Ciudad Juarez Consulate

[claudia2212 0]

I am confused, I have received my open appointment letter but I am not sure if I still need to wait for a packet??? I know I have to go online for the forms needed but should I need to wait for something or can a go to the consulate for the interview?

[Audy_Rob 26]

I am confused, I have received my open appointment letter but I am not sure if I still need to wait for a packet??? I know I have to go online for the forms needed but should I need to wait for something or can a go to the consulate for the interview?

In this forum on US Embassies and COnsulates is a thread dedicated to members and questions about Ciudad Juarez.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/37896-juarez-consulate/page__st__4035

Maybe you would like to post this question there and learn from the many knowledgable members who have dealt with or are dealing with Ciudad Juarez.

Good luck.

[Ale y Ramiro 0]

Hello

That's all you get. My fiancee also got the open appointment and the packet is basicly the instructions that you can print from the consulate website. You can also fill out the form and print them out. We are planning to go to Juarez in July 6th. Hopefully we can meet over ther if you go that week.

[moleary 2]

Hi,

Just to reiterate, the letter you received is what Ciudad Juarez considers to be packet 3. I don't have my letter in front of me, but the link they refer you to is one of these two links (I think the letter refers you to the forms page, but read them both, and do what they say). You have an open appointment, so once you have everything in order, just show up for the medical, and then go to the consulate the next day. You can pay the banamex fee at any banamex in Mexico (in case you don't want to go to the bank in CDJ). Make sure you take that letter with you.

Here are the links...good luck! I'll be traveling this time next week to CDJ to meet my fiancee. We're going to the medical on Tue.

http://ciudadjuarez.usconsulate.gov/hivfiance/steps-to-obtaining-a-k-visa.html

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

Michael

[Ale y Ramiro 0]

Moleary

I just want to wish you the best on your coming interview next week. I'll also will meet my fiance in Juarez in 4 weeks. We are very excited htat finally we'll be together. (of course if everything goes well) Keep us posted here how it goes!! I guest you guys are going to be the first ones to pwy the visa fee increment(sucks huh))

the best of the best and good luck.

[claudia2212 0]

Moleary

I just want to wish you the best on your coming interview next week. I'll also will meet my fiance in Juarez in 4 weeks. We are very excited htat finally we'll be together. (of course if everything goes well) Keep us posted here how it goes!! I guest you guys are going to be the first ones to pwy the visa fee increment(sucks huh))

the best of the best and good luck.

Thank you and I wish you the best too.... My fiance and I are planning to go on the June 22, I hope this goes well, we have a 7 month baby and we just want to be together!!! Thank you for the info!!!

[moleary 2]

Thank you and I wish you the best too.... My fiance and I are planning to go on the June 22, I hope this goes well, we have a 7 month baby and we just want to be together!!! Thank you for the info!!!

Just to update... K-1 visa APPROVED 6-16-2010!!!!

[claudia2212 0]

Just to update... K-1 visa APPROVED 6-16-2010!!!!

Congrats!!!! how was it.... I am really nervous//// don't know what to expect???

[moleary 2]

Hi Claudia,

We arrived separately on Monday afternoon. I flew into El Paso and took a cab to the Holiday Inn, then a couple of hours later took the hotel shuttle to the Juarez airport and picked up my fiancee. We took a cab back to the hotel and had dinner at Barriga's next door. Great food, service and atmosphere. We ate there every night. We would recommend the Holiday Inn. Clean. Helpful staff. Security. Free breakfast. Free Happy Hour Tues-Fri. Nice 2.5 star hotel. We felt completely safe there.

Tuesday morning we were up early and walked to the CMI clinic. We arrived at 6:15. The guard told me I would probably be waiting for a couple of hours so I walked back to the hotel. At 7:40, my fiancee called and said she was finished and on her way back to the hotel. By the time I got the elevator and went downstairs, she was coming in the front door.

She said the process was very well organized. They ask for her passport and appointment letter, address in Juarez or the hotel name and room number, and phone. They took her picture and gave her a wristband with barcode and a card with a barcode.

Once you begin, they scan the barcode and give you a printout of process. That travels with you and they put the different test results on the printout…Blood, vision, physical exam in private room (you are asked to strip naked and given a paper hospital gown), asked about any contagious diseases in your life, broken bones, scars, look for tattoos, ask if you are diabetic, hypertensive. Measure height, weight. Then they ask you to get dressed from the waist down and they take you for a chest xray. She had a front and side xray done - but the other people she saw only had a front xray. For K-1 (no vaccinations), you finish getting dressed and go to cashier. She was told to come back at 2:00 for the results.

Oh yeah, males and females are separated, including children from their parents (not infants). Also, if kids need vaccinations, they will not give them until the parent is present. Kids do not have to strip naked, only to their underwear, and they will not let kids leave the clinic alone.

We walked across the street to the Banamex at the mall. This is the part that pissed me off. If you have pesos, pay the fee in pesos. You will pay the equivalent of $350 in pesos. However, if you have dollars, they will first sell you pesos at the day’s rate, then charge you the fee at the buy rate, so I ended up paying $388. They used a rate of 13 to the dollar. They won’t take dollars.

When we returned to the clinic at 2:00 to pick up the results, they did not have hers. She went inside and was told that there was something on her lung that they needed to check. They wanted to have an ultrasound done to determine if what they were looking at was liquid in her lung. They scheduled an appointment for her at 4:30 at a radiology clinic about 15 minutes away by taxi. The doctor met us there, did the test, made a CD and a report. It took less than an hour, and we had to pay separately for the ultrasound. We were told to come back to CMI the next morning at 7:00.

So, the next morning we got up and went to the clinic. She was told that everything was fine, that the area they were looking at on her lung was just scar tissue from an old automobile injury where a broken rib had abraded the lung. They needed some time to complete her report with these new results so we went to Denny’s to eat breakfast and then back to the clinic. A little after 9:00 she had her medical envelope and CD and we headed for the consulate. We’ll add here that everyone at the clinic was very professional and courteous. Additionally, they were conscious of her appointment time (even though we had an open appointment). They wanted to make sure she was out of the clinic in time to get into the consulate the second day as originally planned.

It took us from about 9:15 to 9:30 to wait in line to get inside the consulate and go through airport style security. They are serious about the list of things you can’t take in, so leave everything but your documents and ID at the hotel. At the end of security, your ID is entered and you are given a number. We were told where to go wait - behind one of the buildings they had a covered outdoor waiting area, with huge ceiling fans and water mist that actually did a very nice job of keeping the area comfortable. You sit there and watch a flatscreen monitor that displays your number and the window you should report to. We saw numbers from 1 into the 7000’s and it made little sense to us. At first it was confusing because we would see a number, for example 5113 -> 55, and 20 minutes later see 5113 -> 63. Eventually we figured out that the same screen is being displayed inside, and as people move from one step to the next, their number gets put back up on the screen.

Eventually our number came up (after waiting about an hour and 15 min) and we went inside. There was still someone at the window we were supposed to go to but we did not have to wait long. We stepped up to the window. The Greeter was very nice and asked for the DS 156. She basically went through the list of required documents, original birth certs and divorce decrees. We had forgotten to bring the letter of intent to marry (though we had already each provided one with the 129F). She said no problem and filled one out with my name and handed it through the window for my fiancée to sign. We had front-loaded the 129F petition with relationship stuff and we were not asked for anything else. She asked for proof of financial support and I gave the I-134. She said that was fine. I had all the other stuff - bank statements, letter from employer, letter from bank, mortgage, house appraisal, tax returns, check stubs, w2s, etc but she didn’t ask for any of it. She saw the 134, pointed and said that will do. After signing the 156 and 156K and something else, we were told to wait to be called for fingerprinting. We waited about 5 minutes for that. My fiancée was fingerprinted then we sat back down and waited another 15 or 20 minutes for the interview. As we waited, we could see that some people were rejected because they did not go to the DHL line after their interview, but rather just left looking very upset and in some cases, crying.

Those 20 minutes were long, waiting, knowing that the interview was next. She felt confident she could answer anything they asked, but you still never know what it’s going to be like. We talked and laughed and just kept our mind off things. Then her name was called to another window. We got up and went over. There was a US officer there with our file in front of him. He was very polite. Here are the questions he asked:

How long have you known each other? Over 4 years

So, you work for xxx company in yyy city? No, I work for xxx company in zzzz city (trick question)

What do you do there?

Have you ever been married? No

Do you have any children? No

Ever had any problems with the police? No

Ever had any problems with immigration or been denied a visa? No

Do you have your B1/B2 visa? Yes (handed through the window)

OK - here is the DHL form. Take it to the next line and you should be able to pick up your visa in the morning.

So that was it! We were walking back to the hotel by 12:00 noon. It helps if you are prepared. I can’t tell you not to worry. Only you know if you have everything in its proper state of affairs, and even though we reviewed everything the night before, we still forgot that damn letter of intent to marry!

I would advise anyone to frontload their 129F petition as much as they can, otherwise they can expect a longer interview. We had everything in there already for proof of ongoing relationship - photos, phone records, frequent flyer statements, emails, passport stamps. We didn’t have to provide anything extra, even though we had it ready.

It’s generally safe there. You’ll see patrols occasionally. Don’t go for a walk after dinner and don’t go out after dark. Be careful but remember why you are there. Good luck!

[claudia2212 0]

Hi Claudia,

We arrived separately on Monday afternoon. I flew into El Paso and took a cab to the Holiday Inn, then a couple of hours later took the hotel shuttle to the Juarez airport and picked up my fiancee. We took a cab back to the hotel and had dinner at Barriga's next door. Great food, service and atmosphere. We ate there every night. We would recommend the Holiday Inn. Clean. Helpful staff. Security. Free breakfast. Free Happy Hour Tues-Fri. Nice 2.5 star hotel. We felt completely safe there.

Tuesday morning we were up early and walked to the CMI clinic. We arrived at 6:15. The guard told me I would probably be waiting for a couple of hours so I walked back to the hotel. At 7:40, my fiancee called and said she was finished and on her way back to the hotel. By the time I got the elevator and went downstairs, she was coming in the front door.

She said the process was very well organized. They ask for her passport and appointment letter, address in Juarez or the hotel name and room number, and phone. They took her picture and gave her a wristband with barcode and a card with a barcode.

Once you begin, they scan the barcode and give you a printout of process. That travels with you and they put the different test results on the printout…Blood, vision, physical exam in private room (you are asked to strip naked and given a paper hospital gown), asked about any contagious diseases in your life, broken bones, scars, look for tattoos, ask if you are diabetic, hypertensive. Measure height, weight. Then they ask you to get dressed from the waist down and they take you for a chest xray. She had a front and side xray done - but the other people she saw only had a front xray. For K-1 (no vaccinations), you finish getting dressed and go to cashier. She was told to come back at 2:00 for the results.

Oh yeah, males and females are separated, including children from their parents (not infants). Also, if kids need vaccinations, they will not give them until the parent is present. Kids do not have to strip naked, only to their underwear, and they will not let kids leave the clinic alone.

We walked across the street to the Banamex at the mall. This is the part that pissed me off. If you have pesos, pay the fee in pesos. You will pay the equivalent of $350 in pesos. However, if you have dollars, they will first sell you pesos at the day’s rate, then charge you the fee at the buy rate, so I ended up paying $388. They used a rate of 13 to the dollar. They won’t take dollars.

When we returned to the clinic at 2:00 to pick up the results, they did not have hers. She went inside and was told that there was something on her lung that they needed to check. They wanted to have an ultrasound done to determine if what they were looking at was liquid in her lung. They scheduled an appointment for her at 4:30 at a radiology clinic about 15 minutes away by taxi. The doctor met us there, did the test, made a CD and a report. It took less than an hour, and we had to pay separately for the ultrasound. We were told to come back to CMI the next morning at 7:00.

So, the next morning we got up and went to the clinic. She was told that everything was fine, that the area they were looking at on her lung was just scar tissue from an old automobile injury where a broken rib had abraded the lung. They needed some time to complete her report with these new results so we went to Denny’s to eat breakfast and then back to the clinic. A little after 9:00 she had her medical envelope and CD and we headed for the consulate. We’ll add here that everyone at the clinic was very professional and courteous. Additionally, they were conscious of her appointment time (even though we had an open appointment). They wanted to make sure she was out of the clinic in time to get into the consulate the second day as originally planned.

It took us from about 9:15 to 9:30 to wait in line to get inside the consulate and go through airport style security. They are serious about the list of things you can’t take in, so leave everything but your documents and ID at the hotel. At the end of security, your ID is entered and you are given a number. We were told where to go wait - behind one of the buildings they had a covered outdoor waiting area, with huge ceiling fans and water mist that actually did a very nice job of keeping the area comfortable. You sit there and watch a flatscreen monitor that displays your number and the window you should report to. We saw numbers from 1 into the 7000’s and it made little sense to us. At first it was confusing because we would see a number, for example 5113 -> 55, and 20 minutes later see 5113 -> 63. Eventually we figured out that the same screen is being displayed inside, and as people move from one step to the next, their number gets put back up on the screen.

Eventually our number came up (after waiting about an hour and 15 min) and we went inside. There was still someone at the window we were supposed to go to but we did not have to wait long. We stepped up to the window. The Greeter was very nice and asked for the DS 156. She basically went through the list of required documents, original birth certs and divorce decrees. We had forgotten to bring the letter of intent to marry (though we had already each provided one with the 129F). She said no problem and filled one out with my name and handed it through the window for my fiancée to sign. We had front-loaded the 129F petition with relationship stuff and we were not asked for anything else. She asked for proof of financial support and I gave the I-134. She said that was fine. I had all the other stuff - bank statements, letter from employer, letter from bank, mortgage, house appraisal, tax returns, check stubs, w2s, etc but she didn’t ask for any of it. She saw the 134, pointed and said that will do. After signing the 156 and 156K and something else, we were told to wait to be called for fingerprinting. We waited about 5 minutes for that. My fiancée was fingerprinted then we sat back down and waited another 15 or 20 minutes for the interview. As we waited, we could see that some people were rejected because they did not go to the DHL line after their interview, but rather just left looking very upset and in some cases, crying.

Those 20 minutes were long, waiting, knowing that the interview was next. She felt confident she could answer anything they asked, but you still never know what it’s going to be like. We talked and laughed and just kept our mind off things. Then her name was called to another window. We got up and went over. There was a US officer there with our file in front of him. He was very polite. Here are the questions he asked:

How long have you known each other? Over 4 years

So, you work for xxx company in yyy city? No, I work for xxx company in zzzz city (trick question)

What do you do there?

Have you ever been married? No

Do you have any children? No

Ever had any problems with the police? No

Ever had any problems with immigration or been denied a visa? No

Do you have your B1/B2 visa? Yes (handed through the window)

OK - here is the DHL form. Take it to the next line and you should be able to pick up your visa in the morning.

So that was it! We were walking back to the hotel by 12:00 noon. It helps if you are prepared. I can’t tell you not to worry. Only you know if you have everything in its proper state of affairs, and even though we reviewed everything the night before, we still forgot that damn letter of intent to marry!

I would advise anyone to frontload their 129F petition as much as they can, otherwise they can expect a longer interview. We had everything in there already for proof of ongoing relationship - photos, phone records, frequent flyer statements, emails, passport stamps. We didn’t have to provide anything extra, even though we had it ready.

It’s generally safe there. You’ll see patrols occasionally. Don’t go for a walk after dinner and don’t go out after dark. Be careful but remember why you are there. Good luck!

Wow, so you were able to be with her throughout the interview??? I thought they didnt let you....but if that is the case thats great!!! if I can go with my fiance then that is better....did you get the visa the next day or how many days did you guys waited? well I am glad you guy are now together and happy...I hope we have a good interview like u guys and we are prepared and want to get this done with...thank you for sharing this it really helps me be more calm and confident....thank you once again!!!

[moleary 2]

I'm an older guy, maybe they felt bad about leaving me out in the sun! I really don't know how i was able to go in but I did see a lot of people waiting outside. It was ready the next day like they said. It will still be a couple of months before she can come here but the hard part is over. Buena Suerte and let me know how it goes. Glad I could help in some way.

Edited June 19, 2010 by moleary

[claudia2212 0]

I'm an older guy, maybe they felt bad about leaving me out in the sun! I really don't know how i was able to go in but I did see a lot of people waiting outside. It was ready the next day like they said. It will still be a couple of months before she can come here but the hard part is over. Buena Suerte and let me know how it goes. Glad I could help in some way.

[/quote

yes, you did help me....and well just to make sure....my fiance can come in the US the day he get his visa right?

[moleary 2]

[/quote

yes, you did help me....and well just to make sure....my fiance can come in the US the day he get his visa right?

Yes. The packet will have instructions on it.