DCF Mexico

[Marisol73 0]

Hi Ulises !

Well... i dont know yet ! can you beleive that??? he had the interview on wendesday..all process took 3 hours. The interview itself was short. She asked him just how we met and hoe old was our child. That was it. But she said that the system was too slow and he can not give him the result, so we dont know if he is approved or not ! I dont understand. Maybe the system for the fingerprints was slow.. thats the only thing I can think of. Because he wasnt able to get his fingerprint the prior day, so he did the same day of the interview. It supposed that the interview went well... she did not ask for any other proof of bonafide marriage. He had a lot of evidence but she did not ask for anything. So I want to assume that everything went fine. But Im still too worried !!

Then she gave him a paper with 11 steps to register to recieve dhl package. We tried to register but the steps arent exaclty as the paper says. So it is frustrating !.. he will go today to a place next to DHL which has a sign saying that they can register you.

Still we dont know if he is approved or not. I think we have to wait for the DHL package.

Have your heard that before? Im so worried!!

Hi dhudson, I tried to exactly what you want to do (that is have my family examined in the clinics in Sacramento), but I called the US Consulate and they say the only clinics approved would be the ones designated by each consulate. I asked if I could use the approved clinics in Mexico city (currently US Embassy in Mexico city is helping Ciudad Juarez process some cases where a US citizen petitions a sibling), but they said they wouldn't.

The problem with the clinics in the US, is that they direct the results to the USCIS I think, so they would only process cases that go through the NVC.

But in your case, since it is only your wife, you will only need 2 days. Just try to get your appointment for a tuesday. Arrive sunday afternoon to Juarez, go to medical appointment Monday morning (preferably before 6 a.m.), and you'll be out at 8-9 a.m. Go and pick up your results at 4 p.m. (it will take at most one hour), back to the hotel, and then go to the appointment the next day, and take the trip back to Guadalajara.

I think there is a vivaaerobus flight from Gdl to Juarez so if you get your appointment with enough time, you won't need to spend that much on air tickets. Everybody here in Juarez say that during daylight Juarez is safe.

I also recommend to book a hotel near the consulate, Holiday Inn and Suites (Misiones), Ibis, or Microtel are the nearest ones (there is also City Express Junior in front of the Consulate).

If you book on ibis, I think to get to the clinic you can just cross the parking lot and reach the clinic from behind.

Everybody here stays at La Quinta, but I stayed sunday and monday on Holiday Inn, so that I could reach the clinic by foot. I am now at La Quinta because its cheaper, but to get anywhere you need to take the shuttle, and at least this week, that has been very busy and we've had a hard time to get a hold of it. Yesterday I ended up taking the bus (it costs 6 pesos, you take it in front of the hotel, and you are at the consulate in roughly 5

minutes).

However breakfast is better here, and wireless is better too. I need a good wireless because I am working remotely.

So if you are only coming for a couple of days I'd go for the hotels around the consulate, there are more places to eat at, and also a nice mall near the consulate, Wendys, Dennis, etc.

Getting nervous now, tomorrow's the decisive day.

Hi Marisol, how did it go for your husband?

Edited April 8, 2011 by Marisol73

[ulises 0]

Hi Ulises !

Well... i dont know yet ! can you beleive that??? he had the interview on wendesday..all process took 3 hours. The interview itself was short. She asked him just how we met and hoe old was our child. That was it. But she said that the system was too slow and he can not give him the result, so we dont know if he is approved or not ! I dont understand. Maybe the system for the fingerprints was slow.. thats the only thing I can think of. Because he wasnt able to get his fingerprint the prior day, so he did the same day of the interview. It supposed that the interview went well... she did not ask for any other proof of bonafide marriage. He had a lot of evidence but she did not ask for anything. So I want to assume that everything went fine. But Im still too worried !!

Then she gave him a paper with 11 steps to register to recieve dhl package. We tried to register but the steps arent exaclty as the paper says. So it is frustrating !.. he will go today to a place next to DHL which has a sign saying that they can register you.

Still we dont know if he is approved or not. I think we have to wait for the DHL package.

Have your heard that before? Im so worried!!

Hi Marisol,

My family interview was today. They got there at exactly 8:00 and they left at 10:20. They were approved but my eldest was only pre-approved until we send the medical results. We got the same instructions that your husband had, but we had already registered them at http://mexico.usvisa-info.com.

When we called the 703 number and created the appointment, they must have created the registration. Does you husband has his passport number? I suppose you got an e-mail when they gave you your appointment didn't them?

There is the information with which they registered you. Didn't you choose the DHL location then? I did follow the instructions and was able to login, but he doesn't need that, unless he needs to send any other document to the US Consulate. You can call the 703 number again, just choose option 2 ("Follow up delivery of documentation").

If he is in Mexico, he can call any of the numbers in this webpage:

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

REgards,

Ulises

[ulises 0]

My families interview experience:

The La Quinta Inn shuttle never showed up, we had booked it for 7:30, were at the lobby at 7:20, and the shuttle never showed up. At 7:40 I decided to take a taxi that is usually parked outside the hotel, it belongs to "sitio Las Misiones". It charged us 50 pesos. Today morning/yesterday night was an awful day here at Juarez. There were some police men killed on Av. Ejercito Nacional, and one man was killed on a hotel that is located in the street where the medical buildings are located (the hotel name is Regis but it's not that close to the consulate). I am right now listening to the news, and many other people/police men were killed yesterday. So it seems that again things are getting hot here.

We arrived to the waiting room at 7:50, they asked for the appointment confirmation (the one I got after I called to 703 number) and the appointment letter from the consulate (the one that instructs to schedule your appointment).

They stamped the documents and sent us immediately to the consulate. There, they said we couldn't pass with cell phones (as expected) but I didn't notice there were lockers in the small plaza beside the consulate, and went to the "Extra" and asked the tender if she could hold my cell phones for me.

Went back with my wife and kids, went to the line, and another guy checked the documents, but he wouldn't let me in. I had to let them in alone and went back to where the tables zone (where all the people wait). Later when they got out, my wife told me that inside they asked if nobody came with her to help her with the kids, she said I was outside, they let her out, she tried to locate me, but she couldn't so she had to go back inside without me.

The good thing is that since she had both kids they sent her immediately to get their fingerprints and make the payment. After that she waited some time (probably 1 hour) and the consular agent was very kind, only asked who my sister was (she filed the affidavit of support) where she lived, why one of my children was born in Monterrey, why the other in Guadalajara, why my eldest was vaccinated in the US, asked her if she had any tatoos, if she ever worked in the US, or if she had stayed for longer then approved. AFter that he explained that visas were preapproved, and that only security scanning was needed, and that perhaps hers and my youngest would be processed today.

For my eldest, he explained that we needed to send the medical results and passport via DHL once we had them. My wife asked if she could bring them in person, the consular agent said yes, why not. But after the interview, I asked in the consular information window, and they said we had to send it via DHL. We are going to try get them in person though, if they won't allow us, then we'll send them via DHL and maybe we'll have to wait yet another week. I would wait in El Paso, but they cancelled all the B2 visas, including my eldest, so even if my wife and the youngest get their immigrant visas today, we won't be able to cross the border cause my eldest son's visa says "Cancelled without prejudice".

All in all, the interview was smooth. Now look for a cheaper hotel where to stay next week.

[LaGringa 0]

dhudson, I understand about not wanting to file until you have a job offer, but remember that when your wife gets her residence, she still has six months to move to the US, so you can start looking when she's approved and still have six months to find a job and move. We got lucky, my husband found a job just a week after his interview.

I think Ulises got really lucky to have his family with him. It really depends on the agent you get. My husband crossed many times while the visa was being processed and never had any problems, although they were short two day trips, and never needed an I-94. You can PM me with more questions if you wish.

Ulises, I guess we went to that clinic because it was the closest, and it was fine, unless you count the fact that they had us locked in the waiting room!

I don't think having them visiting you had an ill effect, since they weren't denied. The only "bad" thing is that you have to wait in Juarez instead of El Paso. The great thing is you were never apart.

I hope you can take your kids' results in person to speed things up a bit.

[Marisol73 0]

Hey everyone !

I just want to share how happy I am ! My husband is now with me in Houston. everthing went well.

He had the interview on Wednesday and he received the DHL package on Friday.

Thank you for all your help.!

Now we are just waiting for the SS Card to arrive.

Good luck to all.

Marisol

[LaGringa 0]

Congratulations, Marisol, that is great!!

[ulises 0]

Hey everyone !

I just want to share how happy I am ! My husband is now with me in Houston. everthing went well.

He had the interview on Wednesday and he received the DHL package on Friday.

Thank you for all your help.!

Now we are just waiting for the SS Card to arrive.

Good luck to all.

Marisol

Great. Congratulations. On my part, my wife went to the consulate information window and they said the packet is already in DHL. However for my eldest we'll have to wait till friday to take the packet to DHL. They said they would deliver the packet probably that same day, or monday morning. However the girl at the info window said that it would take up to 5 business days from the day DHL delivers the packet till it reaches a consular office. Plus the time it takes to reach DHL again after it is approved. Considering that consulate won't open on good thursday and friday, there is really no hope in getting the visa next week.

So I'm considering sending my family to Guanajuato, and me going back to California next weekend, and coming back to Juarez in May.

[ulises 0]

Hey everyone !

I just want to share how happy I am ! My husband is now with me in Houston. everthing went well.

He had the interview on Wednesday and he received the DHL package on Friday.

Thank you for all your help.!

Now we are just waiting for the SS Card to arrive.

Good luck to all.

Marisol

So Marisol,

Did your husband receive the AWB number on the mexico.usvisa-info.com webpage, or where did he get it from?

My wife went yesterday to the consulate info window in the afternoon, they said the packet was already sent to DHL (that same day), but she went to DHL and they said nothing had been received and that without the AWB they couldn't retrieve anything. I also called the number of information in Juarez, but the same response, that the visa has not been processed by the consulate.

How did your husband get that number?

[DerZinker 4]

Great. Congratulations. On my part, my wife went to the consulate information window and they said the packet is already in DHL. However for my eldest we'll have to wait till friday to take the packet to DHL. They said they would deliver the packet probably that same day, or monday morning. However the girl at the info window said that it would take up to 5 business days from the day DHL delivers the packet till it reaches a consular office. Plus the time it takes to reach DHL again after it is approved. Considering that consulate won't open on good thursday and friday, there is really no hope in getting the visa next week.

So I'm considering sending my family to Guanajuato, and me going back to California next weekend, and coming back to Juarez in May.

Ah Yes, how they love to play the waiting game in Juarez.

It goes a little something like this:

Juarez: Congratulations sir, you've been approved.

You: Praise Jesus! So can I go to America now?

Juarez: Uh...Ummm... no. Not just yet.

You: But I thought you said I was approved?

Juarez: Yeah, that's right. But you can't leave Juarez for awhile.

You: What the hell? Why not?

Juarez: Yeah Sorry, going to have to get back to you on that..

You: But... I...

Juarez: Oops, time to go sit on my hands for awhile. Please excuse me.

Yessir, there is a place where they spell incompetent as two words and its' name is Juarez. Congratulations though to both Ulises and Marisol. Good to hear that at least you are over the major hurdles. Hopefully smooth sailing from here!

[Marisol73 0]

Hi Ulises...

In fact he never received the AWB number ... he went directly to DHL hoping that the packet was there. In DHL they told him that the system was down or something like that. But they asked everyone for an ID and they check if the packets were there, And luckily my husband's package was there. The same day we call to consulate in the morning and said that we should call back in 7 days. So dont trust them !...is more reliable to go directly to DHL.

Good Luck !

So Marisol,

Did your husband receive the AWB number on the mexico.usvisa-info.com webpage, or where did he get it from?

My wife went yesterday to the consulate info window in the afternoon, they said the packet was already sent to DHL (that same day), but she went to DHL and they said nothing had been received and that without the AWB they couldn't retrieve anything. I also called the number of information in Juarez, but the same response, that the visa has not been processed by the consulate.

How did your husband get that number?

[Natalien 0]

Hello Everyone!

I finally filed the I-130 for my husband in Mexico City on Monday. I´m a bit worried because they gave me nothing called NOA or notice of action. I have read on this forum that those who went to Mexico City to turn in their forms in person got this NOA the same day or the next. The woman who was there when I went told me I could expect to hear something in 2 months! What should I do? How did these people find out if they were approved the next day? I could cry. Help!

[ulises 0]

Hello Everyone!

I finally filed the I-130 for my husband in Mexico City on Monday. I´m a bit worried because they gave me nothing called NOA or notice of action. I have read on this forum that those who went to Mexico City to turn in their forms in person got this NOA the same day or the next. The woman who was there when I went told me I could expect to hear something in 2 months! What should I do? How did these people find out if they were approved the next day? I could cry. Help!

Hi Natalien,

You won't get anything like a NOA, cause you didn't file through NVC.

Most of us that went in person were approved the next day, but we didn't know until we got a letter stating that our petition was approved.

In my case I filed on December 16, 2010, and got the approval letter on january 4, 2011. The letter stated that my petitions were approved on december 17.

I wouldn't be worried if I were you. Where do you live? Did you give a different address than where you live in form I-130? Usually USCIS in Mexico sends the letter to your current address, not to the address you specify in I-130. That happened to me at least, and they send it via UPS I think, but UPS in turn hired a different carrier called am/pm in Guadalajara, and they never showed up in my home, finally they called me to let me know that they had a packet for me and if I didn't pick it up they would return it to Mexico city.

Be patient, all of us here have suffered the same anxiety, but believe me, the process is pretty fast.

For me, the whole process took exactly 4 months.

[ulises 0]

Finally got my son's visa.

Hey guys, finally after all the delays I suffered due to the medical test of my son, the packet arrived today at noon. My wife went to pick it up, and even though instructions were to take my son's packet to the Americas bridge we took all of them to Zaragoza bridge (my wife's and other son's packet instructed to go there). We arrived there at 6:30 p.m., we formed on the line, there was only one person ahead of us for immigrant visas, but there was a lot of people for other purposes. We waited like a little longer than an hour, the CBP officer asked to retrieve packets one by one, I asked if we had to wait to retrieve my eldest packet to the other bridge but he said they would take care of it. At 9:00 p.m. the passports were stamped and we came back to the hotel.

We'll be leaving thursday morning, cause I have to work tomorrow and decided to stay at the hotel for one more day.

I asked about the Child Act of Citizenship of 2000, but they said they knew nothing about that, but that I could inquire about that when I am in the US in any USCIS office.

So, just wanted to share my happiness!

[LaGringa 0]

That's great, Ulises, congratulations!

[chuk686 0]

Hi Natalien! Welcome!

ulises is right, there is some anxiety due to the reliability of the postal service here, and they told us two months as well. But in reality if your papers were in order they approve them really fast. It has been two months for us and we are waiting for an interview date! Hang in there, NOA1 and NOA2 will come in the coming weeks. We never received an NOA1, just NOA2 (which actually isn't called that) - it's the approval of the I-130 and that they're forwarding it to Juarez.

Best of luck, and do keep us updated on how everything is going.

Hello Everyone!

I finally filed the I-130 for my husband in Mexico City on Monday. I´m a bit worried because they gave me nothing called NOA or notice of action. I have read on this forum that those who went to Mexico City to turn in their forms in person got this NOA the same day or the next. The woman who was there when I went told me I could expect to hear something in 2 months! What should I do? How did these people find out if they were approved the next day? I could cry. Help!