Colombia Visa Interview Guide

U.S. Embassy Bogotá Visa Interview Guide

Prepare for a K-1 fiancé visa or CR-1/IR-1 spouse visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia. Find the interview location, official contact information, police-certificate rules, medical-exam instructions, approved panel physicians, and practical preparation steps.

View the Interview Checklist
Check Official Embassy Instructions

Verify Before You Travel

Embassy procedures can change

This page summarizes the official Bogotá interview instructions reviewed in August 2026. Always compare this information with your appointment letter and the U.S. Department of State instructions shortly before your medical exam and interview. Your individual appointment notice controls if it gives different directions.

Location & Contact Details

U.S. Embassy Bogotá visa interview information

Immigrant visa interview location

U.S. Embassy Bogotá
Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50
Bogotá, D.C.
Colombia

Use the location and entrance instructions shown in your appointment notice. The embassy complex may also appear under its general address, Carrera 45 No. 24B-27.

Before the Interview

Four steps to complete before your Bogotá appointment

Complete each step as early as your appointment instructions allow. Missing documents or an incomplete medical exam can delay a decision.

Step 1

Register your appointment

Register through the official appointment system so the embassy has the information needed to return your passport by courier. Registration is free. Complete this step before attempting to reschedule an assigned appointment.

Register or manage an appointment

Step 2

Schedule the medical exam

After receiving your interview date, schedule the medical exam in Bogotá with an embassy-approved panel physician. An examination performed by a personal doctor or an unapproved clinic will not be accepted.

Review the Bogotá medical instructions

Step 3

Collect original documents

Bring the originals and required photocopies even when documents were previously submitted to USCIS or the National Visa Center. Documents that are not in English or Spanish require a certified English translation.

See the document checklist

Step 4

Review interview-day rules

Read the security, accompanying-person, fee, courier, and rescheduling instructions before traveling. Bring only items needed for the interview and allow time for security screening.

Read the official Bogotá guide

Civil Documents

Colombia police-certificate requirements

Colombian judicial record certificate

An applicant who is age 18 or older and has resided in Colombia for more than six months must provide a Certificado de Antecedentes Judiciales.

The certificate is obtained through the Colombian National Police website. Print or save the resulting certificate according to the instructions in your appointment package.

Visit Policía Nacional de Colombia

Police records from other countries

  • Provide a police certificate from your country of nationality if you lived there for more than six months at any time.
  • Provide a police certificate from another country if you lived there for more than one year after turning age 16, except for the United States.
  • Use the Department of State reciprocity page to confirm how each country issues its police certificate.
  • Bogotá’s official instructions state that police certificates are valid for 24 months from the date of issuance.

Check country document requirements

Applicants with an arrest or conviction

If you have ever been convicted of a crime, bring the complete court and criminal records and a photocopy. Do not rely only on a Colombian online certificate that shows no current warrant or pending judicial request. Follow the exact document instructions for the court and jurisdiction involved.

Required Medical Examination

Bogotá visa medical exam

All immigrant visa applicants, regardless of age, must complete the required medical examination before the interview. K visa applicants should also follow the medical directions in their individual appointment package.

What to bring to the medical exam

  • Your visa interview or appointment letter.
  • Your valid passport.
  • Four recently taken passport-size color photographs.
  • A copy of your immunization records.
  • A copy of your medical history and information about current medications or treatment.
  • Your visa application confirmation page: DS-160 for a K visa or DS-260 for an immigrant visa.
  • A typed page with your full name, BGT case number, mailing addresses in Colombia and the United States, email address, and telephone number. Women should also list biological children and their dates of birth, as directed by the embassy.

Medical fees, laboratory testing, x-rays, and any required vaccinations are paid directly to the examining physician. The embassy does not publish a fixed current total, so confirm the fee and accepted payment methods when scheduling.

Embassy-approved panel physicians in Bogotá

Only physicians currently approved by the U.S. Embassy may perform the visa medical examination. Verify the list again before making an appointment.

Dr. Jairo Roa Buitrago

Centro Médico de La Sabana
Cra. 7 No. 119-14, Consultorios 317-318
Bogotá

Phone: +57 601 745-1820
+57 310 200 9292
+57 310 291 3668
From the United States: 1-800-606-8339

Email: citasdrjroa@gmail.com

Dr. Juan Gabriel Piñeros

Pediatrician for minors only

Centro Médico de La Sabana
Cra. 7 No. 119-14, Consultorio 301
Bogotá

Phone: +57 601 745-1820
+57 310 200 9292
+57 310 291 3668
From the United States: 1-800-606-8339

Email: adopcionesdr.pineros@gmail.com

Dra. Maria Rey Salamanca

Fundación Cardioinfantil
Cra. 13B No. 161-85, Torre H
First floor, Bogotá

Phone: +57 601 805-0091
+57 322 821 8551
+57 601 667-2727, extensions 79915 or 10047

After the medical examination

  • The physician may send the results directly to the embassy or give you a sealed envelope.
  • If you receive a sealed envelope, do not open it. Bring it to the interview.
  • You normally do not need to bring your x-rays to the interview unless instructed or you have tuberculosis, but you should carry the x-rays when first traveling to the United States.
  • Medical exams have a maximum validity of six months. A shorter validity may apply in some medical circumstances.

Document Preparation

Bogotá fiancé and spouse visa interview checklist

Your appointment letter may require additional documents. Bring originals or certified copies and the requested photocopies.

K-1 fiancé visa applicants

  • Valid passport and required passport photographs.
  • DS-160 confirmation page.
  • Appointment and case instructions.
  • Original birth certificate and required photocopy.
  • Required police certificates and court records, when applicable.
  • Medical examination results, if given to you.
  • Evidence that the relationship is genuine and continuing.
  • Form I-134 and the petitioner’s supporting financial evidence.
  • Divorce decrees, death certificates, or other proof that prior marriages ended legally.

Review the complete K-1 visa checklist

CR-1 or IR-1 spouse visa applicants

  • Valid passport and required passport photographs.
  • DS-260 confirmation page and NVC appointment letter.
  • Original birth and marriage certificates with required photocopies.
  • Required police certificates and court records, when applicable.
  • Medical examination results, if given to you.
  • Evidence of the marital relationship.
  • Form I-864 for each required sponsor, plus current tax and income evidence.
  • Divorce decrees, death certificates, or other proof that all prior marriages ended legally.

Review the complete spouse visa checklist

Important interview-day reminders

  • Bring all required original documents even if they were previously uploaded or submitted.
  • Bring only necessary items and expect security screening.
  • An applicant may bring one interpreter when the applicant cannot interview adequately in English or Spanish.
  • An elderly, disabled, or minor applicant may be allowed one person to assist, subject to embassy rules.
  • Attorneys are not permitted to accompany applicants into the waiting room or interview.
  • Do not make non-refundable travel plans, resign from employment, or sell property until the visa has been issued and returned in the passport.

After the Appointment

What happens after the visa interview?

If the visa is approved

The embassy generally keeps the passport while the visa is printed and returns it through the registered courier service. Review the visa immediately for spelling errors and check its expiration date before traveling.

If more information is required

Follow the written instructions given by the consular officer. Do not mail documents directly to the embassy unless specifically directed. Use the authorized courier process for documents requested after the interview.

USCIS immigrant fee

Most people receiving an immigrant visa must pay the USCIS immigrant fee before traveling so USCIS can produce the green card. K-1 visa holders do not pay this immigrant fee when entering on the K visa; they later apply for adjustment of status after marriage.

Official Sources

Confirm the latest Bogotá instructions

Colombia civil-document guide

Department of State guidance for Colombian birth, marriage, police, court, and other civil documents.


Frequently Asked Questions

U.S. Embassy Bogotá visa interview FAQ

When should I schedule the Bogotá medical exam?

Schedule it as soon as you receive the interview date and can follow the embassy’s timing instructions. The exam must be completed before the visa interview, and the medical report generally cannot be more than six months old when you enter the United States.

Can my regular doctor perform the visa medical exam?

No. The embassy accepts the visa medical examination only from a currently approved panel physician listed in the official Bogotá instructions.

How long is a police certificate valid for the Bogotá interview?

The Bogotá post instructions state that police certificates are valid for 24 months from the date of issuance. Obtain a newer certificate if your appointment instructions require one or if circumstances have changed.

Does a K-1 applicant use Form I-134 or Form I-864?

A K-1 fiancé visa applicant normally presents Form I-134 with supporting financial evidence at the consular stage. A CR-1 or IR-1 spouse immigrant visa case normally uses Form I-864.

Do documents in Spanish need an English translation for Bogotá?

The Bogotá instructions say documents that are not in English or Spanish require a certified English translation. A particular document or case instruction may impose an additional requirement, so follow the appointment letter.

Can I buy airline tickets immediately after the interview?

Wait until the visa is issued, placed in the passport, and returned to you. An interview does not guarantee visa issuance, and additional processing or documents may be required.

Continue Preparing

More help for your visa interview

K-1 Fiancé Visa Checklist

Organize the petition, consular documents, financial evidence, and interview preparation.


Spouse Visa Checklist

Follow the CR-1 or IR-1 process from petition preparation through the consular interview.


Personal Visa Preparation Support

Prepare your case before the Bogotá interview

VisaCoach provides personal fiancé and spouse visa document-preparation support from the petition stage through consular processing and interview preparation.

Schedule a Free Case Consultation
See How VisaCoach Helps