DCF Mexico

[pnewton 0]

Hey czmjacq--

There are no real updates on our part! We sent in Packet 3 last week (finally!) and I'm thinking that I'll wait a few weeks before contacting the Consulate and seeing if they have a date for us. Based on other people's timelines, we're anticipating an interview sometime in January, hopefully no later! You're heading down later this month, right?

And good luck, Marisol!

[czmjacq 1]

Hey czmjacq--

There are no real updates on our part! We sent in Packet 3 last week (finally!) and I'm thinking that I'll wait a few weeks before contacting the Consulate and seeing if they have a date for us. Based on other people's timelines, we're anticipating an interview sometime in January, hopefully no later! You're heading down later this month, right?

And good luck, Marisol!

Yes, I have an appt for Nov 30 - I sent them another email about 2 weeks ago asking them to reconsider my date for the week prior and I haven't heard from them which is strange since the other emails I send I received responses in about 6-7 business days.

I think Marisol had an appt on Nov 1st - so was curious to see how it went.

I heard on the news 4 Americans were shot and killed last weekend in the Juarez - but what I have been told was that they were involved in the drug cartel??? Hope they weren't random!!

[Marisol73 0]

Hi you all !

My son's appoinment went very well !!...it was approved... later today I will write my review.

All days I stayed in Juarez were people killed, but they are not random, they had something to do with drugs. Also...I never see anything bad. The area when the consulate and the medical clinics are is called DORADO ZONE, it is nice and safe. So dont worry about it. Just stay close that area.

We spent the most of the time in the hotel..or go the LAS MISIONES Mall. And always be in the hotel at night, never go out.

We stayed in la Quinta Inn, they were very nice and the shuttle service is great.

Well..I have to work ...I will write later.

[LaGringa 0]

That's great, Marisol, congratulations!!

[czmjacq 1]

Hi you all !

My son's appoinment went very well !!...it was approved... later today I will write my review.

All days I stayed in Juarez were people killed, but they are not random, they had something to do with drugs. Also...I never see anything bad. The area when the consulate and the medical clinics are is called DORADO ZONE, it is nice and safe. So dont worry about it. Just stay close that area.

We spent the most of the time in the hotel..or go the LAS MISIONES Mall. And always be in the hotel at night, never go out.

We stayed in la Quinta Inn, they were very nice and the shuttle service is great.

Well..I have to work ...I will write later.

Congratulations Marisol!!

I'm so glad to hear it all went well for you. I was really worried since the last 2 Saturdays there have been numerous killings -- I even emailed the Consulat last night asking if I REALLY couldn't do my interview any other way (at a different consulate) considering the 18 killings just on Saturday alone!! It does ease my mind to know that there wasn't any violence in that area -- it's still scary though. I really feel sorry for the people who have to live there.

My husband gave rave reviews about the La Quinta staff, accomodations and their shuttle service - we will be staying there this month.

[Marisol73 0]

Here is my review (for my baby son permanent residence):

We arrived to Cd Juarez on Wednesday October 27... the taxi from de airport to La Quinta Inn was $248 pesos. The shuttle service take us next morning to the Medical Clinic at 6.30 am.. I did not received the appoinment letter in Mexico..so my friend in USA scanned for me and send it by e mail..I just printed it and they accepted the letter without a problem.

They did not let my husband go with us.. they sent him to a waiting room ..and my baby and I went to a window when a very nice man asked us for his passport, the appoinment letter, the vaccines record and took a picture of him. He gave us a card with a number, then we went to a waiting room and they separate men from women and children. A female doctor asked us to go inside a room and I had to take off his clothes (just left the diaper). Then we waited until she returned and just checked him very quicky.. because he is a baby they did not take him x-rays, then we were sent to the vaccines room.. he recived just one shoot (varicella)...and he did not had TB test because he is younger than 2 years old. Before they gave you the shoots they tell you how much you have to pay (in pesos and dollars). We paid around $225 dlls.

After the shoots we went to the Cashier Window and paid.. then they told me the results will be ready at 2pm. I was 2 prior days because they told me so by phone.. but at the end they said the result would be the same day.

We went back at 2 pm.. there were 2 windows with people saying the names and when you hear your name go and pick uo the results. By 2.30 pm I was out, (they did not let my husband go inside with me).

Then I stayed in Juarez with nothing to do on Thursday afternoon, Friday, Saturday and Sunday !!.. we just went to "Las Misiones Mall"..it is really nice..is across the consulate.

Then on Monday.. our appoinment was at 10.15 am.. we went at 9am because we need to take the pictures first.. in the mall are $50 pesos.. in the small stores near the consulate are $120 pesos.

In the consulate there is a line to go inside..they let you in with the appoinment letter. Again they did not let my husband go with me. So I went alone with my baby. Then you pass a security point.. (like inthe airport).. then they gave you a number and go to a big waiting room.. the place is outisde the building.. it has roof ...and a lot of chairs. There are some screen than show numbers (the ticket number with a window number to go)... they let you go inside the building when you number is on screen.. but because I was with a baby.. they let me in since I arrived. I did not wait outside. I waited until my number was on the screen and go to the window indicated. They review the papers.. and asked me for the affidavit of support.. because my baby is under 18 years I just gave the exemption form (I-864 W)..then asked me for the original birth certificate of my son. And asked me if his dad was in USA already..and I said NO..and explained that he was waiting outside the consulate. (I tought maybe they needed his permission of something but NO).. then I went again to the waiting chairs... and once again my number was in the screen with another number of window.. I went and was the one to pay the visa ..$404 dlls.. I paid with mexican debit card. Then go again to the chairs. My baby went sleep. Then the number was again in the screen with another window number.. I went..and was the interview time.. It was a nice officer, he asked me if my baby has been in USA and I said NO.. then he was joking..asking me if my baby was married.. and asked mw to show his face to him..so I woke him up and show his face to the officer...and that was it.. he said "he is approved..go to DHL"

Inside the building are DHL personnel... I went there and paid with debit card.. they accept mexican pesos or credit & debit card (they dont accept dollars). Then they gave me a tracking number.

And that was it !... all process took me 2 hours and a half.

But unfortunately.. the next day.. was November 2nd.. and the Consulated was closed !..so they did not send any visa to DHL.. and we had the airplane tickets for November 3rd at 2pm...

We waited until the last minute with the hope we will receive the packet wednesday morning but no.. we received the packet at 4 pm.. so we missed our flight. I called Viva Aerobus to change the date but it was less than 24 hours and cost me $6700 pesos.. so I prefered to lost the tickets and buy new ones with millage points...so I just paid $1600 pesos for taxes (in Aeromexico).. but to buy tickets with milleage points has to be at least 48 hours in advance.. so we had to stay in Juarez until Saturday morning...

We went to the Cordoba Bridge after we received the DHL package.. but there were a lot of people.. and we werent prepared to wait long (I just brought one milk bottle for my baby..and also it was cold and my husband and I did not have jackets)..so we went back to the hotel.. and next day (Thursday) around 5pm the shuttle service took us to the bridge again... we were prepared to wait a long time.. but there weren't any people there.. just us.. the officer take our envelope and passport of my son and gave us back the passport after 5 minutes..and that was it.. we called the shuttle service but it was on the other bridge and we had to wait for two hours...so we decided to take a taxi...it cost $350 pesos. (if you dont use the shuttle service from the hotel.. the taxi from DHL office to the bridge and the way back to the hotel is $60 dlls).

Then we waited until Saturday morning to go back to Monterrey.

So.. everything goes well.. except that we stayed too many days in Juarez !!.. (10 days !!).. but well.. it is worth it.

I felt safe all time. We always stayed in the area close the hotel and consulate.

Any questions I will be happy to answer.

[pnewton 0]

Thank you, Marisol, for your great description! It continues to be a relief that everyone is saying how safe the hotel/consulate area feels. My questions aren't really that important, but they are just things that I'm curious about.

1. I saw that you flew from Monterrey, on Viva Aerobus, and that's what my husband and I will probaby do. I'm already here in the States, and he's still in Mexico, so actually, it'd be a lot cheaper for me to fly into El Paso and for him to fly into Ciudad Juarez, but I don't like the thought of us having to fly into the area alone and somehow coordinate our arrivals. I know other couples have done it, but I think it would make me more nervous! So, I'll probably fly into Monterrey and then we'll fly to Ciudad Juarez together. I noticed that many of the flights from Viva Aerobus arrive in CDJ sometime between 4-5 pm. Do you think that this is still a safe time to be coming in, in case there are delays? I just don't want to get there once it's dark!

2. It's been 2 weeks since we sent in Packet 3...Do you guys think that it's too soon to email the Consulate and see if they have a date for us yet?

And congrats, Marisol, for finishing this first part of your visa process!! Now you just have to do your husband, but you know exactly what to expect!

[grangkm 1]

pnewton,

I also sent my Packet three about two weeks ago (October 25). It'll be interesting to see how our timelines are similar.

[LaGringa 0]

Hi, pnewton, we also flew from Monterrey and there was still plenty of daylight. Of course that was in October. Let's see what Marisol says. I think it's still early to email them, but you won't lose anything!

[pnewton 0]

Hey girls...Thanks for the advice! Grangkm, it will be interesting to see how similar our timelines are! My husband sent out Packet 3 on Oct. 29th, so we're just itching for a response now, even though it's early!

And La Gringa, I was thinking the same thing about the flights...4-5 pm would be totally fine during most of the year, but it gets dark early in the winter months. But Viva Aerobus is definitely the cheapest option from Mty! I wish the whole safety thing were something that people processing visas didn't have to worry about, but as they say in Spanish, "ni modo"!

I think I'll wait till the end of this upcoming week to send the Consulate an email asking about our interview date.

Oh, and czmjacq, have you heard back from the Consulate regarding your last email to them? I know it's getting closer to your date to go, isn't it?

[czmjacq 1]

Hey girls...Thanks for the advice! Grangkm, it will be interesting to see how similar our timelines are! My husband sent out Packet 3 on Oct. 29th, so we're just itching for a response now, even though it's early!

And La Gringa, I was thinking the same thing about the flights...4-5 pm would be totally fine during most of the year, but it gets dark early in the winter months. But Viva Aerobus is definitely the cheapest option from Mty! I wish the whole safety thing were something that people processing visas didn't have to worry about, but as they say in Spanish, "ni modo"!

I think I'll wait till the end of this upcoming week to send the Consulate an email asking about our interview date.

Oh, and czmjacq, have you heard back from the Consulate regarding your last email to them? I know it's getting closer to your date to go, isn't it?

Funny I sent them an email last weekend (after I had sent a 2nd email requesting the date change) and I received a response to my weekend email in 3 days, but still no response from the 2nd email request to change the date which was sent like 3 weeks ago.... so I guess they are answering me, without actually sending me an email so I guess we will be going on the 29th for the interview for the 30th of November.

I am going to be flying from Dallas to El Paso since there are no flights to CD Juarez from Dallas. I plan on contacting Victor Garcia to see if he can pick me up and drive me to the La Quinta in CD Juarez - we used him when my husband had his appt in Sept and it worked out fine. I plan on working half a day and then leaving so I can get in before dark!! My husband's only option from Cancun gets him in around 730pm but he did that last time so he knows what he needs to do to get the airport shuttle to the hotel.

I remember someone said they had a discount code for the hotel -- guess I'll do a search and see if I can find it and see if it still works.

[EsperanzaXMyS 0]

Hello All!

I have been a little MIA from the forum lately because we are just waiting to recieve Packet 3.

I was just wondering what you all think about this...

We submitted our I-130 on Sept 9th in person in Mexico City and have still not heard anything. I literally call every single day and it is SOOOO hard to get a hold of anyone. About a month ago I did speak to a women who said they normally take at most one month to process I-130s which it has been 2. Also she said mine was "approved" and a packet was in the mail. On top of that I recieved a call yesterday and of course when trying to return the call no answer and no returned message. He also said in his message I could check the case status online, but I dont have a receipt number!!!!

I am SOO frusterated. I know it takes time, but the most frusterating thing is the lack of communication and being able to contact someone. I constantly get hung up on or transfered over and over.

I have all the DS-230 docs...can I just send them in?

What have your experiences been with this? Is this normal?

[grangkm 1]

Honestly Esperanza,

I just went ahead and printed the DS-230 docs of the internet and sent them in. What's the point of waiting for the packet anyway if it has the same info as the one on the internet? Also, who knows how long you'll be waiting for the packet to arrive at your house. Mine was sent out on October 20th and It still hasn't arrived at my house, and I'm in the same state as the Consulate!!!! So anyway I sent mine in. The only thing is that supposedly they lost it,(even though I got a signature through DHL) and everything, so i just sent it again yesterday. Make sure you make a duplicate copy of the whole packet just in case something like that happens to you. But I say go ahead and send it in. Your I-130 was already approved so why wait!

[pnewton 0]

Grangkm--I'm just curious...Have you contacted the Consulate yet to see if they gave you an appointment? I'm debating whether I should wait a while longer. It's been 3 weeks, which is definitely not a lot, but I know how slow it is to receive mail from them!

And Esperanza, I would just send in Packet 3, too.

[grangkm 1]

Grangkm--I'm just curious...Have you contacted the Consulate yet to see if they gave you an appointment? I'm debating whether I should wait a while longer. It's been 3 weeks, which is definitely not a lot, but I know how slow it is to receive mail from them!

And Esperanza, I would just send in Packet 3, too.

Hey,

yes i call everyday and I don't have an appointment. and I actually really don't think i will have one for another month. I just resent my packet yesterday.