After Interview is Completed

[Ike&Elena 0]

My wife is sending in the DS 230 in a couple hours. We are assuming that if all goes well the package will be accepted without any incidence and will be able to go in for the interview. She is a Mexican citizen. I have been reading through the site trying to familiarize myself with the next step. I noticed that a lot of people wait for the DHL package that has their visa papers to arrive while in Juarez. Do we have to wait in Juarez for the visa papers to arrive or will we be able to request that the visa papers be sent to her house?

I would appreciate anyones information about this so we can plan accordingly.

Thank you.

[Lia792 5]

Hi Ike&Elena, you have to wait in Juarez to pick up the visa in DHL. Sometimes it is available the same day, and other times the next day, or even a few days later. I consider it to be extremely difficult to plan a ticket to visit a city everyone wants to get out of ASAP. Don't forget the medical also has to be done in Juarez and that can sometimes even have unforeseen circumstances such as having to speak with the psychologist or a sputum test (I think that's what it is) in cases where they suspect TB. They are also famous for giving out 3 year drug bans to anyone who admits during the medical to having taken any form of drugs ever in their life.

I have, however, heard of a very few, select cases where the individual was waiting for some form of papers about a waiver, I'm not sure if it was the visa or not, but they traditionally have to wait weeks in Juarez, and I had heard of maybe 2 people on www.smf.juarez-mexico.com that were able to get them to send the DHL package to their home city in Mexico rather than waiting. Hence, she can ask the staff when she fills out the DHL form if it can go to her home city, but it is very doubtful that they will say yes.

She may also be confused that they will tell her she has to cross into the US immediately. You don't have to cross over immediately, although since a CR-1/IR-1 is a multiple entry visa, it shouldn't be a problem if she does. Technically, it's not such a bad idea, because they start making the green card after POE.

[Ike&Elena 0]

Thank you Lia792 for all the information you provided. My wife just found out that she has some relatives in Juarez and will be asking to stay with them till the visa process has been completed. This has been a big stress relief financially and emotionally. How long did your visa application process take from start to end?

[Darnell 8,478]

Are you a DCF case, or was the I-130 sent to the lockbox in Chicago ?

it sorta smells like yer sending the DS-230 to some address in Mexico ???

[Ike&Elena 0]

Are you a DCF case, or was the I-130 sent to the lockbox in Chicago ?

it sorta smells like yer sending the DS-230 to some address in Mexico ???

We are not a DCF case. The I-130 was sent to the lockbox in Chicago. My wife sent the Ds-230 to the New Hampshire address, hopefully the DS 230 will be there tomorrow.

[Lia792 5]

Hi Ike & Elena,

Staying with relatives is really a best-case scenario for CJ, in my opinion. It's a minimum of 2 days (medical, appointment, and then pick up the visa if it is same day) but chances are it will be 3 and then the problem is no one really knows how long it will take.

We just got our NOA2 today, so we are far from done yet, plus we are doing DCF...I got my information from reading a lot of forums and the consulate website over and over again.

http://ciudadjuarez.usconsulate.gov/step6_iv.html

The 2nd link is for non-immigrant visas but the note about courier services is also the same for immigrant visas:

http://ciudadjuarez.usconsulate.gov/non-immigrant_visas.html

The consulate also says that people who get out of their interview by a certain time - I want to say 4pm, but I can't find the webpage - tend to receive their visas that same day, and others get theirs the next day. You also have to consider the day of the week of the appointment and for example, if her interview is on a Monday, she has to get there by at least Friday for the medical.

Good luck!