|
|
| Juarez, Mexico |  Review on April 15, 2019: |
krallen
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
We were so nervous before going, but our experience in Juarez was great!
I flew into El Paso Airport and we both arrived at Juarez on Thursday evening. I hired Geno from EPShuttle to transport me across the border, and Geno was super friendly and made the process super easy and fast. He charged me $90 there and $75 on the way back. We stayed at an AirBnb because we wanted to be able to cook our own food and have a bit more privacy than a hotel would provide. We loved our experience at the AirBnb and felt completely safe the entire time we were there. It was an easy 3 minute uber ride or 15 minute walk to the consulate and Plaza. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/29831610?guests=1&adults=1
Friday, April 5: Medical
My fiancé’s appointment was the next day at 7:00am at ClÃnica Médica Internacional. We arrived at 6:20am and he was asked to show confirmation of his consulate appointment and passport. I had to wait in the general waiting area and we was given a number and sent to a separate waiting area. When they called his number, he went up to the counter where they took his photo and fingerprints and then sent him over for his vision exam. He was then instructed to go into the building next door where he did urine test, blood work, X-rays, and was given 3 vaccinations. The men and women were separated, told to get naked, and the doctors did the physical, checked for tattoos, and asked the following questions.
-Have you ever smoked?
-Do you use drugs?
-Have you ever been arrested?
-Do you take medications?
-Do you have tattoos?
-Have you ever been in a gang?
-Have you ever been injured/stabbed?
He was done in 40mins. I was brought over to the building to pay for the exam and vaccinations and we were told to return at 1:30pm for his results, which were given to him in a black envelope that you do not open!!
Friday, April 5: Police Certificate
We waited until we were in Juarez to get the Antecedente, and went over the FiscalÃa General Del Estado immediately following his medical appointment. He was asked for his birth certificate, passport, receipt of payment (he had to pay first at the building next door before getting in line), and proof of address-we took our Airbnb confirmation. All this took about 30 minutes and cost $82 MXN.
Friday, April 5: Biometrics/ASC
His ASC appointment was at 12:30pm and we arrived around 12:20. He was asked for his passport, confirmation of appointment at consulate, and DS-160. They took his fingerprints and photo, and he was on his way by 12:27.
We had the rest of that Friday and the weekend free before his appointment on Tuesday, so we spent the next few days relaxing at our AirBnb, trying some of the nearby restaurants, and saw a couple of movies at the Plaza Las Missiones.
Tuesday, April 9th: Consulate Interview
His interview was at 8:45pm and he arrived at 8:00am. The security guard outside helped him to get in line, which led to a window where he showed his passport, appointment confirmation, DS160 and was then directed to join the line to enter the consulate. This took about 15-20 minutes. Once inside, he went through security (similar to what you would experience in an airport) and was given a number. He was instructed to follow arrows that directed him where he needed to go, passing through a large outdoor garden-like area until he arrived to a waiting area. My fiancé waited 10-15 minutes until an officer arrived to call the first three rows of chairs (about 15 people) to enter the building where the interviews take place.
There, they were asked to wait in a new set of chairs. There were about 80 numbered windows (the set up was similar to a bank). Some windows were being used to check documents and others were where the interviews took place. There he waited another 20 minutes until he got to the window where he was asked for the number that he’d been given, the documents that he’d previously been asked for, as well as his police certificate and passport. The officer then asked him to wait in the infamous black chairs for the interview.
He waited in the black chairs for about 40 minutes until a guard asked his row to get into the line for the interview. He waited 30 more minutes in line and could hear the interviews ahead of him taking place. When it was his turn, the consul officer asked him to confirm his name and asked the following questions:
*Who is petitioning for you?
*Is she a US citizen?
*Is she a citizen by birth?
*When did you meet?
*What is her job?
*Do you work? (He doesn’t currently and when he answered no, she asked “What was your last job?â€)
*Where did you meet?
*How many times have you visited the US?
*How many times have you met in person?
*Have you ever overstayed a visa in the US or worked in the US?
*How have you entered the US in the past? My fiancé responded that he’d entered with his B1/B2 visa, which she confiscated and kept since he will no longer need it.
*The officer noticed in our packet that I had lived for a time in Mexico and asked my fiancé whether I was waiting for him outside. He answered yes and offered to show my passport, but the officer said it wasn’t necessary. She then asked for the I-134.
She gathered his documents in a folder and said “Your visa has been approved." 
He left the consulate at 11:27 and walked over the Starbucks where I was waiting for him to tell me the good news! We celebrated by grabbing lunch and catching a movie at the Plaza and then relaxing the rest of the day before our flights the following day.
His visa was mailed two days later on April 11th and arrived where he lives in Merida on April 12th. His flight to the US is this Friday, April 19th!
My fiancé wanted to include the following tips:
*Don’t lie to the officers and respond to all questions concisely and truthfully.
*Practice questions before the interview. Practicing eased my nerves and helped me to know how to respond to questions without providing more information than necessary or going off-topic (which could result in the officer asking even more questions).
*Watch YouTube videos and look for reviews about the consulate. This helped me have a better idea of what to expect during my visit and interview.
*Take and wear only what is necessary to the interview. I went in a long-sleeved dress shirt, jeans, and formal shoes. I only took my wallet with some money in case I wanted to buy snacks inside.
*Eat before the interview, but don’t drink a lot of water. One person next to me said that they hadn’t eaten before the interview thinking they could buy food inside the consulate, and that they were super hungry. When the man that sold snacks and water finally arrived, it was almost time for that woman’s interview so she couldn’t buy anything.
*Don’t be afraid to ask a guard or official for help.
*Since I didn’t have a watch and wasn’t allowed to bring a cell phone, it was really helpful that before the interview, my fiancé and I agreed to where to meet outside the consulate. Since there are lot of people out there waiting, it could have been hard to find her otherwise.
Best of luck to you and feel free to message me if you have any questions!
(updated on April 15, 2019)
| |
|
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #25991