Esperando enohio

I'm surprised nobody else has objected to the word "undesirable." I realize this is a very old post, but I just came across it and was struck by that word.

My husband, whom I met during a year doing volunteer work in Mexico, admitted to past marijuana use during his medical interview in Juarez. He is not nor has he ever been a drug addict or even a drug abuser, according to established professional guidelines regarding mental illness (I'm a mental health counselor licensed to diagnose drug abuse and addiction, just in case my opinion would be called into question). He was given a 3-year ban on his visa.

I finally managed to get him here last December and now he is a fully-functioning member of U.S. society, and he pays taxes (which JohnandSonya obviously hold in much esteem) just like everyone else.

He could have been going to college and contributing to this society, including as a taxpayer, for the past four years, instead of wasting time in Mexico and being separated from his wife for the duration of that ban.

My husband has made his share of mistakes, just like everyone else has, but I defy anyone to refer to him as "undesirable," especially some faceless presence on a message board who has never met him.

Additionally, I am fairly certain that the percentage of immigrants issued visas to live in this country who have never broken a single law nor committed a single sin nor made a single bad decision is very small, whether they admit to those crimes/sins/mistakes during their interviews or not (let he who has committed no sins cast the first stone, etc. etc.).

One more thing to consider - visa applicants who have been convicted of selling drugs in their own countries are eligible for a 601 waiver, thereby reducing their bans and allowing them to enter the U.S. sooner if their waivers are approved. Applicants who admit to using drugs, even recreationally on a few isolated occasions (such as my husband) are not eligible for such a waiver. Speaking of "undesirables."

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all the advice.

Fwaguy: Yes, Mexico City is the closest consulate, I think. That's where my husband had to go when he applied for a tourist visa. I'm not sure we could get "evidence" aside from a property deed. My in-laws certainly do not have bank accounts and the only real ties they have to Mexico besides the house are family members (lots of them).

Boiler: Which two countries?

Guatetaliana: I hope you and your husband will be eligible for the immediate waiver - I'm sure you've read about having the waiver prepared ahead of time and being pregnant/having a baby might help with your hardship case? I hope so. I wish you the best. I know how hard it is living here while your husband is in Mexico. PM me if you have any questions about going through Juarez.

I may just hold off on sending them to the Embassy until Adolfo gets naturalized. Which might take awhile the way things are going now but oh well. I would feel awful, and of course so would they, if their visas got denied. My husband described it is as the worst feeling of humiliation and rejection and I wouldn't want to put them through that. I'd be personally embarassed, too.

Thanks again all.

OK so I have my husband here, finally (see my other posts for the details) and he has his Green Card, no conditions. At some point we will want to see about having his parents/siblings come to visit us. They have no interest in living here but they are understandably curious about my husband's new home.

When my husband applied for a tourist visa in Mexico City before we got married he was denied pretty much out-of-hand. He had no money or property so they considered him a risk for overstaying his visa. The Embassy there is notoriously stingy about issuing tourist visas, as I'm sure you all know.

Can I expect the same thing to happen to my in-laws if they apply for a tourist visa? I'd hate to make them take the 4-hour trip to the Embassy and go through all the expense and hassle if they will just be denied their visas. My in-laws own their house and would be considered middle class but they're not the Gotrocks. We'd have to pay their travel expenses. My mother-and-father-in-law are in their late fifties. My father-in-law works full-time, my mother-in-law doesn't work outside the home. One of my brothers-in-law has Downs Syndrome and lives with his parents, the other brother-in-law wouldn't want to come, and my sister-in-law is single and works as an engineer. She also lives with her parents.

I'm interested in hearing from people with spouses from Mexico who may have tried this already.

Any advice?

Thanks!

My husband just got his permanent residency visa and arrived to live with me in Ohio. We took him to get his learner's permit and they didn't require a Social Security number. I don't know about foreign driver licenses because my husband didn't have one.

As far as I know you can take the actual driver's test without a SSN. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles is required to verify legal presence in the U.S. so they'll ask to see your visa but again, my husband registered for his permit and took the written test without being asked for a SSN.

Ok I know this doesn't relate directly to my visa application but does anyone know how long I would be able to drive on my UK drivers license in the state of Ohio without having to take the test?

Also what's the story with getting the license. Do you need to have an SSN before you can take the test (they put this on your ID card) or can you take it pretty much as soon as you enter the country - will they issue you a license immediately? Also at what point are you allocated an SSN?

Hi - Sorry this took so long. I don't know what the IR1 visa is. My husband was graciously awarded his green card on 12/14 so that's why he has his employment authorization already. When we went to Juarez the first time 3 years ago we were interviewing for the K3 visa but this time it was the permanent residency.

If you have any other questions send me a private message because I don't visit this site very often anymore, though I am so grateful for all the help I have gotten by using it over the last few years.

Good luck!

Jen

Wow, congratulations...I really don't know how you guys waited for 3 years...I'm very glad it's over for you.

I do have one question for you. You mentioned he got an "employment authorization stamp" on his passport? I thought K3 visa holders don't get that, and it's only for K1 visa holders. Did your husband go for the IR1 visa??

Please let us know.

Thanks a lot and Congrats again!

My husband´s visa was approved Friday night at Ciudad Juarez consulate Here´s the story:

We went to Centro Medico Internacional Thursday morning. There was a really long line but it went fast and he was in by 6:30 (don´t get there later than 5am). He had his medical exam and got 4 vaccinations and then they sent him straight to the clinic´s psychologist since of course he had to admit to past drug use again. She found his file from 3 years ago, interviewed him for 20 minutes and told him he would get his visa as long as he complied with what he was told to do last time (which he had). My mom and I waited for him for about 4 hours behind the clinic where they had some chairs and heaters behind a couple of plastic sheets.

He was done before noon and they told him to come back the next morning at 10:30 for his results. They said it wouldn´t be a problem that his interview time was way before his results would be available but as you can imagine, knowing U.S. consulates, we were worried anyway.

Next morning we were in line by 5:00 but the security guards kicked my mom and I out 5 minutes after we got there. They had the applicants line up by appointment time, so the first group was the 6:30 time, my husband´s group was the 7:30, and there was an 8:30 group behind him. He finally got into the consulate around 7:30 or so and they sent him right back out because he didn´t have his medical results yet. They told him to come back when he had his results and he wouldn´t have to wait in line again. We sat around in a little cafe across the street until 10:00 and then went to the clinic. There were a lot of people there who had had to wait until that day for their results (I guess most people are given their results the same day they have the exam, in the afternoon, but since my husband had to see the psychologist it took longer). They called his name at 10:45 and he ran over to the consulate and got right in.

Then my mom and I waited outside for hours. It was cold, windy, and dusty and I´m glad my mom was with me because I would have been very nervous about standing around there by myself. There were hundreds and hundreds of people standing around across the street from the consulate waiting for family members to come out. We stayed there because we thought maybe the CO would want me to come in but they never called me. We were approached by several men, Mexican and American, wanting money. It was a nerve-wracking day.

Finally around 6pm when there were only a few people left across the street waiting, we walked across to the consulate and were about to ask the security guard if my husband was still in there when he came out. He was one of the last 10 people out. You can tell the people who are granted their visas because they come out carrying a manila envelope with the corner cut off and a stack of stapled white papers sticking out of the corner. My mom and my husband and I cried and hugged and then got the hell out of there. All in all we waited 13 hours that day.

We got a taxi up to the border (pay attention to what the manila envelope says on the front because it tells you which bridge you have to cross) and went to an office inside the border station and waited for another 2 hours while they did something to his visa and stamped his employment authorization on it. Then we got back into the taxi and drove across, it took a whole 1 minute for the border guard to check our passports, they didn´t even look at our luggage.

A few recommendations for those of you traveling to Juarez for a visa:

1. Don´t bring any jewelry or carry large amounts of cash on you.

´)

2. If you can, bring someone with you. I can´t even say how grateful I am that my mother took the time and spent the money to come with me. She

was a great distraction and I felt so much safer not having to wait alone both days.

3. If you can get to Juarez 2 days before the interview do it. It´s better to have the medical exam 2 days before the interview in my opinion.

4. Bring lots of warm clothes and dress in layers. It got up to 55 during the day but it was very windy, and very cold in the mornings and evenings.

5. If you get your visa, make sure you cross at least 6 hours before your flight leaves from El Paso if you travel by plane. The first time you cross it

takes a long time to get across the border because of having to wait in that office plus during the day there is a long line of cars waiting to cross into

the U.S. Apparently you have to cross for the first time between Monday and Friday because the envelope they gave my husband says the office is

only open M-F, although that seems strange to me. We should have asked while we were there but we forgot.

If anyone has any questions send me a private message and I´ll get back with you. Good luck to everyone!

Jen

(For the complete story see ¨Anyone reapply after being denied for drug use¨)

My husband´s visa was approved Friday night at Ciudad Juarez consulate Here´s the story:

We went to Centro Medico Internacional Thursday morning. There was a really long line but it went fast and he was in by 6:30 (don´t get there later than 5am). He had his medical exam and got 4 vaccinations and then they sent him straight to the clinic´s psychologist since of course he had to admit to past drug use again. She found his file from 3 years ago, interviewed him for 20 minutes and told him he would get his visa as long as he complied with what he was told to do last time (which he had). My mom and I waited for him for about 4 hours behind the clinic where they had some chairs and heaters behind a couple of plastic sheets.

He was done before noon and they told him to come back the next morning at 10:30 for his results. They said it wouldn´t be a problem that his interview time was way before his results would be available but as you can imagine, knowing U.S. consulates, we were worried anyway.

Next morning we were in line by 5:00 but the security guards kicked my mom and I out 5 minutes after we got there. They had the applicants line up by appointment time, so the first group was the 6:30 time, my husband´s group was the 7:30, and there was an 8:30 group behind him. He finally got into the consulate around 7:30 or so and they sent him right back out because he didn´t have his medical results yet. They told him to come back when he had his results and he wouldn´t have to wait in line again. We sat around in a little cafe across the street until 10:00 and then went to the clinic. There were a lot of people there who had had to wait until that day for their results (I guess most people are given their results the same day they have the exam, in the afternoon, but since my husband had to see the psychologist it took longer). They called his name at 10:45 and he ran over to the consulate and got right in.

Then my mom and I waited outside for hours. It was cold, windy, and dusty and I´m glad my mom was with me because I would have been very nervous about standing around there by myself. There were hundreds and hundreds of people standing around across the street from the consulate waiting for family members to come out. We stayed there because we thought maybe the CO would want me to come in but they never called me. We were approached by several men, Mexican and American, wanting money. It was a nerve-wracking day.

Finally around 6pm when there were only a few people left across the street waiting, we walked across to the consulate and were about to ask the security guard if my husband was still in there when he came out. He was one of the last 10 people out. You can tell the people who are granted their visas because they come out carrying a manila envelope with the corner cut off and a stack of stapled white papers sticking out of the corner. My mom and my husband and I cried and hugged and then got the hell out of there. All in all we waited 13 hours that day.

We got a taxi up to the border (pay attention to what the manila envelope says on the front because it tells you which bridge you have to cross) and went to an office inside the border station and waited for another 2 hours while they did something to his visa and stamped his employment authorization on it. Then we got back into the taxi and drove across, it took a whole 1 minute for the border guard to check our passports, they didn´t even look at our luggage.

A few recommendations for those of you traveling to Juarez for a visa:

1. Don´t bring any jewelry or carry large amounts of cash on you.

2. If you can, bring someone with you. I can´t even say how grateful I am that my mother took the time and spent the money to come with me. She

was a great distraction and I felt so much safer not having to wait alone both days.

3. If you can get to Juarez 2 days before the interview do it. It´s better to have the medical exam 2 days before the interview in my opinion.

4. Bring lots of warm clothes and dress in layers. It got up to 55 during the day but it was very windy, and very cold in the mornings and evenings.

5. If you get your visa, make sure you cross at least 6 hours before your flight leaves from El Paso if you travel by plane. The first time you cross it

takes a long time to get across the border because of having to wait in that office plus during the day there is a long line of cars waiting to cross into

the U.S. Apparently you have to cross for the first time between Monday and Friday because the envelope they gave my husband says the office is

only open M-F, although that seems strange to me. We should have asked while we were there but we forgot.

If anyone has any questions send me a private message and I´ll get back with you. Good luck to everyone!

Jen

I just met someone that's in your same position... but I think they have more evidence. Her name is senoritacindy and she is open and willing to talk about it.

I'm also a mental health counselor, we have some things in common....

It seems like being honest is NOT suggested when talking about drug or alcohol history.

Good luck!

Kristi

Thanks - I will send her a message.

"I haven't been through this, but can the center state that your husband IS NOT an addict? I mean like an affidavit that he is clean, and has been for years..."

The center won't do that - I asked. Either because they don't want their "professional opinion" ending up in a U.S. government agency or because they don't know my husband well enough to say that he has been "clean" for years. They know he was not high the times he was at the center, and they know he reported that he wasn't using drugs and had never abused drugs, but that's all they know. They only drug-tested him once, the first time he went.

I personally wouldn't write a letter like that about one of my clients, because all I know is what they tell me. I don't know what they do when they're not in my office. If I wrote a letter like that for one of my clients it could come back to bite me and my professional competence would be questioned. So, I understand why they won't do it. It's still annoying though.

My husband applied for his K-3 (?) visa 3 years ago at Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. He was denied his visa because he admitted to smoking marijuana within 3 years prior to the appointment.

His 3 years are up now and we have our new appointment scheduled for December, this time for his green card.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has been in the same situation and then reapplied. I know we are supposed to bring evidence that he went to "treatment." We also have tox screen results that we paid for during the last 3 years.

However, when my husband went for his "treatment," they wouldn't really do anything for him because he wasn't an addict and couldn't even be said to be abusing drugs or alcohol then or at any time in the past. (For those of you who don't know, there are basically 3 levels of drug/alcohol problems - use, abuse, and dependence in order of severity from lowest to highest. I'm going to vent here - the consulate basically told him he was an addict for smoking pot 12 times over the previous 6 years and doing coke a few times when he was 18, and told him he needed rehab. That's pretty much what the law says, too. I'm a social worker/mental health counselor and I know that's a load of #######, but what are you going to do.)

So anyway, we have receipts from the treatment center visits and the lab results but not much else. I'm afraid we'll get there and they'll say it's not enough. I'm trying to be prepared ahead of time. The treatment center won't write a letter stating they "cured" him because they really didn't - he just went 8 or 9 times because the consulate told him he had to, and basically wasted the center's time. I've spoken with the treatment center personally about this. I think I have a letter somewhere stating that he was seen there, and the dates he was seen, but that's it.

If anyone could give me some advice based on personal experience, I'd really appreciate it.

Also, on a side note, am I really not going to be allowed to go into the consulate with him? I went in with him 3 years ago.

Thanks -

JG

My husband applied for his K-3 (?) visa 3 years ago at Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. He was denied his visa because he admitted to smoking marijuana within 3 years prior to the appointment.

His 3 years are up now and we have our new appointment scheduled for December, this time for his green card.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has been in the same situation and then reapplied. I know we are supposed to bring evidence that he went to "treatment." We also have tox screen results that we paid for during the last 3 years.

However, when my husband went for his "treatment," they wouldn't really do anything for him because he wasn't an addict and couldn't even be said to be abusing drugs or alcohol then or at any time in the past. (For those of you who don't know, there are basically 3 levels of drug/alcohol problems - use, abuse, and dependence in order of severity from lowest to highest. I'm going to vent here - the consulate basically told him he was an addict for smoking pot 12 times over the previous 6 years and doing coke a few times when he was 18, and told him he needed rehab. That's pretty much what the law says, too. I'm a social worker/mental health counselor and I know that's a load of #######, but what are you going to do.)

So anyway, we have receipts from the treatment center visits and the lab results but not much else. I'm afraid we'll get there and they'll say it's not enough. I'm trying to be prepared ahead of time. The treatment center won't write a letter stating they "cured" him because they really didn't - he just went 8 or 9 times because the consulate told him he had to, and basically wasted the center's time. I've spoken with the treatment center personally about this. I think I have a letter somewhere stating that he was seen there, and the dates he was seen, but that's it.

If anyone could give me some advice based on personal experience, I'd really appreciate it.

Also, on a side note, am I really not going to be allowed to go into the consulate with him? I went in with him 3 years ago.

Thanks -

JG