K1 Visa wait for Texas service center

[DallasSteve2]

... in response to Questions, posted by Michael B on Jan 20, 2003

Michael

1) Stemmons is their public office.  I think Mesquite is a district office, and the K1 instructions said to mail it there.  The INS has since been revamped in order to keep out the "bad guys".  They should put me in charge.  I'd keep 'em out!  Reminds me of Gallagher's old gag:

"I don't fly TWA because it stands for Travel With Arabs.  I fly Delta because it stands for Don't Even Let Them Aboard!"

Anyway, the adresses may be changing.

2) She has 2 children that accompanied her.

3) The embassy's invitation letter allowed her come to the embassy at any time, not a specific time.  But the Bogota embassy may be changing it's visa procedures.  They shut down at year-end for security reasons.  They are supposed to be re-opened now.

4) The medical was supposed to cost about $70, but the thieves, I mean the doctors that work there started gouging her for vaccinations.  I don't know what the final bill was.  She just kept saying, "Send more money".

5) My wife stayed with family in Bogota.  The only place I ever stayed in Bogota was in an apartment owned by an agency, named Ladies and Gentlemen International, I think.  It's a very nice 2 bedroom apartment for about $50 a night.  Sometimes the water is even hot.  I have no idea if it's near the embassy.

6) Anything else that you think that we should know? - The doctor in Bogota told her to strip naked but she refused and the doctor backed off.  I'd like to have that job.

Steve

[Michael B]

... in response to Answers, posted by DallasSteve2 on Jan 20, 2003

Well thank you, Steve. I'll tell her to be wary of Dr. Check U. Out....OK, thought up some more questions. Did the kids have to accompany her to the interview? Do the kids have to have a medical also? What documents were required for the kids?

[DallasSteve2]

... in response to More questions, posted by Michael B on Jan 20, 2003

Michael

No offense, taken.  My response was to Craig.

The kids do not have to go to the interview, but they do have to have a medical also.  Or at least we were told the kids did not have to go to the interview, but I think Milena took her kids with her anyway, just to be sure.  I think the kids have to have all the same documents as the mother, but I'm not sure.  Milena put that all together while I waited in the US.

One other thing I remembered.  Her first day at the embassy she asked some officer there which line she needed to be in.  They told her the wrong line and when she got to the front of the line the other window was closed for the day.  I think that should be grounds for firing the officer.  Preferably out of a cannon.

So Milena had to go back the next day and she got in the correct line.  I don't know which line to tell you.  You/your fiancee will have to ask.

Also, I had this image of Americans working at the US embassy.  Wrong.  I think most everybody there is Colombian.  Maybe they have a few Marines there.  I hope so!  (even if Craig is a Marine).

Steve

[AlexG32]

... in response to Re: More questions, posted by DallasSteve2 on Jan 20, 2003

All of the personnel I saw and spoke to were Colombian, with the exception of the councilor.

[Craig]

... in response to Re: More questions, posted by DallasSteve2 on Jan 20, 2003

Steve you have a problem with the fact that I was a Marine, that's ok. I think your a putz... so we at least have something in common.

[moam]

... in response to Re: Re: More questions, posted by Craig on Jan 20, 2003

Hey Craig,
I to am a former "DEVIL DOG" with most of my time spent on the "Rock." Spent time at Lejuene(French Creek) with 8th Engineers, hated that awful place, so I stayed on as many East Pac and Nato floats as I possibly could, was there from mid 82 thru early 84. When were you in and how long did you serve?

Semper Fi!!!
moam

[Michael B]

... in response to Re: More questions, posted by DallasSteve2 on Jan 20, 2003

So if the kids need the medical and all the approved doctors are in Bogota, then it follows that the kids will have to go to Bogota as well, right? Darn! Another expense, ha ha, but she's worth it. She's kind of worried about the 17yo boy, wants him here before he turns 18, she's afraid he will be drafted. Supposedly Colombia doesn't draft high school graduates, but she says that may be about to change. OTOH, when he gets here, he's actually interested in joining the US military. Don't know if they will take him (non citizen, but he will be a legal resident, no English) but we shall see what they say. Heck, I guess given the choice I'd rather enlist in the US than be drafted in Colombia too!

[Golden]

... in response to Re: Re: More questions, posted by Michael B on Jan 20, 2003

If he thinks they might try to draft him there in Columbia, then i agree its a good idea to join the military here. Im not sure about if he has to be a citizen to join, when i was in the army there were a couple guys from the Dominican Republic and Panama i knew, but they might have been citizen when they joined? not sure,........but i suspect they dont have to be, just residents .. but im sure a recruiter will find out and very quick..... Something to think about is joining the reserve or national guard if he doesnt want to go active full time.....you can learn a trade and earn college money, just like active military.....something for him to think about

[Michael B]

... in response to in regard to joining the military, posted by Golden on Jan 21, 2003

He told me: 1) No problem for a legal perminate resident to join any branch 2) Remidial English courses are offered to those who need/want them 3) BUT must pass the entrance test in ENGLISH, no classes nor help learning English BEFORE you are joined up. I thanked him for his time and information.

[Michael B]

... in response to in regard to joining the military, posted by Golden on Jan 21, 2003

Thanks, Golden. I know you don't have to be a citizen for enlisted, but I'm almost sure you do have to be a citizen to be an officer. I think (but not sure) if you join up they cut you some slack on the waiting time to apply for citizenship.  I'm afraid the hang up is going to be his lack of English. He's most interested in the navy. Yeah, I guess I can make a phone call to a recruiter and next time I talk to him or his mother let them know what I found out.

[Golden]

... in response to Re: in regard to joining the military, posted by Michael B on Jan 21, 2003

You do have to be a citizen to be an officer. I know that while playing around with the idea of OCS while in the guard.(the OCS program last over a year in the guard because you go on weekends only and 2 two week camps during the process, while in the active army you can do it in 90 days ..aka "90 day wonder" or "butter bar". I would say the main reason you have to be citizen to be an officer has to do with security clearance. When you go to OCS they do a background check to get you a clearance, same thing applies if you go ROTC. Officers have a secret clearance.

[Michael B]

... in response to K1 Visa  wait for Texas service center, posted by Darkstar on Jan 20, 2003

[This message has been edited by Michael B]

We'll find out together---I sent mine Saturday via certified mail. Came to 96 pages total, counting the orginal documents and the translation of each document.

Oh wait, come to think of it, I was talking with Martha yesterday and she told me that a friend of hers just left a couple of days ago to join a man in Houston. She said that the friend (and her 3 kids) got the visa in only 3 weeks. I asked her if they got married in Colombia and did DCF and she insisted that "No, it is the same kind of visa that we are applying for." Maybe she's right (we can hope).