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| Juarez, Mexico |  Review on July 10, 2013: |
Kevin & Laura
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
We got our interview date July 1st at 7:15 am which was on a Monday. I was upset when I realized that meant we would need to go to Juarez on Thursday in order for her to take the medical exam on Friday (medical not open on Saturday or Sunday). Four nights in Juarez which we weren't excited about.
Any way, I've always heard how dangerous the area is for gringos but also for women. So I didn't want her going by herself, so I joined her. She flew from Hermosillo to Juarez and I flew from NC to El Paso. From EP had a driver (Amigo Shuttle)take me to the airport in Juarez to pick her up. The cost of the shuttle was $75 and it was nothing special, but it got us to the hotel safely with no issues.
We stayed at La Quinta based on the good reviews, and it was a pretty good stay. It is a clean hotel, good service, and helpful staff. They have decent breakfast included in the rates but it was so busy most of the time and such a small dining area that it was hard to find a place to sit every time. Although it's really to far to walk to the consulate, we didn't have any trouble getting rides to the consulate area from the hotel staff. The pool area was nice but we didn't spend a lot of time there due to the heat. We spent a lot of time at the mall and the movie theater there which is nice with 10-12 screens. We had no trouble getting the hotel staff to take us there also although when we cam back at night we needed to take a cab if it was past 6pm. Cost for the cab was 50 pesos. We also ate at a Sushi/Chinese restaurant directly across the street from La Quinta that was pretty good. We felt pretty safe the whole time there although we stayed within that 2 mile radius of the consulate the entire 4 days.
On Friday, we went to get the medical completed. We took the hotel shuttle at 8:00 and the first clinic (brown one on the corner) told us they were already full when we arrived. So we walked to the other clinic (gray color) a block away and were able to go in immediately. There were only about 5 other people there and she began the process quickly. She said it was pretty clean, the people were nice, and it went quickly (about one hour). She was asked to undress, put on a gown, then had x-rays, and then bloodwork, general exam with a woman doctor, and then the immunizations. The worst thing was the cost. The exam itself was $212 ($190 plus taxes) and the three shots were another $159 for a total of $371!! I have had trouble with the reviews not listing the shots the applicant had to take, so I'm going to list them so that hopefully you can get them ahead of time and save money. The three shots were TDAP, MMR(measles,mumps,rubella, and Varicella even though she had had chicken pox before (but of course had no proof so had to take it any way). The Varicella shot was very painful and it hurt for 2 days and gave her fever the first day. Any way, the medical was not too bad except for the painful shot and the cost.
We then had breakfast at Dennys and went back to the hotel for a while. We then went back to pick up the medical results at 2:30 and then walked to the ASC for the biometrics appointment at 3:00. The line was only 2-3 people and she was done in 5 minutes. Fingerprints and pictures only.
The interview was at 7:15 on Monday. They tell you at the biometrics to arrive 30 minutes early, so we planned to take the hotel shuttle at 6am. At 5:50, there were already 10 people waiting for the shuttle, so we called a cab and they came in less than 5 minutes and took us to the consulate for 50 pesos. So we arrived a little after 6am (well ahead of the others from the hotel shuttle). You start by showing your papers at the Sala de Espera and getting a stamp. The you wait until they ask for your visa type and interview time to line up and go into the consulate. They told her to go into the consulate about 6:10 which was well ahead of the 7:15 interview. They didn't call again for other people with 7:15 appointments until 6:45, so getting there early worked out. I didn't see anyone else get in that far ahead of their interview. She went into the consulate, had a security check, got a number, and went to the waiting area where there were about 12 others before her but 100's after her. They called her number the first time about 6:30, and she provided the original documents (birth cert., marriage cert, I-864 and supporting documents for the I-864. She then sat back down and they called her number again for the interview about 7:30. The was quick and lasted only around 5 minutes. She said the oath and then asked if she spoke English. When she said yes, he asked all the questions in English. The only questions asked were:
1)How did we meet 2)When did we get married 3)If we had children together 4)If I had children 5)If she had criminal records.
He then asked for her tourist visa and took it from her. He then said "Your Visa is approved" and gave her the white paper. He told her the visa would arrive within one week. So it was quick and easy.
The visa actually arrived in the DHL office in Guaymas on Thursday or Friday. It has the packet sealed with original documents returned and other paperwork )the corner is cut off so you can partially see what's in there. The passport was separate and it had a sticker inside with her photo and it says CR1 visa with an expiration date of around 6 months from the interview.
Any way...it was a pretty easy experience.....but...my baby IS perfect. :-)
hope this helps. Saludos y buena suerte.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #12298