Travel with your foreign-born honey.

[Freddie]

Cancunhound mentioned he missed a trip to Margarita Island because his ladyfriend was from Colombia and didn't have a visa.

That reminded me of a trip in 2000 when I was taking my Colombian wife to the Dominican Republic. I had been to the DR many times and never gave it any thought but I checked and yes, she needed a visa (of course Americans can buy one in the DR before going through immigration).

We called the local DR consulate and they said she would have to send her Colombian passport to Miami to get stamped. It would take 2-3 weeks.

I don't remember for sure but I think we had less time than that before we were set to leave for the DR.

Luckily my wife mentioned this to a classmate in her English class who was from the DR. This classmate knew someone in the local DR consulate and called them. The person from the consulate said, "Sure just send it to us and we'll rush it right through."

She got her passport with the visa stamp in a week but I wouldn't want to depend on this scenario.

So if you're planning to take your foreign-born wife or girlfriend to another country don't assume her country's travel agreements/requirements/paperwork are the same as yours.

[Pete E]

... in response to Travel with your foreign-born honey., posted by Freddie on Aug 20, 2003

If your lady is from Colombia and has no travel visa there are very few places you can take her.Once she gets her US permanent residency I think it becomes easier to go to other countries but I'm not sure.
The only country I have heard a Colombian can go without a visa is Panama.Venizuella maybe.They used to be able to go to Spain but I think that requires a visa also.Of course any of these visas would be easier than a visa to the US but they could still deny her or take lots of time approving it.
Also,they are not allowed on a plane that will land in the US from Colombia unless you have a US visa.They can't fly through Miami,the airline gets fined if they let them on the plane without a US visa.Colombians were getting off the plane in Miami,not bording their ongoing flight and asking for asylum.No more they don't.Its tough being a Colombian right now.
I posted about 3  months ago about a lady I know in Bogota who had a US visa for her a her dughter.She went to the US embassy to get a student visa to the US.She had just returned from here and was signed up at a local College.She thought there was some advantage to the student visa.Maybe,but it backfired big time.They wouldn't give her a student visa.She argued with them(NEVER,NEVER DO THAT).She said I can just go to school with my tourist visa then.They tore her tourist visa out of her and her daughters passport.Told her she could apply and come back in 18 months or so to get another one,which of course they would not give her.I talked to her by phone.She says how can I visit the US?You can't I told her.Since 9/11 its almost impossible to get a tourist visa.She had one and screwed it up by not having a clue what was going on right now.Every morning at the US embassy there is a long line of Colombians lined up at 7 AM.They will wait all day and about 99% will be turned down.My brother in law traveled from Cali for and interview.I told my wife he is wasting the trip but hope springs eternal.He was hoping for divine intervention.Not this time.No way Giovanni.An older man that was there did get a visa.If you have assets or a good job in Colombia or are older and they think you might be one of the 1% that is not trying to come here to work you might get a visa if you are lucky.
My wife wants to bring her 13 year old Niece here on a student visa.We need to look in to what it will take but there is probably little chance it will work.
Once you are a US citizen,takes about 5 years minimum,you can sponsor family members.Siblings,ala brother in lawe,have a 10 year wait for an interview,Parents less,I'm not sure how long that takes.

Pete

[Freddie]

... in response to Colombians limited where they can go, posted by Pete E on Aug 20, 2003

My wife has two girlfriends in the USA (both married to gringos) who have had their parents visit on tourist visas since 9/11.

These people would be considered lower middle-income. Just your average Cali folks.

The keys are as you stated, some local property and bank accounts and over the age of 60. I think it took them in the area of 2 years to get the visas.

The long lines and 99% denials are the norm. And the attitudes of the employees at the US Embassy in Bogota is pretty bad.

[Michael B]

... in response to Colombians limited where they can go, posted by Pete E on Aug 20, 2003

NOBODY except those from a 'visa waiver country' can transit the US without a visa....(and they also made the list of visa waiver countries much smaller, too). It's the second lead story under the title 'Homeland Security and Department of State Take Immediate Steps To Make Air Travel Even Safer' (yeah, right) on their web page.

Last I heard, Colombians can still go to Aruba, and we're still counting on getting a student visa for Martha's 24yo daughter after we're married. She's a legitimate student, soon to have a PhD in engineering, we're going to enroll her in the college level English for Foreigners classes, already found a qualified school that will accept her, (at least they would last time I talked to them, about 6 months ago). I've posted this before, but if anybody missed it (and/or cares), the reason we're waiting is that to get the student visa, you have to prove (besides certain accedemic credentials and English proficency, note: English proficency is waived if you are specificly studying an INS approved English course) that you have the means to support yourself while in the US. You can do this by about $11,000 to $25,000 (depending on the school fees and the living expenses where the school is located) in 'front money' (which I don't have) OR if a US citizen RELATIVE sponsor will give you room and board and do an I-134 to that effect on your behalf, you only have to 'front money' the school fees. Reason we are waiting until after the wedding is (according to the officer at the school in charge of foreign students) "your girl friend's daughter is NOT your relative, you can't sponsor her, but your step-daughter (no matter her age) IS and you CAN sponsor her.".....in your case, Pete, I don't know about a niece, I think for this purpose they draw the line at children and step children, and an additional problem for you is her age, only 13, I'm sure she's not a HS graduate yet and therefore can't be a college student.

[Pete E]

... in response to Effective Aug 1, posted by Michael B on Aug 21, 2003

Our niece is definetly not a college grad,not even close.I think she is equivilant to entering the 8th grade.Colombians go 11 years of school,not 12 like here through high school.I don't think she would yet even be considered high school.They send her to private schools which is very expensive for them.Apparantly the public schools are pretty bad.
The US used to have a high school exchange student program.I would see adds in the paper saying sponsor a foriegn student for a year.Whats happening now I don't know.But anything related to Colombians would probably be more difficult.Guess it would only complicate my already complicated situation so I haven't been encouraging it.My brother in law says he will pay all her expenses.I don't think he understands one persons expense in the US is more than the average Colombian salary.

Pete

[cancunhound]

... in response to Effective Aug 1, posted by Michael B on Aug 21, 2003

Aruba/Netherland Antilles does require a visa for Colombians, in case you're planning a trip!  But it was not required after my wife was a temporary US resident, just don't remember if she had the physical green card in hand or only the I551 stamp in her passport when we went there.  After my overnight in the Caracas airport, I got in the habit of contacting the specific embassy/consulate of whichever country we were going to visit, and got an email response to the specific requirements for US residents/non citizens to carry with me, and those varied depending if she had the actual green card or just the passport stamp.  Especially with Colombians, the requirements are seemingly different everyday - I would trust nobody about visa requirements except the source.

Another note, if one is planning on alot of foreign travel with a Colombiana in the US resident~limbo status, it can be very frustrating for her as that Colombian passport is a red flag no matter where you go upon entry.

[cancunhound]

... in response to Colombians limited where they can go, posted by Pete E on Aug 20, 2003

That's the one that got me in trouble.  But at last check, as far as closeby - Panama, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru all OK.
Cuba, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay  OK.  Surprisingly Japan, Israel & South Korea OK too.  Maybe a couple of more but other than that - Colombians need a visa, likewise US resident Colombians.

[Cherinha]

... in response to Not Venezuela, posted by cancunhound on Aug 20, 2003

I believe a visa is required for Brasil also.  I know it is for US, and was told for colombians also.... need to further investigate....

[cancunhound]

... in response to Travel with your foreign-born honey., posted by Freddie on Aug 20, 2003

green card = entry into the US, nothing more - you'll still need to get the appropriate visas for places like Mexico (good news it's easy to get w/green card).  Another caution is when travelling IN the US near border entries.  While returning from South Padre last year we had a hastle at the interior border patrol checkpoint north of Brownsville.  I had a car full of Colombianas, some resident, some visiting, and one naturalized US citizen (my wife).  We found out that a Texas drivers license means jack sh%t from a customs standpoint, especially if their english is not 100% perfect.  They detained 'em for over an hour sorting it out (which was a very welcome extension to an already lengthy 10 hour haul), crawling through the computer databases.  What we learned was - since we have no equivalent of a cedula in the US, carry the damn passport!  If your wife is on resident status - carry the damn green card!  At a minimum memorize the numbers, but they're still going to want to run a computer check without the actual document.  After dealing with that clusterf%ck I'm all on board for a national ID like most every other country has (that would do away with all this identity theft crap that goes on with the SSN too).

[Freddie]

... in response to Even after the green card, posted by cancunhound on Aug 20, 2003

I think a resident alien is supposed to carry their green card at all times. I know my wife carries her's.