Juarez Consulate

[YGandMAT 0]

The EAD stamp at the JFK airport, do they do that automatically for all immigrants that come to the U.S or mexico? or will alfredo have to ask for that specifically?

They stamp it in without the person having to ask....But I recommend asking just to make sure.

I'm not sure either. But to be on the safe side, I would ask for it.

[brian87 0]

Alright... Angel got to the clinic around 6:45 AM, and by 7:45 he had already taken chest X-rays and was waiting for his blood to be taken. So he's in the line to pay now and it's 10:00 AM there.

I am so glad he showed at up about 7 am. So many people at the hotel and other places were like oh no 4am, 4am. He probably got done quicker than the 4 am'ers since the clinic does not open until 6 am.

Nobody who reads this thread should have any doubt about the silliness of showing up before 7 am for either the medical or the embassy interview for a K-1 visa.

Brian

[GueraKristina 1]

When alfredo goes to the Centro de Salud, how long does he have to or should wait before he goes to the doctors appt. in mexico for the visa? I dont want him to get all of these shots that have pieces of the actual sickness like mumps and stuff in them, and then have his blood get drawn, and have him show funky results because of it like elevated white blood cell levels, which might make the nurses think he has an infection. Did anybody get the shots close to the appt. date? if not when? if you did, how did it go? Any advice?

[buggylifer 0]

Brian, I am getting ready to make the trip to Juarez with my fiance, hopefully in early Dec, Am I looking at being there two days? One for the AM medical, and the next for the AM K-1 visa line- or can it be done in one day?

Also there seems to be mixed posts re the K-1, I received the note that the visa had been forwarded to Juarez on the Oct 17th. Will my Fiance REALLY get a packet or can we just go there?

thanks

Marko

I mentioned in an earlier thread about how getting to the medical clinic at 4 a.m., was a waste of time, IMO. Well, the same goes for getting to the embassy. There is no need for anyone to get there at 4 a.m.

Everybody has an invitation/appointment letter with a time on it. For K-1's it is always 8 a.m. or when you show up and for other types of visa's I am personally aware of 6:45, 7:45, and 9:00 a.m. time slots.

Yes, people do get there at 4 a.m., and line up single file. Why, I have no earthly idea. We showed up at 7:15. The consulate had divided the line into two groups at that time. The 6:45's and everybody else. At this time the line for the second group was two single file lines. And we were towards the back. Then they decided to create three lines and moved us up right next to, you geussed it , the 4 a.m., people.

I actually ended up beside my Las Vegas buddy who the day before had been at the medical clinic 4 am and had also been at the embassy since 4 am.

Then once it got closer to 8 a.m.; the security guards made sure that only the 7:45's and 8:00's were in the second group, and everybody else was moved further down to create a third group. This included my Las Vegas buddy who apparently had a 9 am time slot.

So basically, him, his wife and their 7 yr. old son stood in line for four hours, just to be moved back to another group that would not get in before 9 a.m. What was the point in all that waiting?

Anyway, they let our group start entering the embassy at 8 a.m. on the dot. The line moved quickly because a lot of the people in line were companions like myself who were not permitted in.

In conclusion, early arrival does not give priority at all. You do need to ask questions and understand why the lines are shifting, otherwise you might be standing in the wrong line. We experienced two major shifts before the guards had clearly created a 7:45/8:00 entry group.

My SO was in at about 8:15 and we arrived at about 7:15. And don't panic about the number of people in line. I would guess almost half the people are their for support and do not actually enter the building.

Brian

[caityrose 0]

Angel called me from the consulate's payphone about an hour ago and told me that...

HIS VISA WAS APPROVED!! I'm so thrilled, we both started crying. Of course, we only talked a few minutes, but now I assume he's just waiting for the visa and I'll be able to talk to him later!!

Thank you so much everyone for answering all of my last minute questions, I appreciate it so much and feel so happy to be done with this step in the process. I hope to buy his plane ticket tonight AHHH!!!

[visahopefull 0]

Contratulations!!!! You made it!!!

It's always nice to hear good news from other VJ members!!

[GueraKristina 1]

CONGRATS CAITYROSE!!!! IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! when you and angel get to sit down and chat about everythng that happened, let me know b/c im sure alfredo and i will be going thru alot of the same things. wow, i feel all shakey and gittery for you. good job.

[GueraKristina 1]

Caityrose, did angel get his shots at the centro de salud in mexico? if he did when and how long before he went to the interview?

[GueraKristina 1]

Caityrose, you also said you were going to buy angels ticket tonight, are you just going to buy it off orbitz, and then read him off the code so he can just cross over into El paso and go to the airport and hop on the plane cause he's got the E-ticket code? or how are you going about it? because i was trying to think of something like that to do for alfredo so i didnt buy it too late or too early and waste money. Ill be awaiting your tips.

[nm123 0]

Angel called me from the consulate's payphone about an hour ago and told me that...

HIS VISA WAS APPROVED!! I'm so thrilled, we both started crying. Of course, we only talked a few minutes, but now I assume he's just waiting for the visa and I'll be able to talk to him later!!

Thank you so much everyone for answering all of my last minute questions, I appreciate it so much and feel so happy to be done with this step in the process. I hope to buy his plane ticket tonight AHHH!!!

woohoo!!!!!! that's excellent news!!!

[caityrose 0]

Caityrose, you also said you were going to buy angels ticket tonight, are you just going to buy it off orbitz, and then read him off the code so he can just cross over into El paso and go to the airport and hop on the plane cause he's got the E-ticket code? or how are you going about it? because i was trying to think of something like that to do for alfredo so i didnt buy it too late or too early and waste money. Ill be awaiting your tips.

Hey Kristina- Angel's actually coming in December, I just meant that I was going to hopefully buy his ticket tonight (or maybe tomorrow) for December. Sorry I can't give you advice on that.

Angel hasn't gone to get his vaccinations yet- once he goes back to Oaxaca he will take care of that. Once he goes I can let you know how it worked out for him!!!

[caityrose 0]

So..... for those of you whose fiance's/husband's are in the U.S., how did you deal with their luggage?? I'm not sure how much Angel will have to bring, but do you think it's cheaper for him to send it over somehow (if so, what would be his options) or for him to check it all on the plane and have to pay extra??? thanks!

[GueraKristina 1]

caityrose, i was just wondering about how your buying angel his ticket and getting it to him when hes in mexico. i was asking b/c i wanted to do the same thing for alfredo. i was thinking i would buy him an E ticket when i knew we were approved and then just read him off the numbers, or fax him the E-ticket, and hope it works in El paso texas, but i was wondering how you were going to go about it.

As far as the luggage, its expensive, and fortunately, most of alfredos stuff is already year, but i know when i went over the baggage lb. limit in mexico coming back to the US they charged $530+ pesos, and with how controlling the the airports are now, its very unlikely that you are going to escape without paying massive fees. Atleast $53 plus dollars for every back over the first free back, as long as the first back is under 50 lbs. as far as sending stuff, i wouldnt recomend that b/c im sure all of us are aware just how corrupt mexican mail is so doing that might be risky.

[웃 910]

GueraKristina - You can buy the ticket for him, all he will need is his identification. Each airline is separated in the airport, he just will have to go to the right section, approach the person at the desk, and hand over his passport. The person at the counter will print out his ticket and he will be all set. You can give him the confirmation code just in case, and if you give him the right codes he will be able to log onto the airline's website, and print out the ticket himself in advance.

About planning on a two-day trip and buying an airplane ticket in advance--DO NOT DO IT!

When we were in Juarez, I bought the ticket in advance, her medical was on a Tuesday and she was planning to go to the embassy on Wednesday but it was closed. There was no holiday, no warning, no nothing, they just closed for no reason. So it turned out to be more than a 2-day trip and because of that we had to delay the airplane ticket, which is good for up to 1 year but you have to pay a $100 fee when it is time to use it.

Edited October 29, 2008 by thegreatgate

[GueraKristina 1]

Thanks for the clarification thegreatgate, did your fiance get the vaccinations in mexico? if so, when? before or after the doctors appt in ciudad juarez? also, did you have any problems with changing your fiance's name or your name when you got married? did you have to wait to have your marriage license ready so you could get a copy and send it with ur AOS papers? I read that you have to be careful b/c they can sometimes send it away and it may take 60 days to get it back which slows the AOS process. Let me know what you think.