clw654321

9 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Interview: Dallas (Irving)

Interview: 12/14/22

Oath: 1/26/23 in Plano, TX.

Ok thanks! So right over a month. Makes me curious if my wife's will be in Beaumont since that is way closer to us.

7 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

Wife received that notice after her N-400 interview.  Received oath notice 2 or 3 weeks alter.

My wife had her interview today. I see you are also in Texas so I am curious if her oath ceremony was in Houston and how long was it between the interview and the oath ceremony for her?

Thanks in advance!

47 minutes ago, OldUser said:

When they see visa they would ignore GC / I-551 stamp. Let us know how it goes!

Well wanting to hand them the I-551 hoping they don't see the visa at first and see what they say. Will definitely update.

On 4/1/2024 at 9:31 PM, OldUser said:

I hope you get somebody adequate helping you at the check in. Good luck!

Just an update for you and @powerpuffshe got an appointment today for the visa scheduled next week!!!

I still am pretty sure she would be fine with her I-551, but now there are no worries, Thank God.

So we will just give them her passport and I-551 to see what they say at the airport and see if they even ask for her visa.

I will update you both after the trip. Appreciate the advice!

Any clue if this still works the same now or has anything changed?

10 hours ago, travellers said:

Hey folks, my wife and I need some advice. We live in NJ. She filed I751 in December 2022. It has been 16 months but the tracking info is still "Fingerprints Were Taken". We did not file N400 yet because we ever read some articles on the internet what it's "better" to Get I751 approved first. So shall we contact our congressman to push USCIS a little? Not sure it works but we have no idea what else we can do. Can you folks give some advice? thanks in advance 

Same here but we filed over a year before you. We were told by USCIS just last week that we should have a request sent to our service center. We did and will have an update within 30 days. (Possibly the GC)

Also we filed for citizenship last week and that takes about 4 months. No need to wait to file N400.

2 minutes ago, OldUser said:

https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/form-i-797-types-and-functions

 

It's more about airlines and less about Mexico border control from what I understand. There's very few airline staff who can distinguish I-797 from I-797A.

 

When I travelled with extension letter, one airline for confused about the letter (48 months) and called the manager. The manager said: "You need to add 4 years to expiration as extension letter says." I expect this level of education, unfortunately, which makes it hard to convince I-797, I-797A and I-797C are different forms 😊

Ok so worst case ask for a supervisor so it’s understood correctly and we also have the I551 that was just sent in the mail and that should be it…

And like I said before I spoke to someone with United and they said that’s ok over the phone. Although I don’t trust that completely.

As a reminder we do have the i551also

1 hour ago, powerpuff said:

I just looked and they last posted 53 min ago… it’s a very active account. 
 

Account name is ConsulMexHou. I think you can only see their active feed if you have an X account. 

Here is what it says on the consulates website. What is the difference between a i797 and a i797A?

Maybe we have a I797 and it’s the one with an “a” that Mexico doesn’t like?

@OldUsermaybe you can help here also please.

34 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

I just looked and they last posted 53 min ago… it’s a very active account. 
 

Account name is ConsulMexHou. I think you can only see their active feed if you have an X account. 

I just made an account so I can check it. Thank you!

Any idea how people get an appointment with the consulate on wheels? It has the same number you call for the Mexican consulate but tells you no appointments are available always.

Just now, OldUser said:

Typically 2-4 weeks before GC itself.

Yes, it's an important document that I'd keep safe.

IF we get that before we go, I wonder if that’s good enough to get into Mexico🤦🏼‍♂️

Although I feel like we have more than enough already depending on how the airline reads the law.

1 minute ago, OldUser said:

I wouldn't believe anything they promise until you have approval letter and GC.

Agreed. Approval letter for GC? And how soon do they send this before GC…
And of course I’ll believe it when I’ll see it.

2 hours ago, powerpuff said:

I read some Reddit posts on this and apparently it’s a common issue. The only remedy was to check constantly for what appears to be weeks and one person suggested to follow their Twitter/X as they sometimes post when they release appointments.

Just looked. Last post on Twitter/X was October 31st 2023…

2 hours ago, powerpuff said:

I read some Reddit posts on this and apparently it’s a common issue. The only remedy was to check constantly for what appears to be weeks and one person suggested to follow their Twitter/X as they sometimes post when they release appointments.

Thank you so much!!!

Seems like Wednesday they have appointments open up but have only seen this twice.

I spoke with USCIS earlier about my wife’s 10 year GC and they have put in a service request. They say she should get it by the end of May.

But our trip for our 5 year anniversary is the first week of May so we really need 100% confirmation that she is ok to go to Cancun with expired GC, extension letter, and her I-551 that she got last week. USCIS says that’s all we need but they aren’t Mexico.

So we will follow that to try to get the visa so there are 0 worries.

Thank you so very much!

If you have a link to that please send it and if you have anymore ideas or things you have seen please let me know.

7 hours ago, clw654321 said:

@OldUser do you happen to know of anyone who has successfully got an appointment at the Houston Mexican Consulate?

There has got to be some kind of time that appointments become available. We have called and checked online multiple times everyday and they only tell us there no available appointments and to call back to check.

 

We think we are ok with what she has but if we could get an appointment we would get the visa to be 100% sure.

Or @powerpuff

@OldUser do you happen to know of anyone who has successfully got an appointment at the Houston Mexican Consulate?

There has got to be some kind of time that appointments become available. We have called and checked online multiple times everyday and they only tell us there no available appointments and to call back to check.

We think we are ok with what she has but if we could get an appointment we would get the visa to be 100% sure.

6 minutes ago, OldUser said:

The thing is, they're unlikely going to bend the rules if one of their online agents tells you something but the staff on the ground disagrees. The online agents cannot be held accountable. That chat reminded me of chat with USCIS agents. They'll tell you anything to disconnect ASAP and move to next person.

 

You can try bringing printouts and the carrier guide. If you make enough noise maybe they'll let your wife board the plane. But don't get banned by a major airline over trip to Cancun. Good luck!

 

Well of course I have the chat and also in the chat asked her to verify with a supervisor and she did.

When I called, I told her about it and asked her to verify. She took her time looking into it and said a valid Philippines passport, expired GC, and mainly having an extension letter (i797 and/or i551)

is good enough.

Also I had her put this in the notes for when we get to the airport for the person checking us in to see and she did.

So hopefully that is enough 

Just now, powerpuff said:

Definitely print these chats out and bring them with you. Keep us posted and wishing you luck! 

They actually come across in a text with their app and I don’t delete texts. So it will be there regardless 

4 hours ago, powerpuff said:

*** Related threads on traveling to Mexico on extension letter merged together ***
 

From what I have been reading here the issue seems to be the airlines. I know for a fact that Delta will not board someone with an extension letter. United airlines as well according to recent reports:

I personally have scratched Mexico from my list of destinations for this reason as I’m also in the Removal of Conditions process. The hassle is not worth it in my opinion given there are many other great options. I could get a visa but as you said it’s hard to get an appointment and it’s just too much work 

So after the “chat” with United, I even called to confirm. Hopefully they understand what exactly she has and what we are doing, I repeated 4-5 times in different words and she told me that she is ok if she brings her Philippines passport, expired GC, and the extension letter.

I even asked her to have this saved for United when we go to checkin and she did.

So seems we are ok….

 I think.

5 hours ago, clw654321 said:

 

My wife is from the Philippines, her GC is expired, she has the i797 extension letter.

Is this all she needs for our trip to Cancun in a month for our 5 year anniversary?

It seems literally impossible to get an appointment for a visa at the Houston Mexican Consulate. Although we don’t know if she even needs it.

This is so unclear when reading everything. Thanks in advance!

@OldUser

My wife is from the Philippines, her GC is expired, she has the i797 extension letter.

Is this all she needs for our trip to Cancun in a month for our 5 year anniversary?

It seems literally impossible to get an appointment for a visa at the Houston Mexican Consulate. Although we don’t know if she even needs it.

This is so unclear when reading everything. Thanks in advance!

On 10/26/2023 at 2:38 PM, NorthByNorthwest said:

 

It might be counterintuitive but it is correct and many countries have similar arrangements. For example citizens from certain countries need transit visas to even pass through Europe (Schengen area) even if they do not leave the airport, but if these people have a valid US visa, they are exempt from needing a Schengen transit visa.

 

It is well-established that the US screens visa applicants thoroughly to establish sufficiently strong ties to their home countries - even if a US visa has nothing formally to do with travel to other countries, these other countries save time and resources by recognizing people with approved US visas as lower risk and not having to do the basic vetting.

We are in a similar situation. My wife is from the Philippines, her GC is expired, she has the i797 extension letter.

So are you 100% sure this is all she needs for our trip to Cancun in a month?

This is so unclear when reading everything. Thanks in advance!

@John & Rose do you know anyone good to tag for this?

My wife has been here in the US from The Philippines for almost 5 years now. We filed for her 10 year green card a couple years ago. (Applying for citizenship soon)

She still has not received it but has the extension letter. We have a trip planned to Cancun, Mexico at the beginning of May.

Since she does not have the physical GC yet we know she needs a Visa. She has had so much trouble trying to get an appointment at the embassy.

We are near Houston, TX. She was told she has to check daily and wait for an appointment to randomly pop up online when she checks.

Does anyone know how to get an appointment for this? It is driving us crazy at this point.