Visa approved in Juarez

[Esperando enohio 0]

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¨)

[Zee Bee 61]

Thanks for sharing and congratulations!!!

[miss lucky 0]

Hi Jen

Congratulation to you too. I can imagine how happy you are.

good luck

katae

timeline

2 August noa1

5 Decem touched

12 Decem touched

13 Decem touched in computer still pending

12 Decem noa2 in document

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¨)

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

congratulations!!!!

very exciting indeed

[miss lucky 0]

๋ำJen advice to me .

If you admit to using drugs (or have a criminal record which proves drug use) within the 3 years before your interview the consulate will most likely deny your visa. They will not let you interview again until 3 years have passed since the last time you used any drugs, and at that time they will make you prove you've been to rehabilitation (drug/alcohol abuse treatment).

If the drug use was more than 3 years before the interview you should be OK but you should bring proof that you received treatment for drug abuse (rehab). Bring as much evidence that you successfully completed treatment as possible, and start getting yourself drug tested periodically so you can show the consulate the drug test results and prove that you have not been using drugs.

Don't worry about a lawyer, because lawyers can't help you with this anyway. I called several when my husband's visa was denied and they all said there was nothing they could do in that situation.

Hi Jen

Congratulation to you too. I can imagine how happy you are.

good luck

katae

timeline

2 August noa1

5 Decem touched

12 Decem touched

13 Decem touched in computer still pending

12 Decem noa2 in document

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¨)

[Beachmouse 0]

Congratulations!!!

[Queen Jenn 0]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!

[YGandMAT 0]

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!

[Esperando enohio 0]

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!