Bogota Reports

[QUOTE=Mel365]We have an apartment 3 blocks from there and near Plaza de las americas.

Its party night almost every night. Friday and Saturday are crazy.

Mel[/QUOTE]Is your apartment available for short term rental? Like a few days to a week or so?

Gentleman,

I have already gone against conventional wisdom and have become emotionally involved with a Colombian woman. Further I have petitioned for a visa for my girlfriend to come to the US and will now be facing the interview process in Bogota to determine my girlfriend's eligibility for the visa to be issued. Can anyone advise how to handle the the questioning by the consular officer of how my girlfriend supported herself? My girlfriend was in the "life" and has not had an identifiable means of support for the past five years. I appreciate any constructive advise, even if to get it means enduring harsh critism.

Thank you!

[QUOTE=Quiet Hombre]Gentleman,

I have already gone against conventional wisdom and have become emotionally involved with a Colombian woman. Further I have petitioned for a visa for my girlfriend to come to the US and will now be facing the interview process in Bogota to determine my girlfriend's eligibility for the visa to be issued. Can anyone advise how to handle the the questioning by the consular officer of how my girlfriend supported herself? My girlfriend was in the "life" and has not had an identifiable means of support for the past five years. I appreciate any constructive advise, even if to get it means enduring harsh critism.

Thank you![/QUOTE]1: get there early; the lines are ridiculous!

2: be honest; they've probably heard it all before and will be able to see through any BS

3: chances for approval are very slim if no money in the bank or no obligations (kids or sick parents) to guarantee her return

You'd be better off telling her to get a legit job during the day and selling chocha only a few nights a week if necessary--do this for a solid year or two and save an assload of money (tell her not to spend it on shopping and bullshit).

I have no experience with this but I have been hipped to the rules by someone who used to work in an embassy in Latin America.

Rodeo

We have 3 apartments in the same complex in Villa Claudia.

One we keep just as our love nest, sorry.

The other two are on long term rentals.

Mel

Quite Hombre,

Go to visa journey dot com and check out the posts there.

They are full of actual experiences right there at the embassy in Bogota.

I can tell you that un-employment is not uncommon in Colombia and that being a student or part time sales person selling "clothes to friends & family" is also common and difficult to both confirm AND deny.

You need to have plenty of photos together, proof of communication from the US to Colombia (E-mails, phone records) you should know things like her favorite color, her best friend's name, where she was born, raised and lives. And she should know the same about you. And although you may not be given the opportunity to speak to the interviewer, you being present with her ay the interview helps out. With all that said, be carefull!

Set your heart aside and "test" any girl's true motives at every opportunity. I have a number of friends that have had successful marriages with Colombianas. But the "hotter" the chica and the "more adverturous her past". Unfortunately the less likely she is likely to stick around once her papers are done.

Good luck bro. Hold her ass to the test though! Trust me on that one, I've seen it too many times.

[QUOTE=Quiet Hombre]Gentleman,

I have already gone against conventional wisdom and have become emotionally involved with a Colombian woman. Further I have petitioned for a visa for my girlfriend to come to the US and will now be facing the interview process in Bogota to determine my girlfriend's eligibility for the visa to be issued. Can anyone advise how to handle the the questioning by the consular officer of how my girlfriend supported herself? My girlfriend was in the "life" and has not had an identifiable means of support for the past five years. I appreciate any constructive advise, even if to get it means enduring harsh critism.

Thank you![/QUOTE]"Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!"

RTFF. These types of relationships rarely end up well.

[QUOTE=Quiet Hombre]Gentleman,

I have already gone against conventional wisdom and have become emotionally involved with a Colombian woman. Further I have petitioned for a visa for my girlfriend to come to the US and will now be facing the interview process in Bogota to determine my girlfriend's eligibility for the visa to be issued. Can anyone advise how to handle the the questioning by the consular officer of how my girlfriend supported herself? My girlfriend was in the "life" and has not had an identifiable means of support for the past five years. I appreciate any constructive advise, even if to get it means enduring harsh critism.

Thank you![/QUOTE]I hope that you are not met with hostile responses. We all have our race to run, and you have chosen your path. Judgment of your choice by others is simply not productive, and unkind.

Now, the one thing that one does not want to do is to lie to the U. S. Consul. And, in your fiancee's situation, there is not need to do that. Assuming there is no impediment to you and her getting married in the U. S. Jurisdiction where you live, there are limited exclusion from a fiancee visa. One is that the party seeking to immigrate to the U. S. Is a prostitute. Many in Colombia exist in the gray market economy. Some type of service work. I assume that she can truthfully say she was assisted financially by family, or had several boyfriends, etc. Frankly, unless she wants to volunteer that she was paid for her company on occasion, the issue will not arise. The interview is primarily to determine if you and she meet the statutory requirements for the K-1 visa: that you have met in person, intend to reside in the U. S. , intend to get married within 90 days after her entry into the U. S. , and that you are able to support her (that you have income at least 125% of the poverty level). She will probably be ask where you met, etc.

There is a lot of information available via the internet that describe the fiancee visa process, the questions ask at the interview and generally what you and she must do, and what can be expected.

Good luck.

The only person allowed in the embassy is your novia. You will not be permitted in. If she doesn't have a family, a lot of money in the bank, own an apartment, and have a profesion, my experience is that you are spinning your wheels and will make for a heartbreking experience for your novia. I have tried this twice, the interviewer last time didn't even look at her papers, just asked a few questions and rejected her.

Some people get lucky but it is very RARE.

Mel

[QUOTE=Mel365]The only person allowed in the embassy is your novia. You will not be permitted in. If she doesn't have a family, a lot of money in the bank, own an apartment, and have a profesion, my experience is that you are spinning your wheels and will make for a heartbreking experience for your novia. I have tried this twice, the interviewer last time didn't even look at her papers, just asked a few questions and rejected her.

Some people get lucky but it is very RARE.

Mel[/QUOTE]Mel,

You are confused. You are referring to a tourist visa, seems Hombre is referring to a fiance visa. Hombre CAN accompany his fiance to the interview, in fact it is recommended. Having family, money, assets are NOT a factor in the approval or denial of a fiance visa. Besides completing the paperwork properly and providing the proper documentation proving a VALID relationship, the interviewer at the embassy will ask questions of the woman to determine if this a a valid relationship and not a visa scam.

[QUOTE=Mel365]The only person allowed in the embassy is your novia. You will not be permitted in. If she doesn't have a family, a lot of money in the bank, own an apartment, and have a profesion, my experience is that you are spinning your wheels and will make for a heartbreking experience for your novia. I have tried this twice, the interviewer last time didn't even look at her papers, just asked a few questions and rejected her.

Some people get lucky but it is very RARE.

Mel[/QUOTE]This is incorrect! You will be free to attend the K1 fiancee visa interview along with your girl at the embassy in Bogota. The interviewer might even ask questions of you. I believe that is a good ideal for you to attend with her.

How do I know all of this?

I went through the whole thing and had my Paisa (Non Pro) here in Louisiana with me for 2. 5 months before I chickened out and decided to remain single and a monger.

For good up to date info I recommend [url]www.visajourney.com[/url] There I was able to find all the forms we needed and I filed everything myself without the need for an attorney.

Personally I do not regret the experience at all and I feel certain in the event that I do ever decide to marry again that it will be a Colombiana, but nobody in the biz and that is not a lash out at anybody.

Rainman3

It all depends what type of visa are asking?

Bride visa or tourist visa

My Two pesos

Kukulkan

[QUOTE=Quiet Hombre]Gentleman,

I have already gone against conventional wisdom and have become emotionally involved with a Colombian woman. Further I have petitioned for a visa for my girlfriend to come to the US and will now be facing the interview process in Bogota to determine my girlfriend's eligibility for the visa to be issued. Can anyone advise how to handle the the questioning by the consular officer of how my girlfriend supported herself? My girlfriend was in the "life" and has not had an identifiable means of support for the past five years. I appreciate any constructive advise, even if to get it means enduring harsh critism.

Thank you![/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Mel365]The only person allowed in the embassy is your novia. You will not be permitted in. If she doesn't have a family, a lot of money in the bank, own an apartment, and have a profesion, my experience is that you are spinning your wheels and will make for a heartbreking experience for your novia. I have tried this twice, the interviewer last time didn't even look at her papers, just asked a few questions and rejected her.

Some people get lucky but it is very RARE.

Mel[/QUOTE]What Mel wrote is certainly true as it relates to a tourist visa - odds are slim to none. Different rules on Fiancee visas. They are almost never, ever denied.

Please take some time and think about what you're about to do. There are plenty of wonderful women out there. No need to carry a painful past on your shoulders.

Curious. What obligations does the US person have under a fiancée visa besides getting married within 90 days? Are you responsible if she flies the coop or refuses to go back? In other words, if you don't really plan to marry but just a nice vacation for her with benefits for you, how can it come back to bite you? Is there a limit to how many "fiancées" you can try out?

Rodeo

[url]http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE53K00G20090421[/url]