After the K-1 visa approval at Juarez

[Pooh Pee 1]

My fiancée’s interview is September 20. I will accompany her to Juarez. We are planning to wait in Juarez until we get her visa. Then cross the border the following day.

I would like to know how long others had to wait after their interview approval and getting the visa. I have read that it can take up to 10 business days to get their passport back with the visa attached. It would be wonderful if others can share their experiences.

Also, is there only one designated bridge to cross? Will the visa specify a bridge to cross? Is the immigration office open in the early hours of the morning, such as 6:00 am? We would like to cross very early into El Paso, and then go to the airport for a flight out about 9:00 am.

Any insight would be helpful.

[Pooh Pee 1]

Here is what I found. There are only 2 POE at Juarez/El Paso that process K-1 visas. The CPB representative told me that the K-1 visa holder must go to the POE stated on the visa. Once processed, the visa holder can fly out of Juarez or walk across the bridge. The bridges are Bridge of the Americas POE and Ysleta POE. She suggested calling ahead for a taxi at the El Paso side because not all POE have taxis waiting. The POE is open 24/7. Here is the CPB link for more information.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/tx/2402.xml

[payxibka 10,045]

Here is what I found. There are only 2 POE at Juarez/El Paso that process K-1 visas. The CPB representative told me that the K-1 visa holder must go to the POE stated on the visa. Once processed, the visa holder can fly out of Juarez or walk across the bridge. The bridges are Bridge of the Americas POE and Ysleta POE. She suggested calling ahead for a taxi at the El Paso side because not all POE have taxis waiting. The POE is open 24/7. Here is the CPB link for more information.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/tx/2402.xml

You are not obligated to use any POE... You use the POE most convenient to you... You can use any POE from Brownsville to San Diego... or use any international airport that receives flights from Mexico

[JCTorres 0]

My fiancee had her K1 interview on September 6 2011 and was told by the Consul to wait for her visa between 5 to 10 days. I had read that usually took 2 to 3 days to receive the visa and based on that we waited in Juarez till saturday September 10th. We returned from Juarez on September 11 with no Visa in hand. We'll be checking the website to find out when the Visa is ready for pick up.

As for the bridges, once you receive your visa and sealed envelope (DO NOT OPEN) there will be a designated bridge (2 bridges available) to cross IF you choose to cross to El Paso from Juarez otherwise you can use ANY other crossing along the border or fly into any international U. S. airport.

The flight plans are tricky as the process can take anywhere between 15 min to 5 hours depending on how busy the crossing and/or computer system are at that moment. Our plans are to cross on a saturday and sleep in El Paso and then fly out of El Paso the next day (sunday) to avoid rushing to/missing our flight out of El Paso.

Hope this helps or stresses you more

[Pooh Pee 1]

Thanks JCTorres for you advice.

I might consider staying the night in El Paso because it might get really stressful if it takes a long time at the border. Then we would not have to get up early to cross the border. If we get our visa sooner, we will have some money left. We can use the time to visit the sites. I do not think we will have another opportunity to visit this part of the country anytime soon. Maybe we can have a headstart on our honeymoon.

[keka 1]

You are not obligated to use any POE... You use the POE most convenient to you... You can use any POE from Brownsville to San Diego... or use any international airport that receives flights from Mexico

No its not true ,i get my k1 and they told me in the embassy and in the office of DHL the bridge that i should go for k1 , just i was told for not to go there till im going to cross , you dont need to go and stamp the package thats a trick from the taxi drivers and people there , so keep your eyes open , also it was better for us walk the bridge and cheap (for take you to the hotel to the bridge was 20 USD and for cross with you and take you to the airport was 100USD) , the cap leave us in the bridge , we walk and make line.. wait for migration for give you the stamps and thats it! Then my boyfriend (now husband) call a taxi from the airport take us there and was like 10 minutes far.. but remember that the time for cross is different , so dont expect go out fast from there but also you can too

We wait one day for our Visa

Good luck!!

Edited September 19, 2011 by keka

[Pooh Pee 1]

No its not true ,i get my k1 and they told me in the embassy and in the office of DHL the bridge that i should go for k1 , just i was told for not to go there till im going to cross , you dont need to go and stamp the package thats a trick from the taxi drivers and people there , so keep your eyes open , also it was better for us walk the bridge and cheap (for take you to the hotel to the bridge was 20 USD and for cross with you and take you to the airport was 100USD) , the cap leave us in the bridge , we walk and make line.. wait for migration for give you the stamps and thats it! Then my boyfriend (now husband) call a taxi from the airport take us there and was like 10 minutes far.. but remember that the time for cross is different , so dont expect go out fast from there but also you can too

We wait one day for our Visa

Good luck!!

Thank you Keka. We are planning to do that. I want to take pictures of my fiancee crossing the border also. Before I asked her to buy suitcases with wheels so we can walk across. We will schedule a later flight so we do not have to rush. We were thinking of staying in El Paso for a day. But I do not know much about El Paso. I also want to get home. I started my trip last Friday. I hope that her visa is ready sooner.