DCF Mexico

[Marisol73 0]

Hello !!

Im sooo confusing ...we received the same letter than you (for my husband).. that says "you are eligible to schedule an appointment from April 1, 2011 to April 12, 2011.

Also I went to the website and dont found anything usefull !!

So you have already your appoinment?? how do you schedule it? please let me know.

Also.. how about the medical appoinment?..shouldnt we received a letter for that?

I did the same process for my son on November 2010 and it seems to be different now.

Regards

marisol

Thank you Sarah.

So where did you find out that DS-260 is not needed for March appointments? I went to DHS.gov website and over there it says that for Ciudad Juarez cases, only those that start with MEP (or EMP I don't remember) would have to do it that way.

I am going by car from LA, it's 4 people in my case (counting me) so tickets would be at least $1500, and besides as our appointment is on friday, it may be the case that we won't have our visa until monday or tuesday of the week after.

Thanks for the map, is very good.

Please don't forget to provide details of how it went for your husband on the medical, the ASC and the appointment (I have to be there 4 days before cause for kids 4 years and older medical has to be at least 4 days before).

Also, let us know if you'll pay your visa in the ASC appointment.

I have read here one case, that for the medical they require you the "letter with the appointment issued by the consulate". I only have letters saying that "you are eligible to schedule an appointment from 1 to 12 of april".

Regards,

Ulises

[EsperanzaXMyS 0]

Hi, Esperanza. It's good to know everything went well with today. Good luck tomorrow on your interview!

Thanks Gringa!! I am still waiting for him at the hotel!!!

[jaremedios 1]

I've been out of the loop a while, but I just caught up on everyone's posts. Can someone pls explain the ASC system? And just to be clear is this process still correct:

1. File 1-130. Approval.

2. Get case number. Send in necessary forms for Packet 3 (which I understand is no longer DS-230, but rather DS-260).

3. Get an appointment and medical letter.

4. Go to CDJ for appointment and medical.

5. Pick up (now I understand you can decide where) visa at DHL.

6. Cross border within 6 months of appointment approval.

Is this correct? And I'm asking those who are doing it now because I'm sure in the past few months when others (LaGringa, czmjacq, etc.) went, things were different.

gracias!!!

[ulises 0]

Hello !!

Im sooo confusing ...we received the same letter than you (for my husband).. that says "you are eligible to schedule an appointment from April 1, 2011 to April 12, 2011.

Also I went to the website and dont found anything usefull !!

So you have already your appoinment?? how do you schedule it? please let me know.

Also.. how about the medical appoinment?..shouldnt we received a letter for that?

I did the same process for my son on November 2010 and it seems to be different now.

Regards

marisol

Hi Marisol,

I called us consulate number in the US. 7034392313

They will ask for your case number, and passport numbers. And they will setup both appointments, with ASC and the actual one in the consulate.

But as EsperanzaMx has mentioned, we don't have NVC case/invoice numbers, so probably won't need ASC.

I suggest you to call right away.

I think you can also do it online, you just need your passport number.

http://usvisa-info.com/en/selfservice

I didn't do it that way, cause I wanted all my interviews the same date, and it's better to have someone on the phone to whom you can argue with

Good Luck!

[ulises 0]

I've been out of the loop a while, but I just caught up on everyone's posts. Can someone pls explain the ASC system? And just to be clear is this process still correct:

1. File 1-130. Approval.

2. Get case number. Send in necessary forms for Packet 3 (which I understand is no longer DS-230, but rather DS-260).

3. Get an appointment and medical letter.

4. Go to CDJ for appointment and medical.

5. Pick up (now I understand you can decide where) visa at DHL.

6. Cross border within 6 months of appointment approval.

Is this correct? And I'm asking those who are doing it now because I'm sure in the past few months when others (LaGringa, czmjacq, etc.) went, things were different.

gracias!!!

Hi Jaremedios, I am going through this process now. The steps you have are still correct. Except for the fact that I did fill up DS-230-I and sent it with packet 3.

I read in DHS.gov, that DS-260 will replace DS-230, but this is being done only at some places for now, including Juarez.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_5164.html

Do Online Forms Apply to My Immigrant Visa?

Form DS-260, Online Immigrant Visa Application, and Form DS-261, Choice of Address and Agent, will be used by immigrant visa applicants starting October 4, 2010, whose applications meet ALL of the following conditions:

•The petition was approved in the U.S. and the immigrant case is being processed by the National Visa Center (NVC); and

•The NVC requested fees and/or documents in October 2010 or later; and

•Applications are for immigrant family based (Form I-130 petition), employment based (Form I-140 petition), certain special immigrants (Form I-360 petition), and immigrant entrepreneur (Form I-526 petition); and

•Visa applicants to be interviewed at selected U.S. Embassy/Consulate pilot locations which include:

◦Amman, Jordan

◦Athens, Greece

◦Baghdad, Iraq

◦Ciudad Juarez (only if the NVC case number begins with MEP)

◦Lima, Peru

◦Montreal, Canada

While use of the online forms is currently limited to applicants who meet all of the conditions above, these forms will eventually be implemented worldwide and required for all immigrant visa applications.

You can see that it says "limited to applicants who met all of the conditons above".

So I'm just printing this out in case they ask me for DS-260. Let's wait to see how everything went with EsperanzaMX's husband to see if we'd undergo the same process (that is no ASC although we can get an appointment).

It seems they have a template for sending letters from the consulate now. Mine told us to vist the "fiancee" webpage, and same for my kids. So this only makes everything more confusing.

Thanks God for the Internet and people who have the good sense of posting their experiences here and in other forums.

[EsperanzaXMyS 0]

He said that the there were NO problems what so ever at the visa interivew having not done the ASC appt. He said it was acutally quicker than some and they didn't even take our paper copy DS-230 or Affidavidt of Support (not to say I wouldn't bring them just in case) I will write more about the entire Visa experience a little later. Going go relax for the night!!

[LaGringa 0]

Congratulations! This means he was approved, right?

[EsperanzaXMyS 0]

Thanks God for the Internet and people who have the good sense of posting their experiences here and in other forums.

Second that!!!!!!!

[Marisol73 0]

Thank you Ulises !!

I just called...the appoinment for my husband is April 6th.

but what about medical examination?? you dont need a letter to let you go in? what letter will we use?

Thanks for your help !

Marisol

Hi Marisol,

I called us consulate number in the US. 7034392313

They will ask for your case number, and passport numbers. And they will setup both appointments, with ASC and the actual one in the consulate.

But as EsperanzaMx has mentioned, we don't have NVC case/invoice numbers, so probably won't need ASC.

I suggest you to call right away.

I think you can also do it online, you just need your passport number.

http://usvisa-info.com/en/selfservice

I didn't do it that way, cause I wanted all my interviews the same date, and it's better to have someone on the phone to whom you can argue with

Good Luck!

[jaremedios 1]

He said that the there were NO problems what so ever at the visa interivew having not done the ASC appt. He said it was acutally quicker than some and they didn't even take our paper copy DS-230 or Affidavidt of Support (not to say I wouldn't bring them just in case) I will write more about the entire Visa experience a little later. Going go relax for the night!!

Can you tell me more about what is the ASC appointment? Thanks.

[ulises 0]

Thank you Ulises !!

I just called...the appoinment for my husband is April 6th.

but what about medical examination?? you dont need a letter to let you go in? what letter will we use?

Thanks for your help !

Marisol

Hi Marisol,

Congrats, lucky you guys. I got my family's for April 8th.

So for medical examination what I understand is that you need the letter that you got indicating you the dates you were eligible to schedule an appointment, i.e. the last one you got from them.

EsperanzaXMyS should be able to confirm this. By the way congrats to EsperanzaXMys :=)!!!!!!

Your husband will also need his passport to show them. You don't need an appointment for the medical appointment, just make sure you arrive there 2 days before to cover any eventual delay on the medical examination, and be there preferably early. I'll do as Esperanza, be there at 5:30 a.m. to ensure having the medical results for that same day.

For detailed instructions read Packet 4 instructions.

http://ciudadjuarez.usconsulate.gov/immigrant-visa-and-fiancee-visa-forms.html

[ulises 0]

Can you tell me more about what is the ASC appointment? Thanks.

Hi jaremedios. ASC stands for Applicant Service Center. Visa processes for both immigrant and non-immigrant has changed a bit. Now before going to your appointment at the consulate, you have to go to an ASC (whichever you choose) and have your biometrics data collected there. This is supposed to be done to improve the process in the consulate. Previously this was done altogether in the US consulate.

Now, for us who are applying for immigrant visas, we also are supposed to fill up DS-260 (which is gradually replacing DS-230), but this can only be done online, and when you go to that site it requests you for your NVC case number and invoice. However for us who have done DCF, we don't have NVC case numbers, because our cases never went through NVC. I and other people here have called the 773 number I gave you and ask for this, but they you know, don't understand what DCF is. They tell you to call NVC, then you call NVC and they will tell you they don't have your case in their database, and will instruct you to call back to the US consulate.

Also, the dhs.gov (I posted the link and what it says about DS-260), states that only people who met all the requirements (posted in the link I provided) will need to fill up DS-260. This is a pilot program. So those who have cases in Ciudad Juarez, only the ones that begin with MEP (not sure if it MEP or EMP), will need to fill up that form.

The page doesn't say if you still need to fill up DS-230, but as we did it that way, I'm going to do as EsperanzaMxyS. I'll first go to my ASC appointment, show them that my family's cases do not begin with MEP (but with CDJ) and that I never got any NVC number nor any invoice). And they will have to tell me what to do next.

But I ended up talking about DS-260 and not ASC, so touching bases, ASC is a step you have to take before going to your actual interview. Unless you have a letter from the US Consulate instructing to do something else.

[ulises 0]

He said that the there were NO problems what so ever at the visa interivew having not done the ASC appt. He said it was acutally quicker than some and they didn't even take our paper copy DS-230 or Affidavidt of Support (not to say I wouldn't bring them just in case) I will write more about the entire Visa experience a little later. Going go relax for the night!!

Congratulations!!!! I just can imagine the overwhelming sensation of relief that you guys are feeling. Please provide details of what time your husband got in, what documents they requested, and what kind of questions they asked.

Thanks in advance! I'll be eager to hear of you guys.

Regards,

[LaGringa 0]

Hi, Ulises, thank you for answering my previous question and for explaining this new process, it seems really confusing! It will be very helpful to future VJ members, not to mention the lurkers!

[pnewton 0]

Hey everyone--

Congrats, Esperanza! Sounds like it went well!

I just wanted to update you guys that my husband has arrived here in the U.S. and we went to apply for his Social Security Number on Friday. It was actually SO easy (thank goodness!). We went to one of the many Social Security Administrative Offices here in my city, got there at 3:30 pm (they close at 4) and were out within 15 minutes. We had to fill out a one page application and then when we were called to the window, we just explained that he had arrived and had his permanent residence card issued to him and the whole visa process was approved back in January. The attendant was very nice and asked for his passport and green card for identification and then we also gave her his welcome letter and the other letter we received after his visa was processed. She asked him some questions to which he had all answered no, such as whether he had ever worked here, filed taxes here, etc etc. She said that the card should arrive within 2 weeks, but that we could call this Wednesday and see if the number was in the system. Yes!!

Ok, just wanted to share that...once he gets his SSN, the next step will be a driver's license--exciting, exciting!

Hope you're all doing well!

Also, DHudson, glad to be of help! Feel free to ask any questions as you go about this process.