plenty of cash. I hope I don't have to head back next weekend just to get this rolling. (Though that would put me at Elite status for the year on COPA.)

I guess I should probably let my head clear up a little before I start asking new quesitons and sweating something new that I know nothing about.

VD

[doombug]

I have the original and certifed copies of our "Registro Civil de Matrimonio", but it isn't translated or apostilled. Will I have to be heading back to Colombia to make something official? She has copies as well, so maybe she can do it? I hope I just didn't set ourselves back.

I fear you may have to do a little more legwork.

During my Peruvian marriage "experiment," I clearly recall having to get both an, 1) apostille ("an official and highly recognised government notorization") of the marriage certificate; and, 2) a Spanish translation of this authenticated marriage certificate. The process was a bit of a pain in the ass, as I and the bride had to taxi around Lima to pay for this receipt, and wait in this line, and then that line, and return later for this, etc.

And I seriously doubt the copies your bride has will suffice. Likely, she will need that original copy. You, on the other hand, will need only copies of the resultant documents (front and back) to submit with your petition.

My petition for the K-3, by the way, was approved in the end. And without the aid of a lawyer. My primary resources: VisaJourney, and the respective consulate and municipality websites.

I couldn't get this link to convert to the English version, but it mentions how the process works in Bogotá:

Autenticaciones

La Unidad de Servicios a Ciudadanos Estadounidenses puede autenticar cualquier documento legal que vaya a ser presentado en Estados Unidos, como escrituras, contratos, poderes, etc. La Unidad de Servicios a Ciudadanos Estadounidenses ofrece este servico de lunes a jueves entre 8:30AM y 12M, excepto en días festivos. El costo es de US $30,00 para el primer servicio y US $20,00 por cada documento adicional. Se puede pagar en dólares o en pesos.

La Convención de La Haya abolió el requisito de legalización de documentos extranjeros el 5 de octubre de 1961. Ésta entró en vigor en EE.UU. el 15 de octubre de 1981 y en Colombia el 30 de enero de 2001. Para utilizar en Colombia documentos que originen en EE.UU., éstos requieren una apostilla emitida por autoridades competentes en EE.UU. Asimismo, los documentos colombianos que se vayan a utilizar en EE.UU. requieren una apostilla emitida por las autoridades competentes en Colombia. En Colombia, esa autoridad la tiene el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores:

Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
Oficina de Legalizaciones
Calle 98 No. 17-32
Teléfono: 520 11 46
Bogotá, D.C.

Los documentos legalizados con la apostilla del Ministerio no necesitan ser autenticados por un funcionario consular estadounidense.

http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsc063.shtml

Peace--and congrats!

[Edit: I recall that San Andres is a bit quirky with its notary procedures, so what I've written above may not even apply there. Surely--hopefully--someone will correct me if I'm wrong. The PL thread here is where I first came across mention of it.]

[jediknight]

to get started, from colombia you'll need her birth certificate(long form from the book) and your marriage certificate. there is a short, abbreviated birth certificate, don't get that one.
you only need one of each for now(marriage/birth) but at some point you should have a minimum of 3 each, preferebly 4-5 if you don't have them now. why so many? you'll need copies to send with the I-130,copies for yourself and copies that you will have to send with the form DS-230 right before the interview. then you should have a couple extra just in case. when i say copies i mean they should all be original copies from the notaria with stamps and seals, not photocopies. i didn't get them apostilled and as far as i know, the couples that have recently gone through this didn't either, it wasn't necessary and no where was it asked for.
http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsimve.shtml#Documents%20needed

 i got bastimal certificates but we didn't need them, i have them just in case but they are not necessary for the I-130 application or for anything else.

i translated everything myself since i am fluent in spanish. anyone can translate the documents, it doesn't have to be an "official" translator, all you need to include at the bottom of the translation is a statement saying "I,your name , certify that I am fluent (conversant) in the English and Spanish languages, and that the above/attached document is an accurate translation of the document attached entitled_________ .
Signature
Date Typed Name
Address"

if you are not fluent in spanish, then you can get someone that is, by either paying for the service in colombia, here or getting someone you know that is fluent.

your wife can send you the documents through Servientrega which uses fedex. my wife just sent me her certificado judicial (which your wife will need to get eventually) on Wed afternoon and I got it Fri. your wife should also download or you can send her the form G325A which she has to sign. there are 4 pages to this form and each page looks exactly the same except for the page numbers, so make sure that she signs all 4 pages. she also needs to send you passport photos to include with the application.

a few things to keep in mind. there are a few factors that determine the speed in which your application is processed like, which visa you apply for, which service center you have to deal with, whether they are backed up, background checks, so be prepared to wait. from start to finish, this can take anywhere from 5-12 months, with the CR-1 usually taking a bit longer than the K3. we decided to go the CR-1 route because she'll enter as a resident with all of the travel and work privileges. i'm about to send the DS230 and hope to get an interview soon after. by the way, always make copies of everything you send to USCIS or NVC just in case. good luck
JK

[Ray]

Congratulations VD and best wishes to you and your lovely bride.

Don’t start filling out any forms until your head stops spinning (LOL!)

You can go to the UCIS Web site and read up on filing procedures for the spousal visa petition. For starters, download and print the following forms and read over the instructions carefully:

I-130
G-325A
I-129F

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

You shouldn’t have to make any trips back down before you file. The certified copy of your marriage certificate you have should be fine. CIS does not need apostilles.

As mentioned already, you will need completed and signed copies of Form G-325A from your bride. MAKE SURE TO GET TWO COMPLETE SETS. You will need a second set for the K-3 petition if you file for that also. She can fill out the G-325A on line or print one out and complete it by hand. She only needs to fill out one page, Xerox a bunch of copies, then sign and date each page (4 pages per set). If she has trouble with the format, you can have her do a rough copy with all the vital facts and sign some blanks for you to complete before submission.

Have her get official passport photos. Again you should have at least two, one for the I-130 and one for the optional I-129F. She will need more later, so probably 6-10 photos.

Have her get certified copies of her birth certificate (long form) and baptismal record (with marginal notes). Have her send you a photocopy of each. After she has these she can start working on her passport if she doesn’t yet have one. A copy of her birth cert is not absolutely required to be filed with the petitions but it is strongly recommended that you include a copy.

Get a certified copy of your birth cert if you don’t already have one.

File only photocopies of original personal documents with the petitions. Photocopies of documents should include both sides if anything is on the back. Use full middle names. Documents not in English will need a full translation with certification by the translator, but that can be done anywhere.

Any prior marriages? Certified copies of legal termination is required.

Any kids? Be sure to list any children she has on the petition forms where requested. Get a copy of their B.C.’s

I think it’s a good idea to invest $170 on filing the optional K-3 petition. It gives some added insurance in case something gets hung up with the I-130 and may save a bunch of separation time. The documents required for the K-3 filing are virtually the same as the I-130, so make sure you have extra copies. As soon as you file the I-130 and get your receipt notice, you can file the K-3.

Keep backup copies of everything!

There will be more forms and paperwork later but it’s fairly easy and less confusing if you take this one step at a time.

Ray

[papi]

I don't recall reading anything in an outdated kit or the visajourney guide that makes mention of the I-130. Did you mean the Affidavit of support (I-134?) instead?

[papi]

Documents not in English will need a full translation with certification by the translator, but that can be done anywhere.

The US embassy in Bogota advises that docs such as her birth certif do not need to be translated in their packet 3 instructions

[Ray]

I don't recall reading anything in an outdated kit or the visajourney guide that makes mention of the I-130. Did you mean the Affidavit of support (I-134?) instead?

No, I meant Form I-130

[Ray]

The US embassy in Bogota advises that docs such as her birth certif do not need to be translated in their packet 3 instructions

CIS requires translations!

Follow the instructions on the forms, not the ones on your Papi Fan Club membership brochure... 

[papi]

No, I meant Form I-130

i realize you are the expert but what for?

Also, here are the packet 3 instructions:

NO NECESITAN TRADUCCIONES los documentos escritos en inglés o en español. Los
documentos escritos en otros idiomas deberán ser traducidos al inglés por un traductor
competente, certificadas y debidamente juramentadas por el traductor ante un notario
público.

[papi]

maybe yu are suggesting the I130 in Bundy's case...i was thinking simply the K1.

[Ray]

i realize you are the expert but what for?

Also, here are the packet 3 instructions:

NO NECESITAN TRADUCCIONES los documentos escritos en inglés o en español. Los
documentos escritos en otros idiomas deberán ser traducidos al inglés por un traductor
competente, certificadas y debidamente juramentadas por el traductor ante un notario
público.

Papi, did you even to bother reading the title of this thread?

May I respectfully suggest that you not give anyone any immigration advice until you first figure out what the hell you are doing yourself?

Disclaimer: According to the forum moderator, I just copy all this stuff from other Websites... ROFLMAO!

[Ray]

maybe yu are suggesting the I130 in Bundy's case...i was thinking simply the K1.

Again, you are in the wrong thread.