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Title: Visa Paperwork... (long) Post by: wizard on June 02, 2003, 04:00:00 AM I thought I'd provide the forum with a detailed list of the documents necessary for a foreign national to get married in Colombia and then apply for Spousal Visa by DCF (Direct Consulant Filing)... As we all know, the US Embassy in Bogota is doing away with the DCF, but all the paperwork is still needed for a K3, so this info is still useful... Most of the information I'm posting can be found by digging through a Colombian Consulate website and the US Embassy website, but it can be a little confusing... Since it's still fresh in my memory, I thought I would share...
You need 4 sets of paperwork... One for the Colombian Consulate to obtain a TS Fiance Visa (Temporary Special Visa for Marriage), the next for the Notaria who will perform the civil ceremony, and two sets for the US Embassy... One set for each visit to the US Embassy...
1. Valid Passport with at least 3 available pages 2. Two Black & White, plain paper passport copies... 3. Completed Visa application form filled out in duplicate... www.colhouston.org/English/visas/visaframe.htm 4. Three (3) color passport-type photograph (2"x2")... 5. Letter from the applicant (YOU) stating the purpose of the trip, 6. Notarized letter from the Colombian citizen requesting visa 7. Notarized copy of the Cédula de Ciudadanía belonging to 8. Certificate of Record Search. This is a police clearance
Applicant (YOU) is required to appear in person at consulate's office Processing time of visa: 48 hours for US citizens and US Residents, I'm lucky as I live less than 5 miles from a Colombian Consulate... Civil Ceremony by Colombian Notary Public (Judge) Documents for You 1. Birth Certificate. If born outside of Colombia, www.vitalcheck.com You can order & pay for your documents online and have them I had the original translated into Spanish and then had 2. Certificado de Soltería (Certificate of Bachelorshood): 3. Divorce decree. If the foreigner had previously been married, 4. The TS Fiance Visa that is placed in your passport... Documents for your girl 1. Authenticated Birth Certificate issued within ONE month prior 2. Authenticated copy of his/her "cédula de ciudadanía." 3. Authenticated Divorce Decree... If she's been married before...
You need to make arrangements with a Colombian Notary to perform You need two witnesses to the ceremony... If you are not fluent in Spanish, you need a certified translator Say "I do" and kiss the bride... :o) ** Make sure you get several copies of the CERTIFIED Marriage
Now for the most painfull part of the whole process, dealing with Make sure that you get to get to the US Embassy before 1:00pm... 1. An original copy of the civil registry of marriage 2. Your Certified Divorce Decree, if any... 3. Her Certified Divorce Decree, if any... 4. Your Certified Birth Certificate. 4. Her Certified Birth Certificate. 5. Her Baptismal Reocrds, Orginal copy from 6. Original Birth Certificates of any children you will be 7. Both of your passports... 8. All individuals you are petitioning for needed 2 Visa style 10. Form I-130 completed for each individual you are petitioning. 11. You have to be present for the first visit to the US Embassy... 12. If you have everything in order, you will receive packet
You do not have to be present at the second interview... 1. Form I-864, Affidavit of Support... This form needs to be 2. Your last three years of 1040s... They are trying to establish 3. Last three years of W2's or 1099's... This is the tricky one... 4. A recent letter from your employer stating your length 5. Colombian Police Report for all individuals 7. Passport for each individual you are petitioning... 8. Medical Examination results envelope... Must be unopened 9. YOUR last 5 bank statements... 10. Proof of property, stocks, deeds, titles... 11. Pictures, emails, proof of relationship... If everything goes well with the second interview, you wife can As we all know, things change over time... This list/process worked for me in May... Who knows what curves the BCIS will throw in the future... Your mileage may vary... Title: question for wizard Post by: Hiplainsdweller on June 03, 2003, 04:00:00 AM ... in response to Visa Paperwork... (long), posted by wizard on Jun 2, 2003
Great post wizard, I have one question since my wife we be going to her interview in a couple of weeks and I don't want to burn another 47 dollars with fedex needlessly. You said in your post one needs to have the letter from your employer notorized. I have read the the instructions in I-864 and also all the instructions in packets 3 and 4 ( I am fluent in spanish) and I don't recall anywhere it saying this document needed to be notorized. It only said the document must be original. Also the clerk at the embassy told me only the I-864 form needed to be notorized. I recall a post not to long ago saying someones paperwork got rejected for this reason, but it was heresay. Has anybody on this board had there paperwork rejected for this reason. First hand information only please. Thanks Guys. Title: Re: question for wizard Post by: wizard on June 03, 2003, 04:00:00 AM ... in response to question for wizard, posted by Hiplainsdweller on Jun 3, 2003
You're right... I just re-read the I-864 instructions and nowhere does it state that the employer letter has to be notarized... I had mine notarized as I thought it was a requirement... They are just trying to establish an income trend over a 3 year period and that it's ongoing... The employer letter along with the tax returns and bank statements cover that base... I burned a $47 FedEx fee for a document they never asked for, the DS-230 for me... I prepared a copy for myself and one for my wife... They didn't ask for mine during the first interview, so I forgot about it... Section II of the DS-230 states that it has to be signed in front of a consular or notarized... Since they didn't ask for it the first time, I was sure my wife would need it for the second interview... So, I prepared another one, had it notarized and sent it to her FedEx... They didn't want it... My wife even asked them if they wanted it and they said no... Oh well... Better safe than sorry... It was my prior post about someone being rejected for this, but that's what my wife was telling me on the phone... She may have been refering to the I-864 not being notarized... Title: Mine was notarized also Post by: cancunhound on June 04, 2003, 04:00:00 AM ... in response to Re: question for wizard, posted by wizard on Jun 3, 2003
Can't hurt even if it's not required Title: Excellent list Post by: cancunhound on June 03, 2003, 04:00:00 AM ... in response to Visa Paperwork... (long), posted by wizard on Jun 2, 2003
Of course, the process is constantly changing so one really needs to verify the requirements AT TIME of filing! Don't rely soley on internet sites for info, especially Colombian ones. Title: Re: Visa Paperwork... (long) Post by: wizard on June 03, 2003, 04:00:00 AM ... in response to Visa Paperwork... (long), posted by wizard on Jun 2, 2003
[This message has been edited by wizard] After re-reading the list, I missed at least one thing... There is a $335 USD fee payable at the second interview at the Embassy... Title: Re: Visa Paperwork... (long)..thxs Post by: Sam Club on June 02, 2003, 04:00:00 AM ... in response to Visa Paperwork... (long), posted by wizard on Jun 2, 2003
Please allow me to be the first to thank you for putting together all of this information. It is/will be very helpful. Of course, I will print this and save it, like a lottery ticket. I suggest others do the same. Because when time comes and you need this infor, I might be hard to find or not listed any longer. Again.....Thank you Sir! Title: Thanks Wiz Post by: thundernco on June 03, 2003, 04:00:00 AM |