vivamex

I have a question about our AOS process and hopefully someone can help us. We received an RFE asking for my proof of U.S. Citizenship as I am the petitioner. No problem, I'm sending that right away. We didn't do our homework as well as we should have and when we sent the paperwork on the 88th day we realized she should have already had her vaccination supplement done. We went and got the vaccination report done after sending the initial paperwork and were expecting them to ask for it, but when the RFE came it was asking for my proof of citizenship rather than the vaccinations.

My question is should we send the I-693 in along with my proof of citizenship or should we just wait and hold it until they ask for it?

Thank You!

Come a little bit earlier. All you need is your passport and the appointment notice. Also make sure you know your SS number as it is one of the questions on the form you`ll fill out. Other questions will be your weight, your height, so make sure you know them in pounds and feet. That was something I had to figure out on the spot.

Then you get a number and wait. When it`s your turn they`ll take your picture and your fingerprints. That`s it.

We are going to the biometrics appt on Wednesday of this coming week. Cecilia does not have a SS number yet. She has not been given one. I hope that doesn't cause problems for us.

Not at all, I didn't have one either at the time of my appointment and it wasn't a big deal. Just leave it blank. I would recomend you arrive early just so you don't have to wait more in line. Good luck, you should be out of there in 20 min.

Thank you very much VIP. We appreciate the response. Good luck in your journey!!

Come a little bit earlier. All you need is your passport and the appointment notice. Also make sure you know your SS number as it is one of the questions on the form you`ll fill out. Other questions will be your weight, your height, so make sure you know them in pounds and feet. That was something I had to figure out on the spot.

Then you get a number and wait. When it`s your turn they`ll take your picture and your fingerprints. That`s it.

We are going to the biometrics appt on Wednesday of this coming week. Cecilia does not have a SS number yet. She has not been given one. I hope that doesn't cause problems for us.

thank you so much I do try to relax but its so hard I can just image my nerves when he is in the actual interview

No, don't relax. Freak out. Drive yourself crazy thinking "what if he doesn't get it". Pace back and forth in the hotel room while he is in the interview. That's what I did when Ceci went in and it worked for me. =)

Hello Everyone,

I've been incomunicado for a while as we adjust to our new life together here in the U.S. We are getting married on July 3rd, which will be just short of 90 days after her entry. When do we start the AOS process and what are the first steps? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Are there any other threads out there that I should be looking at for more information?

Thank You!!

Hi everyone! Marcos's visa was APPROVED!!! He said it was "a piece of cake"! He was back at the hotel at 9:45 AM (record time, I think!).

Wow!!!!

That is amazing! Congratulations

Very unbelievable that your fiance came out so early but I'm very happy for you. Hope that DHL doesn't take that long and that you can go home soon!

:dancing:

We just got back from DHL, we now have the visa in hand! We kept checking online and finally at 5:40 we saw that it had been received at the DHL office, we called to find out which one, then hauled a%$ to get there before it closed.

The guy at DHL was a total jerk, he was like "you HAVE to cross at a border crossing, you can't fly", and I said "no" so he practically threw the packet at us and said "well, YOU KNOW what you're doing!!!". I proudly said "Yes, we do!" then turned around and walked out.

Ok, one question to those who have done this before. I THINK I read somewhere in this thread that people have on their visas under "annotations" the following: 212(G)(2)(A) BLANKET WAIVER. Does everyone have this, because it's on our visa. What does it mean?

First of all CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND MARCOS!!! I'm so glad it worked out well for you and you got the visa the same day. Ceci's visa had the same thing on it...."blanket waiver". Not sure what it means, but nothing to worry about. We crossed the border with no problems last Saturday. Best of luck to you going forward. I'm sure we'll be in touch about AOS next!

2nd update from today:

Marcos went into the medical clinic at 8:20 this morning, and I was planning on it taking about 2.5 hours, as the guard had said, so I left the hotel and waited outside the clinic for Marcos to come out around 10:45. Finally he came around the corner around 12:00, not out the front door as I expected.

This is what happened:

When he entered the building they immediately took his passport and his invitation letter, they wrote K-1 on a little piece of paper and clipped it inside his passport, and clipped everything together, and they kept it. He waited about 5-10 minutes when they called his name and had him get on a bus with other people. They gave him back his passport and attached papers. It took about 30 minutes on the bus to get from the new clinic to the old clinic by the old consulate. They did this because they couldn't handle the number of people that they had to attend to. Walking into the old clinic, he handed over his passport and attached papers again. He was sitting for about 20 more minutes, and they called him into a room with 4 other men and 2 women, where they drew blood. He said the other people they took blood from were already there, they weren't on the bus with him. They said that the men were to go to the 2nd floor and the women stayed on the first floor. He went upstairs and waited with other guys like 10 or 20 minutes more. Then they told the guys that they needed to take their shirts off and they took chest X-Rays. They went into another room and took blood pressure readings, weight and height. They then called him into a private room and checked his vision (he had to read some letters while covering one eye, then the other), then they made him take ALL of his clothes off. A nurse entered, and she asked him:

Have you had problems with the police in Mexico? The US?

Do you have an illness which requires that you take pills every day?

How many tattoos do you have?

Do you drink?

Do you smoke?

Do you use drugs?

Have you ever had an STD?

They checked his heart and felt his abdomen, and that was it. She told him to get dressed, and if he needed/wanted any vaccines to go downstairs and they'll vaccinate him, and if not, he just needs to pay the fee and he can go. So he got dressed and went outside and the bus wasn't there, and he waited a bit longer and the bus came and took him back to the new medical clinic. The exam cost $142 US.

We got photos taken at the mall across the street for $65 pesos (for 2 photos) and paid the visa fee at Banamex $171 dollars U.S. (no, I'm not kidding). They make copies in the same place they take photos for 1 peso per page. I copied the Banamex receipt because we only get one, and it was so expensive that I think it's worth having a copy. We're going to take a taxi to Office Max (it's close by but not within walking distance) to buy an accordian folder. The taxi to and from Office Max is $100 pesos round-trip.

Just as a side note: just because you have a tattoo or pierced ears doesn't mean they'll automatically have you see a psychologist. Marcos has a tattoo (it's a tasteful one, not huge or anything) and both his ears are pierced, and he didn't have to take a drug test or see a psychologist. That being said, he did talk to a guy who had quite a number of tattoos and while Marcos was there, the guy was having his second medical exam (guess they didn't believe his original drug test results). Marcos said he didn't look really crazy or anything but his arms and his back were tattooed so maybe that was a red flag, but who knows.

Hey there, good luck to you and Marcos. Looks like you are well on your way!! I'm sure you are a nervous wreck right about now. Tomorrow will be worse when he is in the consulate, but it will all be over soon. We got out of there much quicker than expected, so we couldn't do the happy hour with you guys today. Good luck and hopefully we are telling you Congratulations tomorrow!!

Here is the rundown of our experience. From all that I have read on this thread I believe we are very fortunate. Ceci was approved at her interview today and DHL received the visa at 4 p.m. today, the same day. I haven't seen that happen yet from what I have read, but I hope it starts happening for more that come after us.

4/15/09 - I landed in El Paso a couple of hours before Ceci landed in Juarez and I went to pick her up at the airport. The taxi fare direct from the El Paso airport to the Juarez airport is $60 flat. She made it to Juarez and we took a Mexican taxi to the Holiday Inn Express right by the Consulate. This one was $20. Read my post on page 206 of this thread regarding my mistake on the Holiday Inn. I made a reservation at the wrong one! Don't do this! We made a new reservation at the correct Holiday Inn Express, put our stuff away and went next door to Barrigas restaurant for dinner. It is literally steps away. Very good Mexican food, but it isn't super cheap.

4/16/09 - We got to the Clinica Medica at 5:40 a.m. and there were about 50 or so people in front of us. The number of people there before you probably just depends on your luck that day. I was able to stand in line with her, but had to step outside the fence once they were ready to go inside at 6 a.m. I went back to the hotel, but should have waited. Fifteen minutes after going inside she was randomly selected along with several others to go to the old medical clinic by the old Consulate. It is about a 20 minute bus ride away. They told the people that would be going to the other clinic that their family members or whoever was with them could ride the large passenger bus with them to the clinic. Keep that in mind in case you want to accompany your significant other if they happen to be selected. You'll see the big bus inside the gates beside the clinic. I was waiting outside the clinic around 9:30 or 10 a.m. with my eye on the front door of the clinic when she came walking around the corner. I had no idea she had gone to the other clinic! We then went to get photos and pay the interview fee. Both can be done across the street from the Consulate at the large shopping mall. The fee at Banamex has now gone up. We paid USD $175. At 3:00 p.m. SHARP the bus left again for the other clinic to get the results. This time I went with her. We were back before 4 p.m. Very quick process.

4/17/09 - We were at the consulate at 7:40 a.m. and she went into the line. I headed back to the hotel for breakfast. She was out of there at 10:30 a.m. and back to the hotel. I thought the maid was coming into the room without knocking when Ceci came in, before I could look to see it was her. I thought there was no way she was done so quickly. She gave me the best news I have heard in a long long time!! We are so pumped, I still can't believe it!! Obviously the time in and out of the Consulate was very fast compared to other stories I have read. When we booked our flights to El Paso and Juarez I called the info line beforehand and this was back in February, before they started using DHL for visa delivery. They told me she would leave the Consulate with visa in hand, so I booked the flights to leave the next day based on that information. She explained this to the Consular Officer and to the DHL employee she had to pay ($107 pesos) inside the consulate. Neither made any promises but said they would see what they could do. That is just a huge shock to me. At 1 p.m. we started checking the internet with the tracking number she received. The status was reported as "informacion de envio recibido" which we interpreted as the visa had been sent from the consulate to the DHL office. It seemed things were starting to fall in place. At 4 p.m. we checked online for the 123rd time it seemed and finally it said the visa was delivered to the DHL office. At that point you have to call the 800 number they give you to see which 1 of 2 possible offices it has been delivered to. We went to get the visa and then headed to the border. That process took 2.5 hours, so be prepared. They are short staffed. If there is a long line of people standing outside the doors try to find a U.S. border agent. They aren't hard to find. Tell them you have your K-1 paperwork and they will take you to a side room for processing. This is where most of the wait takes place. Well, we are now in El Paso sitting in our hotel room close to the airport and we will fly out in the morning.

I have written enough for now. I didn't go into lots of details about her medical and appointment and our crossing because I know people will have specific questions that I would not have addressed. If you have any doubts, questions, or anything you want to clear up just let us know and we'll tell you what we know.

Good Luck to all!!!!

Visa Approved!! She entered at 8 a.m. and was out by 11 a.m. Waiting on DHL now. Too excited to type more. Time for a Michelada!!! I'll post a detailed report tomorrow!!!! Thanks for all of the well wishes and best of luck to all that go down this path after us!!!!

For all of you that are planning to stay at the Holiday Inn Express close to the consulate, make sure you are in the right Holiday Inn. I booked the one on Paseo Triunfo and didn't know it at the time, but it was the wrong one. It is 15 minutes away from the Consulate. We showed up on Wednesday to the one right by the Consulate thinking we were at the right place, and they wouldn't let me change the reservation and wouldn't refund the money. We wanted to stay close, so we said forget it and booked here. The address is Av. Paseo de la Victoria #4202, Col. Partido Iglesias. Tel: 656-692-5100. This is the one that is a block and a half from the consulate.

hang in there vivamex. The waiting can be never ending, believe me i know. ALfredo was in the consulate for 12 HOURS STRAIGHT!!!!!!!!!! before he came out with an approval. Keep us in the loop.

Thank you, I will try to hang in there, but as Tom Petty once sang....The waiting is the hardest part! I think it was Tom Petty anyway.

Ceci just entered the consulate so now the nervous waiting period starts. The medical was easy yesterday. We showed up around 5:40 and had about 50 people in front of us. She was out by 10 a.m. and had her results at 3:30. There seems to be 2 lines at the consulate. One on the side by a fence where they are doing construction and one up front by the entrance. K-1 applicants should go to the front entrance and tell them you have an open appointment for a K-1 visa. We showed up at 7:40 and she was placed in line behind 100-150 people, but I'm sure they weren't all K-1 applicants. I'll post a full review when we get done. Tick tock, tick tock......

We are in Juarez now. Medical tomorrow and interview on Friday. We are hoping to go back on Saturday, but not sure if we'll be that lucky. I'll be sure to post our experience when we get through this process.

Hey guys, my visa was sent last tuesday from the NVC to Juarez, Just wondering when yoiu guys called to see when it got there, and when they sent out the letter or packet, thanks guys! this really is a helpful thread.

I started calling a few days after NVC sent the information to Juarez. Not sure if you are in Mexico or U.S. The number to call from the U.S. is 800-919-1754 and the number to call from Mexico is 01-477-788-7070. If you call from the U.S. they charge you $7 per call and from Mexico they charge you MXP $57.50 per call. Payable by Visa or Mastercard. Their answers are vague and sometimes incorrect, so you have to push them for details to try and find out exactly what you want to know. They will tell you it will be 4-8 weeks before you receive packet 3 in the mail. I received packet 3 here in the U.S. about a month after Juarez received it. My fiance received her packet 3 in Mexico last week, so almost 3 months after Juarez received the information from NVC. Best of luck!!

This is a Juarez-specific question, and I just want to confirm: all documents that are in Spanish DO NOT need to be translated into English FOR THE K-1 INTERVIEW in Juarez, is this correct??? I know in other consulates it is required, and it will be required for AOS, but at this specific stage, I haven't read anywhere where documents in Spanish need to be translated into English. On the specific instructions on the Juarez consulate website, it says that only NON-ENGLISH AND NON-SPANISH documents need to be translated.

As you know I haven't been there yet, but I have been told that anything in Spanish does not need to be translated into English. I think it was Cici and Amy/Aldo that told me this. They have both been to Juarez.

Hi everyone! I'm back from spending some wonderful days with my fiance and of course, with some doubts that popped out while going through everything together.

He was telling me that since he paid some money when sending the packet for the first time, he's not sure we have to pay the $400USD when I go to Juarez. Could you please let us know if we have to pay those $400USD too? Thanks!!!!!!

No, you don't have to pay $400 again. That was the initial fee for processing the petition. You will have to pay for the medical exam (approx USD $150) and the visa appointment fee, which used to be $131, but I hear they raised that by a few dollars.

Well, I took the leap and booked the flights and part of the hotel stay today, we're leaving Merida on Saturday, staying one night in Mexico City, then heading to Juarez on Sunday. We're going with AVIACSA airlines, which has semi-decent prices and gets a lot better reviews than Viva Aerobus (which, based on everything I've heard, I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole). We'll be at the Holiday Inn Express. I don't know, now that we've actually planned it, the real nervousness is beginning to set in! I think I might have to take advantage of that happy hour at the Holiday Inn...

Good luck to you!! We go to Juarez this week as well. The nerves are starting to kick in for us as well!! I'll be sure to post the experience once we return. I don't think we allowed for enough time. I booked our flights before they started using DHL so we are scheduled to fly out the morning after the interview, but I bet we have to change the flights. There goes another $300 down the drain. She is going to ask if there is any way she can leave the consulate with her visa in hand, but I doubt they allow that. You never know unless you ask right???

Im sorry but where is this Juarez Embassy thread??? Thanks

It is titled Juarez Consulate and is on the list of forums.

Has anyone been able to contact Juarez at all about visa information? The numbers they have on their website won't work for me. I'm trying to find out if they have sent the letter (package 3). Thanks

Here are the numbers

Call and pay for the service using a credit card Within Mexico: 01-477-788-7070 ($57.50 Mexican pesos per call payable by Visa or MasterCard plus a charge for the long distance call) Within USA: 1800-919-1754 ($7.00 USD per call payable by Visa or MasterCard).

CALL CENTER HOURS OF OPERATION Monday-Friday 7am-9pm Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays 9am-3pm the caller must have the CDJ case number(s) of each applicant available when he/she calls.

Can someone say what amount they paid recently at Banamex in Pesos? My fiance just went to pay at a Banamex here in Queretaro and I think they screwed something up. I know the currency changes daily but she paid 2,227 pesos and that would be 17 pesos per dollar, which seems rather high considering Banamex's website list the current exchange rate at 13.85. Also, for her daughter's K2 they said the cost was only 221 pesos and I thought it was the same cost as the K1. Anyone have any insight? Thanks

Check this link...Looks like they overcharged your Fiance.

http://ciudadjuarez.usconsulate.gov/root/p...wwfcdj446k3.pdf

No only one person (You could try the gruads might not stop you from waiting in line), The line is outside the consulate. I think even you could insted of your fiance. No not on saturdays and sudays, Last friday of the month and Mexican and american Holidays. Sorry

Is there ever a time that is too late to go for the medical. My fiance and I will be there on Monday, but my flight doesn't get in until 1140 AM.

Go to this link and click the link to Medical Exam Instructions. It says that visa applicants are accepted from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. I hate to give you bad news, but it looks like you will be too late on Monday.

No only one person (You could try the gruads might not stop you from waiting in line), The line is outside the consulate. I think even you could insted of your fiance. No not on saturdays and sudays, Last friday of the month and Mexican and american Holidays. Sorry

Is there ever a time that is too late to go for the medical. My fiance and I will be there on Monday, but my flight doesn't get in until 1140 AM.

Go to this link and click the link to Medical Exam Instructions. It says that visa applicants are accepted from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. I hate to give you bad news, but it looks like you will be too late on Monday.

Forgot to add the link!!

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

I just wanted to get some input on this: I'm putting together our "evidence of an ongoing relationship", and I have photos of myself with my fiance and our son, but in one of the photos we're at Carnaval and he's holding a can of beer (my fiance, not our son). It's a cute picture of the 3 of us but I don't want it to possibly be construed as him being a raging alcoholic. Would it be better if I just leave that one out?

I would leave it out considering the fact that you have other pictures that prove your relationship exists. In the end it may not matter at all, but I would leave it out that way I wouldn't have to worry about it.

Congrats to all who have recently received their visas!! We are going down soon and I will post our experience for all that come behind us. Has anyone recently used the DS-160 online form instead of the DS-156K? I'm wondering if this is acceptable for the K-1 visa. I have read previous reports on this forum stating that the system didn't work well, so I would like to know if that process has improved.

Thank You!

Try 1 (800) 919-1754

It's $7.00 a call regardless if they were helpful or not.

You'll need your case number and a valid credit or debit card.

Yes, that is correct. They will give you the information you need at that number. The answers they give are vague, so try to push for details on whatever you are asking about.

Has anyone been to the new consulate in Ciudad Juarez! Would like to know as much details of this new location, like for example are the 2 medical clinics close to the embassy, what hotels are recommended, etc.... all the information that you can provided would be very much appreciated by everyone.

C.

I have not been yet, but we are going soon. There is one medical clinic right outside the new consulate. I would recommend the Holiday Inn Express. It is about a block from the new consulate. Check www.orbitz.com for good deals at that hotel. Also, look at this map. When you go to the site, click the links on the left for different locations in the city.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&amp...019054&z=16