isleta zaragoza?

[Roryta 0]

Hello,

My fiance was looking at his visa today and saw a line that said "presente su visa en el puente isleta zaragoza." Does this mean he must enter the U.S. there? We have already purchased a plane ticket in which his POE would be Houston. If this is the case I feel so stupid I didn't know that. We are both stressing as his ticket was purchased for March 20th.

Any information or direction is much appreciated!

[TBoneTX 45,218]

My fiance was looking at his visa today and saw a line that said "presente su visa en el puente isleta zaragoza." Does this mean he must enter the U.S. there? We have already purchased a plane ticket in which his POE would be Houston. If this is the case I feel so stupid I didn't know that. We are both stressing as his ticket was purchased for March 20th.

Any information or direction is much appreciated!

I've heard (and Mexico filers can confirm) that POE is assigned (or tends to be assigned) when the visa is granted. If the assigned POE is Ysleta, that's a well-run small port that I've been through as a tourist. If he's absolutely required to enter there, he should be through it in no time.

Go to www.cbp.gov and search for "ports of entry." Find the phone number for Ysleta, call, and ask whether the assignment of this POE is changeable.

In my experience, most CBP personnel at most Texas border ports have been exceptionally helpful, when I've called.

Let us know, si man.

Edited March 1, 2012 by TBoneTX

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Hello,

My fiance was looking at his visa today and saw a line that said "presente su visa en el puente isleta zaragoza." Does this mean he must enter the U.S. there? We have already purchased a plane ticket in which his POE would be Houston. If this is the case I feel so stupid I didn't know that. We are both stressing as his ticket was purchased for March 20th.

Any information or direction is much appreciated!

I have not heard of the visa being marked with a certain POE before. My husband's K-1 has no POE on it. His POE was Atlanta. I know they had info there on a letter that was with the packet when you pick up the visa from DHL that lists info about going through the 2 designated bridges, but it was not required that you use one of those. This is the first I have heard of them assigning you a POE and actually listing it on the visa. It was always my understanding that you could use any POE, like everyone else can, when getting a K-1 through CDJ.

Perhaps call the consulate and ask them about the notation. Ask them if you HAVE to use a certain POE when entering the US, and if you HAVE to use the one listed on your visa. Also, ask when they started doing that; the assigning and notating of it on the actual visa. Post back with any info you can muster up. I am quite interested, and it might help others in the future too.

Edited March 1, 2012 by Jay-Kay

[Roryta 0]

Hi TBone,

Thank you for your help! We called and he does in fact have to enter at Yselta Zaragoza, it cannot be changed. This is a pain since we have to change his ticket now too, but better now than later, right? I am unfamiliar with the area...are there airports on the Texas side close by? Or what would you recommend in terms of entering and leaving the POE?

Thanks again!

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Hi TBone,

Thank you for your help! We called and he does in fact have to enter at Yselta Zaragoza, it cannot be changed. This is a pain since we have to change his ticket now too, but better now than later, right? I am unfamiliar with the area...are there airports on the Texas side close by? Or what would you recommend in terms of entering and leaving the POE?

Thanks again!

Wow, well, that is a new one to me. Sorry you have to change your plans now.

[Roryta 0]

I have not heard of the visa being marked with a certain POE before. My husband's K-1 has no POE on it. His POE was Atlanta. I know they had info there on a letter that was with the packet when you pick up the visa from DHL that lists info about going through the 2 designated bridges, but it was not required that you use one of those. This is the first I have heard of them assigning you a POE and actually listing it on the visa. It was always my understanding that you could use any POE, like everyone else can, when getting a K-1 through CDJ.

Perhaps call the consulate and ask them about the notation. Ask them if you HAVE to use a certain POE when entering the US, and if you HAVE to use the one listed on your visa. Also, ask when they started doing that; the assigning and notating of it on the actual visa. Post back with any info you can muster up. I am quite interested, and it might help others in the future too.

Thank you for your reply and I am glad that you have not heard of this either because I was totally confused. I had no idea. It does not make sense to me that they would go through the trouble of sending the visa to the person just to have that person have to go back to a specific point anyway. I called the Texas side and the guy told me that he has to come through there so that they could "finish processing his packet." I clarfied that it had to be at that POE, that they could not do it anywhere else and it could not be changed and he said no. He was not very helpful and pretty abrupt, I wanted some explanation but he was unable to provide me with any information. My fiance called the emabjada in Ciudad Juarez and said he spoke to 3 different people who all said the same thing.

Besides the inconvenience of having to change around a plane ticket, I am totally at a loss as to how I should plan his trip. I have never crossed the Mexican border on foot and it seems like a lot of unnecessary hassle (I am in Seattle). I don't know if anyone else has had experience with this?

[vanessa.diaz 0]

Thank you for your reply and I am glad that you have not heard of this either because I was totally confused. I had no idea. It does not make sense to me that they would go through the trouble of sending the visa to the person just to have that person have to go back to a specific point anyway. I called the Texas side and the guy told me that he has to come through there so that they could "finish processing his packet." I clarfied that it had to be at that POE, that they could not do it anywhere else and it could not be changed and he said no. He was not very helpful and pretty abrupt, I wanted some explanation but he was unable to provide me with any information. My fiance called the emabjada in Ciudad Juarez and said he spoke to 3 different people who all said the same thing.

Besides the inconvenience of having to change around a plane ticket, I am totally at a loss as to how I should plan his trip. I have never crossed the Mexican border on foot and it seems like a lot of unnecessary hassle (I am in Seattle). I don't know if anyone else has had experience with this?

did you wait in cjd to pick up your visa there? if so then this is why you have to go throught the poe they choose!

Edited March 1, 2012 by vanessa.diaz

[Roryta 0]

did you wait in cjd to pick up your visa there? if so then this is why you have to go throught the poe they choose!

No, we didn't! He had his visa sent to him and he picked it up in Oaxaca.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

did you wait in cjd to pick up your visa there? if so then this is why you have to go throught the poe they choose!

My husband picked up his visa in Juarez and they did not choose a POE for him. He could choose any POE he wanted to.

I am wondering if this is something new they are doing for K-1s.

Edited March 2, 2012 by Jay-Kay

[Pooh Pee 1]

This is my experience. We waited for my fiancee's visa in Juarez and recieved it on September 22, 2011. It had the the border crossing location on the packet. I researched this before going. I was told by the CBP at El Paso that if you are crossing at Juarez, you must cross at that assigned POE. That is the assign POE on your packet. But if you are going by a different route, then the POE could be an airport such as Houston. Each POE has the ability to process your fiance's K-1. By the way, it will cost $6 to enter the US.

Here is the CBP information. Please call them to confirm.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/tx/2402.xml

Not everyone goes through Juarez. It does not make sense what they are telling you this. Please call the CBP again. Maybe the office did not understand.

[TBoneTX 45,218]

Follow Pooh Pee (great handle)'s advice first, si man.

In regard to the location of the Ysleta POE, I was mistaken earlier. The Ysleta/Zaragoza POE is the southeasternmost POE in El Paso. (I was thinking of Fabens, the next POE southeast -- much less traffic and more relaxed than the ELP POEs.)

Accordingly, if you must use Ysleta, the El Paso airport (code, ELP) is the closest U.S. airport, si man.

[Roryta 0]

Thank you everyone, so much, for your help.

Pooh Pee, you are right, thank you. I also found this: http://www.smf.juarez-mexico.com/index.php?action=printpage%3Btopic%3D29310.0 which has a copy of an instructions page which my fiance misplaced without reading/understanding, apparently.

I am frustrated that no one at the embassay or at the puete that we spoke to was able to give us this information. But I am so relieved it got resolved with no change in travel plans needed.

$6 to enter the U.S.? Good to know.

Thank you again, everyone. Your input is invaluable and greatly appreciated!

[Danilu 11]

The consulate assigns an specific POE only if the person planed crossing the border in Cd. Juarez. But it's not his case, so he can use any other POE, no problem.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Thank you everyone, so much, for your help.

Pooh Pee, you are right, thank you. I also found this: http://www.smf.juarez-mexico.com/index.php?action=printpage%3Btopic%3D29310.0 which has a copy of an instructions page which my fiance misplaced without reading/understanding, apparently.

I am frustrated that no one at the embassay or at the puete that we spoke to was able to give us this information. But I am so relieved it got resolved with no change in travel plans needed.

$6 to enter the U.S.? Good to know.

Thank you again, everyone. Your input is invaluable and greatly appreciated!

Ah Ha! So it was just about the letter that comes with the sealed envelope. I know people have been confused by that before, and the cab drivers there would even tell people they HAVE to cross at the bridge so they can get paid for driving you there.

Good to know it was figured out and no changes needed for you. Good luck to you guys!

The $6 fee for the I-94 is only if you enter through a walking/driving port. If he is coming on a plane, they will most likely just pass out the I-94 forms on the plane for people to fill out before they land. No fee.