K1 Visa Process (Mexico)

[kitkat1 5]

My fiance and I will head to Juarez for his interview later this summer (at this point I'm still thinking I'm going to go for moral support!) Just curious if any advice/hints on getting plane tickets for the Mexican fiancee. My fiance lives in Guanajuato but will probably fly from Guadalajara since it's much cheaper. When I search here for his ticket everything is like more than $500. Any tips? Mil gracias.

Kara, I'm so jealous and excited for you two!

Flights inside Mexico during the summer definitely increase. Have you tried kayak.com? You can get weekly emails showing the costs over the next few weeks and months which might help you to plan. GDL to Ciudad Juarez is cheaper than from Guanajuato but you may also want to consider Mexico City to Ciudad Juarez as well because it was cheaper than both Guanajuato or GDL when I looked. Also, I've found that if you book directly on Mexicana.com you can often get an online discount.

Don't forget the option to pay the interview fee in advance at Banamex - seems like one thing you can do quick and easy and check off your list. Also be prepared with a small photo album, emails, phone bills and lots of relationship evidence as recently several consular officers actually sent people away because they didn't have enough proof of their ongoing relationship and told them to come back with it!! (The reputation of the people who work at CDJ is not very good but I think the truth is there are one or two random mean people - the rest seem to try to be helpful but they just aren't very smart and no really tells them the correct rules.

OK that's all for now - Keep us posted and Good Luck!!!

[carina 0]

Regarding the interview and packet in Juarez. I looked at the site you provided, thank you! On the Medical Examination info the letter says "Your interview date is..." Am I correct to assume that he will receive a letter saying that the information has been received, then he has to go get his medical exam and the same day can go for the interview, without having a specific date or time? Just want to be clear. I am sending the first forms to Nebraska in myself and will wait and see.

THANKS!

THANK YOU! My Fiance is in Mexico City and I assumed he would have to go through there, but now I understand he will go through Ciudad Juarez. Does this mean on the I129 form for question 20. when it says at whcih embassy will your fiance apply for a visa do I put Ciudad Juarez and not Mexico City?

You're right - Ciudad Juarez is the only consulate that processes K1 petition which is so unfortunate for those of us with fiances in Mexico City - it sure would have made the interview stuff a lot easier. So on question 20 put Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

But the good news is he won't have to wait for a specific interview appointment date. Once his case has arrived there and he has received packet 3 from the consulate along with any additional necessary papers from you, he can go M-F from 8-10am. Check out the link for more information about the fiance packet as well as other information like medical exam info. http://usembassy.state.gov/CiudadJuarez/wwwfcdj400.

Other random things - no police certificate is required for Mexico and you can pay the visa appointment fee of $100 in advance at any Banamex (which saves a bit of time). Just be sure he keeps the receipt to show at the interview. Oh and by the way, you don't need to waste your time going to the interview - no fiances allowed in the interview or consulate these days. Good luck.

[kitkat1 5]

THANK YOU! This info. is really helpful! I'm so frustrated that I wonder if we should just wait and pray they pass a new immigration bill......

Unless you think he can adjust his status through one of the proposed work based programs, I wouldn't bother waiting. There is nothing in the new bill that would have any positive impact for fiances. For example, one of the provisions currently in the bill will eliminate the need for "waivers" that are currently available for people who were illegally present in the country i.e. entered without inspection or overstayed a visa and accrued more than 180 days of illegal presence. If you get married and have a I-130 petition for a spousal visa in process and the bill passes into law, the need for the waiver will disappear completely and be replaced by a $2000 fine. Expensive, but saves a great deal of work on the part of the USC (who has to write a hardship letter to prove extreme hardship if the spouse's visa is denied and the USC is forced to relocate permanently to Mexico) and time since waiver processing takes around 8 months after the visa interview and denial. But sadly, this provision does not apply for fiances. And really, it doesn't appear that any type of reform is going to pass anytime soon IMHO.

So unless you have a situation where you think your fiance could adjust his status a different and easier way, the fiance visa is probably the fastest and easiest way to go.

Regarding the interview and packet in Juarez. I looked at the site you provided, thank you! On the Medical Examination info the letter says "Your interview date is..." Am I correct to assume that he will receive a letter saying that the information has been received, then he has to go get his medical exam and the same day can go for the interview, without having a specific date or time? Just want to be clear. I am sending the first forms to Nebraska in myself and will wait and see.

THANKS!

You might have been looking at the Immigrant instructions for the medical. Or maybe they just made a mistake on the form - that's typical. Anyway, he will receive a letter saying the information has been received along with a checklist of other things he will need to bring to the interview, along with the dates and times he can come - it's at the very bottom of the letter. You should also be able to see the other items that he needs in the letter.

For the medical, he will need to go to one of the two "authorized" clinics which are very close to the consulate. People apparently start lining up very early (6:00?) to get in and out. But you cannot pick up your medical results until after 2:00 on the same day. So you need to plan one day first for the medical, and then the next day for the interview.

[karakmitchell 0]

My fiance and I will head to Juarez for his interview later this summer (at this point I'm still thinking I'm going to go for moral support!) Just curious if any advice/hints on getting plane tickets for the Mexican fiancee. My fiance lives in Guanajuato but will probably fly from Guadalajara since it's much cheaper. When I search here for his ticket everything is like more than $500. Any tips? Mil gracias.

Kara, I'm so jealous and excited for you two!

Flights inside Mexico during the summer definitely increase. Have you tried kayak.com? You can get weekly emails showing the costs over the next few weeks and months which might help you to plan. GDL to Ciudad Juarez is cheaper than from Guanajuato but you may also want to consider Mexico City to Ciudad Juarez as well because it was cheaper than both Guanajuato or GDL when I looked. Also, I've found that if you book directly on Mexicana.com you can often get an online discount.

Don't forget the option to pay the interview fee in advance at Banamex - seems like one thing you can do quick and easy and check off your list. Also be prepared with a small photo album, emails, phone bills and lots of relationship evidence as recently several consular officers actually sent people away because they didn't have enough proof of their ongoing relationship and told them to come back with it!! (The reputation of the people who work at CDJ is not very good but I think the truth is there are one or two random mean people - the rest seem to try to be helpful but they just aren't very smart and no really tells them the correct rules.

OK that's all for now - Keep us posted and Good Luck!!!

Thanks, kitkat, for the website. I feel like I've become an internet travel expert thanks to the long distance relationship, but this is the first time I've heard of kayak.com. Gracias! I'll definitely keep you posted on how things go. I'm hoping and praying that is quick, easy, and painless!

[carina 0]

THANK YOU!

You might have been looking at the Immigrant instructions for the medical. Or maybe they just made a mistake on the form - that's typical. Anyway, he will receive a letter saying the information has been received along with a checklist of other things he will need to bring to the interview, along with the dates and times he can come - it's at the very bottom of the letter. You should also be able to see the other items that he needs in the letter.

For the medical, he will need to go to one of the two "authorized" clinics which are very close to the consulate. People apparently start lining up very early (6:00?) to get in and out. But you cannot pick up your medical results until after 2:00 on the same day. So you need to plan one day first for the medical, and then the next day for the interview.

[E&K 0]

I have also been told that you don't even need to wait to receive Package 3. I read in other postings that you can download the forms from the Juarez website, fill them out and go. And once you get there you can go to the information window at the consulate to get a print out of the letter you need for the medical exams and to get in to the consulate the next day.

What I'm not sure of is if you can go as soon as you know the consulate received your package from NVC, or if you need to wait until you know the consulate has already sent the package to you.

[kitkat1 5]

I have also been told that you don't even need to wait to receive Package 3. I read in other postings that you can download the forms from the Juarez website, fill them out and go. And once you get there you can go to the information window at the consulate to get a print out of the letter you need for the medical exams and to get in to the consulate the next day.

What I'm not sure of is if you can go as soon as you know the consulate received your package from NVC, or if you need to wait until you know the consulate has already sent the package to you.

I love that idea and I've read the same. The only thing that concerns me is that posting referring to being able to go to the information window also indicated that the line is about 5 hours long and the person who works there is not very smart. You can't go immediately when the package has been received from NVC because you would need to send back the checklist in the fiance packet 3 from the consualte, I think.

I'll try to check more into this - would hate to wait for nothing but would also hate to waste the time and expense of getting to CDJ and not being able to interview!

[Lewis 0]

According to the consulate website, nothing has to be sent to the consulate, just show up with all of the stuff they ask for in the packet they send to you.

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

I have also read somewhere that once you are there if they have your case and you have not gotten your packet yet, you can get a confirmation notice from them to do your medical and your interview but don't take this as policy as it can change at any time probably. The packet is available on their site. Be careful when you go on it that it is the fiancee visa packet you are looking at and not some different one.

[kitkat1 5]

According to the consulate website, nothing has to be sent to the consulate, just show up with all of the stuff they ask for in the packet they send to you.

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

I have also read somewhere that once you are there if they have your case and you have not gotten your packet yet, you can get a confirmation notice from them to do your medical and your interview but don't take this as policy as it can change at any time probably. The packet is available on their site. Be careful when you go on it that it is the fiancee visa packet you are looking at and not some different one.

Hi Lewis

I was referring to the information that needs to be sent from NVC to the consulate. Once they have the case, I was under the impression that you have to send back the checklist in the fiance packet before you can go to the interview but I think now that I am incorrect. Since you can download the letter that accompanies the fiance packet, shouldn't that be enough to get into the interview? On the Mexico forum several posts indicate the need for a "interview letter" hence the need to go to the information book.

Does anyone know if this is necessary or if you can get into the interview by simply showing the downloaded cover letter from the fiance packet? This would definitely eliminate the need to wait for the packet.

[karakmitchell 0]

According to the consulate website, nothing has to be sent to the consulate, just show up with all of the stuff they ask for in the packet they send to you.

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

I have also read somewhere that once you are there if they have your case and you have not gotten your packet yet, you can get a confirmation notice from them to do your medical and your interview but don't take this as policy as it can change at any time probably. The packet is available on their site. Be careful when you go on it that it is the fiancee visa packet you are looking at and not some different one.

Hi Lewis

I was referring to the information that needs to be sent from NVC to the consulate. Once they have the case, I was under the impression that you have to send back the checklist in the fiance packet before you can go to the interview but I think now that I am incorrect. Since you can download the letter that accompanies the fiance packet, shouldn't that be enough to get into the interview? On the Mexico forum several posts indicate the need for a "interview letter" hence the need to go to the information book.

Does anyone know if this is necessary or if you can get into the interview by simply showing the downloaded cover letter from the fiance packet? This would definitely eliminate the need to wait for the packet.

I can't say for sure but a friend of my, also a fellow VJer, went to Ciudad Juarez before she got packet three in the US and before her fiance got packet three in Mexico. I'll try to ask her about the mysterious letter. I know for a fact that they went (and got the visa) before either person had received a packet. Let's all check into this!

[Lewis 0]

According to the consulate website, nothing has to be sent to the consulate, just show up with all of the stuff they ask for in the packet they send to you.

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

I have also read somewhere that once you are there if they have your case and you have not gotten your packet yet, you can get a confirmation notice from them to do your medical and your interview but don't take this as policy as it can change at any time probably. The packet is available on their site. Be careful when you go on it that it is the fiancee visa packet you are looking at and not some different one.

Hi Lewis

I was referring to the information that needs to be sent from NVC to the consulate. Once they have the case, I was under the impression that you have to send back the checklist in the fiance packet before you can go to the interview but I think now that I am incorrect. Since you can download the letter that accompanies the fiance packet, shouldn't that be enough to get into the interview? On the Mexico forum several posts indicate the need for a "interview letter" hence the need to go to the information book.

Does anyone know if this is necessary or if you can get into the interview by simply showing the downloaded cover letter from the fiance packet? This would definitely eliminate the need to wait for the packet.

I can't say for sure but a friend of my, also a fellow VJer, went to Ciudad Juarez before she got packet three in the US and before her fiance got packet three in Mexico. I'll try to ask her about the mysterious letter. I know for a fact that they went (and got the visa) before either person had received a packet. Let's all check into this!

I'm a NOA2er that received the actual packet and "letter" from the consulate, they arrived together in the mail. I actually got mine before she got hers in Mexico! I can tell you the packet is identical to the one on the consulate's website. Then our case was recalled like everyone else after March 6th. OUCH!

You need the letter to get the medical and also the interview. I believe you can get the letter directly from the consulate window (don't know much about this) if your case is there already but have not gotten notification by mail. Otherwise, wait for the mail.

As I look at the letter, it basically just identifies the fiancees case by case number, full name, and birthdate. So yes, you definitely have to have this letter but the packet can be downloaded.

I'm actually going to Juarez for a short visit with her next week and we may do the medical to get it out of the way. This IMBRA thing messed us all up, I guess I'm lucky my love does not live on the other side of the world. Well, I will give more help if I can, just ask.

[E&K 0]

I don't think you need to send any checklist back to the consulate, but I think you do need a letter with your name (or the beneficiary) in it so they let you in. What I'm not sure is if you need to wait for the consulate to be "ready" for you before you go for the visa. In other words, they may need to do some more "processing" before you can come for the interview and get the visa, like a "name check" of the visa beneficiary or something like that. That's kind of what I meant by waiting for them to send the package 3 -but not to actually receive it as it may take too long if you are in a hurry as I know we are. It would be great to be able to go as soon as we know they have our package from the NVC

[junari888 0]

HI EVERYONE.

I SEE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PRICES FOR THE AIRPLANE TICKETS, I GOT MINE IN THIS COMPANY CALLL AVIACSA AND I GOT IT ON LINE IT WAS REALLY CHEAP IT ONLY COSTED ME $ 214, MAYBE YOU SHOULD TRY WITH THEM OR ASK, I WILL FLY FROM MEXICO CITY SO THINK IT WAS A GOOD DEAL.

[AlexandMaria 0]

Also, there is a relatively new airline in Mexico called Interjet!! It started in March and is a low cost airline. I checked on their website and they are opening new flights to Ciudad Juarez (but from Toluca). I think this is the cheapest option, and is probably what my fiance and I will end up doing... here is the website, good luck!

http://www.interjet.com.mx

My fiance and I will head to Juarez for his interview later this summer (at this point I'm still thinking I'm going to go for moral support!) Just curious if any advice/hints on getting plane tickets for the Mexican fiancee. My fiance lives in Guanajuato but will probably fly from Guadalajara since it's much cheaper. When I search here for his ticket everything is like more than $500. Any tips? Mil gracias.

We got a roundtrip flight from Guadalajara to Ciudad Juarez for around $503.00, I'm going down to meet her in about a week. I always have good luck with sites like expedia and travelocity, and yes, it is probably a good idea to leave from Guadalajara.

[kitkat1 5]

I don't think you need to send any checklist back to the consulate, but I think you do need a letter with your name (or the beneficiary) in it so they let you in. What I'm not sure is if you need to wait for the consulate to be "ready" for you before you go for the visa. In other words, they may need to do some more "processing" before you can come for the interview and get the visa, like a "name check" of the visa beneficiary or something like that. That's kind of what I meant by waiting for them to send the package 3 -but not to actually receive it as it may take too long if you are in a hurry as I know we are. It would be great to be able to go as soon as we know they have our package from the NVC

Thanks everyone for all of the clarification. This is exactly the information I was missing. If you don't receive the letter in time, it seems one option is to go to the information window and get a duplicate.

Good luck and keep reporting back please!