DCF Mexico

[jaremedios 1]

Jilly and Danny, thank you. I will check with my dad about that form.

czmjacq, glad to know you only put the case number. BTW, what is "priority date" and "preference category"?

[Jilly and Danny 0]

Oh good, thanks a lot for clearing that up!

Jaremedios - the priority date, as far as I can tell, is the date it was received in Mexico City. Mine, for example says May 24, 2010, which was the day we went to DF to turn everything in. The Preference Category they sent me was CR1-MEX, so I assume its just the type of visa you are applying for.

[jaremedios 1]

Thank you both. This will help when I'm ready to fill out those forms.

[Lia792 5]

Hi guys,

We got approved on Tuesday! My husband got his visa on Wednesday and crossed over into El Paso. Now he's going home for a few days and then he will come join me here in the US. I posted a review on my profile in the timeline, but feel free to ask any questions you might have.

[LaGringa 0]

That's great! Congratulations!

[Lia792 5]

Thanks! good luck!

Edited July 11, 2010 by Lia792

[czmjacq 1]

Thanks! good luck!

Congratulations!!

Thanks so much for posting the information- it really helps us who are planning the trip still. I have some questions if you don't mind answering them.

What if any vaccinations did your husband require? My husband has no records of his vaccinations and I actually called the Servicios Medico Clinic and they said he would need Varicella and Tdap Vaccines.

Which medical clinic did he go to? I heard the Servicios Medicos is usually less crowded -- it's in a white building behind the other clinic which is in a brown building (from what I read online).

Also- you said your husband had his appointment at 9am -- was he waiting at the Consulate all that time until they interviewed him at 5pm?

And he picked up his VISA the next day at 230pm -- Was it ready before that? I'm trying to decide if I can book my husband's return flight the day after his interview, but the latest departure is at 130pm (since he is going to Cancun). Sounds like I probably should book his return on Friday (interview on Wednesday)to be safe.

I am thinking about booking him at La Quinta as well --How did their shuttle service work? Was he able to get to and from using it or did he just use taxis?

Sorry for all the questions -- just trying to get all the info I can before booking air and hotel and get as much info as possible for my husband who is nervous just about being in Ciudad Juarez (living in Cozumel where there is very little crime makes even going to Cancun seem dangerous).

Thanks!

[arianak 0]

Hi guys,

We got approved on Tuesday! My husband got his visa on Wednesday and crossed over into El Paso. Now he's going home for a few days and then he will come join me here in the US. I posted a review on my profile in the timeline, but feel free to ask any questions you might have.

So happy for you!!! Thanks for all your help on here......

[Lia792 5]

Thanks, guys! Here's some answers, too:

On top of the medical, my husband had to have 3 vaccines:

56 Tdap (Adacel)  

40 MMR   Measles, Mumps, Rubella.   ("MR" and "MM" are not enough).  You need MMR

56 Varicella -  If you had "Chicken Pox" disease, no vaccine is needed

152 price + medical fee + IVA = cost

I would have to ask my husband how much they charged him. I'm not sure which clinic he went to...I think he just got in the taxi and told them to take him. He said La Quinta was nice, but he didn't like the fact you had to reserve the shuttle ahead of time and it would take about an hour to pick you up after you called it. One day their radio to the shuttle didn't work, and one day the internet didn't work.

The appointment took forever. He got there at 9am for a 10am appointment and didn't even see the CO until about 5pm. He said that there were 250-300 people still in there when he left.

We checked DHL the next morning around 11am and there had been no change, but he checked it at 2 and it was ready. Then he went with 3 other people to DHL, they all picked up their packets and went to the bridge and crossed together. He was able to reserve the shuttle ahead of time for that and to take him to the airport on Friday. We asked if they could pick him up when he came in and they said the hotels in CJ are not allowed to. We also got a AAA discount with La Quinta which helped make it more affordable. My husband was a little unnerved by the environment, especially one night when there were a lot of sirens. He did go out and eat sometimes at lunchtime at Wendy's or the taco place across the street. I wouldn't reserve a flight to fly out the next day. My husband had his interview on Tuesday and flew out Friday night, and only had extra tiime doing nothing on Thursday and Friday.

That's all I can think of for now.

[jaremedios 1]

Congratulations!

Just to clarify, Lia792, your husband arrived on Thursday night, did the medical all in one day (Friday), interview Tuesday, Picked up at DHL on Wednesday and crossed the bridge the same day. Then flew out Friday night. So what did he do the Saturday, Sunday, Monday before his interview? And Thursday and Friday after his interview? Is it safe to say that 1 week there is too much?

1. So he took a taxi to the medical...and back?

2. Consulate was in front of hotel? So he walked?

3. Did the shuttle take him to DHL AND the bridge to cross?

4. Did he take a taxi when he got in at the airport?

5. Did you check DHL online or by calling?

6. Also, just to make sure...he arrived to Consulate at 9am and stayed within the buiding until after his interview or did he go in and out?

7. Where do you get the barcode for the medical? In the clinic itself or somewhere else before you go to the clinic?

8. Did he have to wait long for his medical?

If you can ask your husband which clinic he went to and also how much he had to pay, would really appreciate it. Thanks, hun!

You mentioned on your timeline that you called the Consulate when you were still in Mexico and they told you 6-8 weeks for interview, but when you got to the States you called and they told you something different. Could you give us the phone number you used to call in the States? Do they just ask for your Case number or something else to check the status of interview?

[Jilly and Danny 0]

Hello All!

We sent our Packet 3 via DHL today. I'll be tracking it for the next 24 hours or so. They said it would arrive tomorrow. I'm really worried that it'll get lost like the first packet we sent to Mexico City way back in March. I've decided I'm going to wait a week and then send an email via the link posted by Lia a few pages back. I figure if it takes them a couple weeks to answer then by then three weeks will have passed and maybe they'll be able to tell me something.

I'm really hoping things are in order and we get an interview date in early September. We'll be on vacation most of August so I'd really like to know the date before we go.

[arianak 0]

Hi everyone. I was wondering how long you guys think I should wait for my case number before calling the dollar a minute line. Our 130 was approved and supposedly sent on June 30th, but Juarez says they still don't have it. Agh! I want to send packet 3! Any advice? How long did it take you all to get your case #s and how did you finally get them? Thanks!

[Jilly and Danny 0]

Hi everyone. I was wondering how long you guys think I should wait for my case number before calling the dollar a minute line. Our 130 was approved and supposedly sent on June 30th, but Juarez says they still don't have it. Agh! I want to send packet 3! Any advice? How long did it take you all to get your case #s and how did you finally get them? Thanks!

We turned our I-130 in to DF on May 24. I received a letter from Ciudad Juarez on June 24 via regular mail. The letter (packet 3) had a date of June 7.

Considering it was supposedly sent two weeks ago, I'd say its probably safe to call. It makes me really anxious knowing that the Embassy and Consulates send everything via regular mail. My first package to DF got "lost" and I DID send it DHL. So I would go ahead and call. The sooner you know if its lost the better.

Edited July 13, 2010 by Jilly and Danny

[Lia792 5]

Congratulations!

Just to clarify, Lia792, your husband arrived on Thursday night, did the medical all in one day (Friday), interview Tuesday, Picked up at DHL on Wednesday and crossed the bridge the same day. Then flew out Friday night. So what did he do the Saturday, Sunday, Monday before his interview? And Thursday and Friday after his interview? Is it safe to say that 1 week there is too much? Yes, you are correct. He had to go early because he wanted to make sure he had his medical results on time. Since his interview was on Tuesday, he came Thursday to do the medical on Friday so he could have Monday for the results just in case. He was very, very bored. I made sure he brought his computer so we could chat. He was bored on Thursday and Friday, too; we had all that extra time in case the visa wasn't ready on time. I think it just depends what day of the week your appointment was on. I imagine the best case scenario would be to have your appointment on a Wednesday so you can do the medical on Monday and leave on Friday night.

1. So he took a taxi to the medical...and back? I don't remember how he got back...it might have been taxi again or just with the shuttle when it dropped people off. There is a safe taxi at the hotel.

2. Consulate was in front of hotel? So he walked? No...La Quinta is a little distance away. The Holiday Inn Express and City Junior are very close to the consulate. We chose La Quinta for the shuttle and it had the best price with the AAA discount. That would just depend on their specials.

3. Did the shuttle take him to DHL AND the bridge to cross? Yes. 3 other people also did it. They crossed on foot, then crossed back and waited for the shuttle to come back for them.

4. Did he take a taxi when he got in at the airport? Yes, the clerk at La Quinta told us that it should not cost more than 150 pesos but he said it ended up being 210 because supposedly the taxis have set prices for certain zones.

5. Did you check DHL online or by calling? He checked it online and saw that it was there. The plan was for him to go at 2:30 anyways, and he just happened to see that it was updated on DHL's website.

6. Also, just to make sure...he arrived to Consulate at 9am and stayed within the building until after his interview or did he go in and out? He did not leave the whole time. If people left and their name was called, they lost their place in line.

7. Where do you get the barcode for the medical? In the clinic itself or somewhere else before you go to the clinic? They give it you at the medical.

8. Did he have to wait long for his medical? He was in and out in 2 hours, but they also did not send him for any other tests. Many others were sent for urine tests he said. Also, some get sent to the psychologist.

If you can ask your husband which clinic he went to and also how much he had to pay, would really appreciate it. Thanks, hun!

OK I'll try to remember that tonight. We have his official real POE set for August 1.

You mentioned on your timeline that you called the Consulate when you were still in Mexico and they told you 6-8 weeks for interview, but when you got to the States you called and they told you something different. I never called from the US because none of those numbers would work from the phones I was calling from. I had my husband call again from Mexico to the same number. Could you give us the phone number you used to call in the States? Do they just ask for your Case number or something else to check the status of interview? They also asked for my address and maybe one of our birthdates.

[Marisol73 0]

Hi Everyone !

Do you know How long do I have to wait before send an inquiry form to cd juarez asking my case number?

The I-130 for my son was approved on July 9th.. it is too soon to ask for case number?

I want to send packet 3 as soon as possible.

Thanks !