Wait times for scheduling visa interview in Juarez, Mexico different with DCF?

[MexicoExpat 18]

My wife and I submitted her I-30 at the end of October and were approved a couple of weeks later. We received the NVC letter with instructions to schedule the visa interview.

 

It took us a while to get the DS-260 together but we have submitted that by the end of December. 

 

We have just visited the link to schedule our appointment, but none are available. 

 

In browsing the forum, many people are saying it can take 9 months before their appointment is scheduled, but in these cases, it appears the consulate is scheduling their appointment for them, and they aren't choosing it themselves. 

 

These people also don't seem to be going through consular filing. 

 

Since we are doing DCF and can book our own appointment (despite no dates being available) is it likely we will still need to wait the 9+ months to get our appointment? 

 

We had heard because of how fast DCF moved, that this wouldn't have been an issue, and have already started to make plans to be in the US before this 9 month wait would be up if we do need to wait that long. 

 

Is it possible an appointment will open up that I can book? Do I just need to keep checking back every day? Can anyone who has done this recently share their experience? 

 

 

[Just Paul 4,591]

18 hours ago, MexicoExpat said:

Do I just need to keep checking back every day?

Yes just keep checking. It has been over a year since we completed. I checked a few times everyday.  I first found an appointment 5 months out (dec 27)  and ended up 2 months out (sept 25).   

 

People cancel for various reasons.  I even found an appointment for the next day but there was no way I could get back to Sonora, drive to Tijuana and fly to Juarez with my wife.

[MexicoExpat 18]

How long did you need to check before you got the appointment 5 months out? I have been checking multiple times every day and there is never anything available. I've also been calling several times and they can't provide any info about when appointments will become available. 

 

I was told that DCF would move extremely quickly, but that doesn't seem to be the case with actually getting our appointment. 

 

Our plan is to move to the US in August of this year and I'm now concerned that is no longer a possibility if we can't get an appointment in time. 

[geowrian 22,336]

DCF speeds up the USCIS portion of things, along with being a little faster after petition approval as it skips NVC. That is normally the longest step in the process.

[SalishSea 16,817]

31 minutes ago, MexicoExpat said:

How long did you need to check before you got the appointment 5 months out? I have been checking multiple times every day and there is never anything available. I've also been calling several times and they can't provide any info about when appointments will become available. 

 

I was told that DCF would move extremely quickly, but that doesn't seem to be the case with actually getting our appointment. 

 

Our plan is to move to the US in August of this year and I'm now concerned that is no longer a possibility if we can't get an appointment in time. 

Everyone ends up in the same interview queue, DCF or not.  Concrete plans to move generally are not recommended until the visa has been issued.

[MexicoExpat 18]

Does moving in August seem unreasonable at this point?

 

We have been working with a lawyer for our I-30 and DS-260 since we have a pretty complicated situation. They informed us DCF would move very quickly and start to finish could be done in under 5 months. 

 

I had originally thought filing the I-130 and moving in August would be more than enough time and we may even need to slow the process down. But now starting to wonder if we'll be able to make our plans work in August as originally intended. 

[SalishSea 16,817]

1 minute ago, MexicoExpat said:

We have been working with a lawyer for our I-30 and DS-260 since we have a pretty complicated situation. They informed us DCF would move very quickly and start to finish could be done in under 5 months. 

 

For embassies such as London, it can be.  Different story for embassies that have a big backup for interviews....   I would follow Paul's advice and keep checking for cancellations.

[Just Paul 4,591]

4 hours ago, MexicoExpat said:

How long did you need to check before you got the appointment 5 months out?

I don't remember exactly but it wasn't more than a few days.  I would have gone crazy otherwise.  I think the first time I got an appointment I found one an hour after the consulate opened.   

 

Then, being OCD, I would check every few hours when I was at work and found cancellations.

[MexicoExpat 18]

13 hours ago, Paul & Mary said:

I don't remember exactly but it wasn't more than a few days.  I would have gone crazy otherwise. 

That's my current situation - been over a week and nothing available, full blocks of appointments or cancellations. Checking 5+ times per day. 

 

I'm hoping to be able to book something at least a couple months before our intended move in August, and then keep checking back for cancellations, but the situation seems bleak at this point. 

[MexicoExpat 18]

Calendar finally opened up today after close to two weeks of multiple times daily checking. Got an appointment for end of March, right when we wanted. 

 

Thanks for all the input!

[Just Paul 4,591]

1 hour ago, MexicoExpat said:

Calendar finally opened up today after close to two weeks of multiple times daily checking. Got an appointment for end of March, right when we wanted

Glad you got it.    Now you just need to make sure you have your I-864 and police certificates together.  Remember anything that you would have submitted to the NVC you need to take to CDJ.  Also your spouse will pay for the visa fee after they do the document check.  It is in a different building in the compound, the first building on the left upstairs.  My wife had a hard time finding it  Take a hat or umbrella if you will be waiting outside.

[MexicoExpat 18]

Thanks for the tips. We have our police certificate already. Thought I had all my documents in place for the  I-864 but may end up needing a joint sponsor. I make more than enough, but it's technically foreign earned. I have a non-US corporation I run my business through (in order to make use of the foreign earned income exclusion), which I will be dissolving and operating directly through my US company when we move back. 

 I have a lawyer helping us with the document preparation who has told us they have seen recently about 50% of the foreign earned income applicants be requested to produce a joint sponsor. So just trying to be proactive there. 

 

Luckily since we are in CDMX we can do the medical and biometric right within walking distance of our apartment, and likely only need to spend 1 night in Juarez, and fly back to the city the afternoon after the interview. 

 

I believe I have read somewhere here on VJ though that there is some sort of check-in process we need to go through the day before our appointment? Or something we need to do in Juarez at the consulate before being allowed in for our appointment? Does that ring any bells?

 

Will be sure to pass the info along to my wife about where she will need to pay.

 

Thanks again for the info!

[Just Paul 4,591]

2 hours ago, MexicoExpat said:

I believe I have read somewhere here on VJ though that there is some sort of check-in process we need to go through the day before our appointment?

If you can do biometrics in CDMX then you just show up at the consulate about 30 minutes early.   Fly into CDJ before nightfall if you want to use Uber.  You have to walk to the end of the airport road for pickup and it is pretty dark or use a hotel with a shuttle.