jaremedios

Hi Chuck,

Thank you for posting. I am the one who originally started this thread and although I haven't been very active on it (never actually went through with the visa journey), I do keep tabs on what everyone is posting. Thanks for your current input. And good luck on your journey!

Saludos!

Jess

He said that the there were NO problems what so ever at the visa interivew having not done the ASC appt. He said it was acutally quicker than some and they didn't even take our paper copy DS-230 or Affidavidt of Support (not to say I wouldn't bring them just in case) I will write more about the entire Visa experience a little later. Going go relax for the night!!

Can you tell me more about what is the ASC appointment? Thanks.

I've been out of the loop a while, but I just caught up on everyone's posts. Can someone pls explain the ASC system? And just to be clear is this process still correct:

1. File 1-130. Approval.

2. Get case number. Send in necessary forms for Packet 3 (which I understand is no longer DS-230, but rather DS-260).

3. Get an appointment and medical letter.

4. Go to CDJ for appointment and medical.

5. Pick up (now I understand you can decide where) visa at DHL.

6. Cross border within 6 months of appointment approval.

Is this correct? And I'm asking those who are doing it now because I'm sure in the past few months when others (LaGringa, czmjacq, etc.) went, things were different.

gracias!!!

I say wait. I'm in a very similar situation. I, the USC, is married to a Mexican citizen and we live in Mexico, where we also have a business. We actually turned in our I-130 Feb. 2010 because we THOUGHT we were ready. After being approved, I held off on sending in Packet 3 until about Oct. where both hubby and I decided we would rather not go to US (business is doing well and was hard to find jobs in US). I called Embassy. They told me I had 1 year to send in Packet 3 (Feb. 2011) before my approved petition expired. Needless to say, we are not continuing the process because of that time limit of moving to US within 6 months of being issued visa. We lost the money of the I-130, but it could have been more. We'll file again once we're TRULY ready.

Congrats, czmjacq! I know it was a longer than necessary process, but now it's almost done. Glad to know everything went well and you feel safe. I know you were worried about that. Hope the rest of it goes ok.

Hi ladies!

Just got back from my 2 week vacation in PARADISE!! So it took me some time to catch up with all the postings.

Czmjacq, sorry that in the end, you're going to have to go. Keep safe!

pnewton, I would say wait 1 month before you email them to ask them about the appointment date. Most likely they've sent you a letter but with "reliable" Mexican mail it hasn't reached you and probably never will.

EsperanzaXMyS, if you've been approved for the I-130, CDJ should have a case number for you. You won't be able to send in the DS-230 docs without the case number so email the Consulate, wait the days they take to respond, and once they've emailed you the case number, then you can go ahead and mail in Packet 3.

Congrats!!!!!!! Great to hear that all of you are having no problems. I'm going to miss all of you here. Hopefully, when we're ready, things haven't changed too much and I can find other people for support.

Good luck! And yes, be safe pls!

I'm so sorry to hear that you're having such trouble. It really is beauracracy BS. I hope it all works out so you don't have to go to CJ. I don't blame you for not going. My brother-in-law mentioned the same thing...about just staying in the parking lot. He had his dog with him so he would just take the dog to play in the parking lot.

Wow, that's just crazy, czmjacq. I really hope it all just works its way out. It's very coincidental. Yesterday, I went to the Foreign Relations office to ask about getting my Mexican naturalization. I have an FM2 right now, and I pay about $3000 pesos every year to renew it. Since we'll be staying another 3 years minimum, I was looking to try to avoid that and found out I am eligible for naturalization. However, now I'm not sure if I want it anymore.

Glad to hear all went well and you are now together at least for the weekend. Good luck to your husband tomorrow at his interview!

Hi all! We're actually not going until November. Czmjacq, will your husband still be there then or is he going to leave right after his interview?

My husband and I have already been to Playa before. And we did the ferry to Cozumel and snorkeling/lancha in Isla Mujeres. My husband actually worked at a hotel in Playa before we met. Anyway, this time we'll be a bit more limited to what we can do because my older parents will be with us and our 1 1/2 year old daughter. BTW, I'm breaking the news to my parents about not moving to US during the trip...wish me luck! ha!

Ok, so I knew there was an advantage of staying in Mexico longer..haha! We're going on our first real vacation in over 6 years to beautiful Playa del Carmen. If any of you Yucataners are going to be there, perhaps we could meet up. Send me a private message.

I'm soooooo happy for both of you! Congratulations on the end of your visa journey! May both of you enjoy the rest of your US Journey ahead!

Your account of what happened was great. Glad you were posting in the moment. I know afterwards it's like a blur.

Just 2 questions for future reference:

1. Did you get your husband's birth certificate translated to English before?

2. Did he get his photos taken in CDJ or did you find a place in your city that would do them correctly?

Great post! Very helpful for the future! And 3 1/2 hours in total isn't too bad. Hope the interview is as quick too.

Good luck, Jilly and Danny and czmjacq, on your interviews!! Hope all goes well with medicals, interview, and stay in CDJ. Take care.

I think since you live close to Mexico City, if you don't mind the trip, just go in person. I sent it through Redpack from Oaxaca and it arrived the next day. I was able to check online with a tracking number that it was actually received at the Embassy. I just wasn't willing to make the trip to Mexico City.

We made some steps to help have consistency in our process.

1. My husband got his IFE address changed to where we currently live (he also was using his parents' address). Although in the end, we only sent copies of his passport as it says "IFE card or Mexican passport".

2. We asked our landlord to rewrite our lease with both our names on it.

3. We got translated my husband's life insurance in which I am the beneficiary.

4. We have a child together so her birth certificate.

5. And I did just make 2 sheets of a collage of pics with captions from when we first met to us with our newborn daugther. I included pics of him with my family and me with his.

I don't know if it's much of an issue, but I would think that your FM3 should be updated with your most current address, esp. if you're using bills from the new address. (I, too, didn't include any bills nor was asked for any.) You can do a change of address at INM, and they don't charge anything. Just more paperwork. Again, I think consistency is the key to avoid more questions/doubts on their side.

Don't worry too much about the civil wedding. Even just 1 pic from the event is enough to show it happened in conjunction with the actual Marriage Certificate of course.

Welcome, pnewton!

Just from personal experience, I would suggest the civil marriage and then apply for CR-1 visa. You will still have to change status when you are in the States to IR-1 after you've been married for 2 years. Lia792 can tell you more about that. I have been married for more than 2years now so mine would have been (no longer applying for visa) IR-1.

My brother-in-law just did the K-1 and although it seemed to be the same timeline as my IR-1 with the petition and almost the same price for visa (now that they raised the price), the only benefit was he had an open interview (meaning he could go to CDJ whenever he wanted). He will have to pay more and do more paperwork once he's in US (as you said to do adjustment of status).

I believe for DCF (and someone else can correct me) you, the USC, only have to be here to file the I-130 petition. After, all paperwork is sent on behalf of your husband, except I-864 forms (financial forms) which you can send from US directly to CDJ or send them to your fiance and have him add them into his packet when he's ready to send it.

If you get all your immigration worked out, get married, and then prepare your I-130 petition, you could realistically be in US by Oct. It's a very quick process (or at least I think so).

Good luck! And you're right...this is a GREAT community!

Well, then I think a HUGE congratulations is due to you, Jilly and Danny, not only for the baby, but for being able to make a decision that is best for YOU and YOUR loved ones. Best of luck and again, congratulations for the little one!

Thank you arianak also for your support. It's nice to know that I have support here on VJ. I was thinking the other day how nice it would have been if we all had a DCF Mexico reunion in US. I know it would probably be unlikely, but it's nice to think of you gals as "amiguitas" (friends).

Thanks Lia792. We are feeling good about our decision. It's the breaking it to my family that we're dreading. Good luck to your husband! I see he got his green card already. That was quick (a bit over a month). What happens to the temporary green card they put in his passport when he gets the real deal one in the mail?

Oh how I remember the CRBA entries. I made a copy of that so I never have to try to remember all those entries and departures again (if I have another child here). I would say start from the first entry he remembers and then work your way forward. I'm almost positive your joint sponsor can send the forms separately from you, but do you want to take the chance of it getting lost? In my opinion, it would be best to keep all your paperwork together.

Ok, so here's my take on the questions (or how I would have done it if I were continuing the process)

1. Where does it say to "submit a copy of each document with the visa application"? I don't see it, but I do see "Do NOT send them to the consular office". So I would say no. Just send: the signed checklist, DS-230 Part I, I-864 and supporting financial forms and supporting documents for domicile (I had ready driver's license, lease with my parents, credit card statements, bank statements, emails with daycares).

2. I am also unemployed but since 2008. I left 25 blank and put an attachment form of why I didn't file taxes (my income before 2008 was too low to reach the minimum and after 2008, I had no income to file). I think on this thread Jilly and Danny mentioned a form that you can file for when your income is too low. I, however, didn't file it. Hopefully that's not a problem. I would definitely inclue an explanation of why you didn't file taxes (it mentions to do so in the instructions). I didn't think it was necessary to explain why you were never employed, though.

3. I wrote a letter to say that I lived abroad for 8 years but I maintained my domicile in US (my parent's) and attached evidence (see #1 above).

4. I don't think it's difficult to get the Carta de no Antecedentes so I would just in case. I don't think the "cartilla" is necessary.

5. I would leave Part 9 blank. I think it's for lawyers. Just make sure your joint sponsor is aware of how you filled it out in case asked.

6. I would fill it out to the best of his memory. I don't think they will nit pick but on the other hand, seeing "multiple entries" sounds vague and suspicious.

7. No, it doesn't count as military service.

Hope this helps!

Thanks, Andi, for the reassurance. I need it. I kept going back and forth, but when it came down to these pre-school days of my daughter, I just kept thinking "these are irreplaceable and I'll never get them back once they're gone". She's now 15 months. I guess we'll try to get there by the time she's 4 or so. And who knows, we might me going back with her little baby brother or sister, too