Juarez Consulate

[visahopefull 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!

Caityrose, if your finace only has two carry on bags it is better to check them on the airlines. Most airlines allow 50lbs per checked bag and 40lbs for carry on bags. Most will charge for the carryon bags ($25-$50 USD).

If your fiance has a lot more than you can fit in two suitcases you can try FedEX. My fiance has sent me breakable items several times through FedEX from Mexico with no problems. They will open the packages at customs and you will have to make certain the customs declaration is correct with FedEX before you ship. It is a bit expensive so I would only use it as a last resort.

Or, you can do what we did and start bringing his things back with you each time you visit.

[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!

Caityrose, if your finace only has two carry on bags it is better to check them on the airlines. Most airlines allow 50lbs per checked bag and 40lbs for carry on bags. Most will charge for the carryon bags ($25-$50 USD).

If your fiance has a lot more than you can fit in two suitcases you can try FedEX. My fiance has sent me breakable items several times through FedEX from Mexico with no problems. They will open the packages at customs and you will have to make certain the customs declaration is correct with FedEX before you ship. It is a bit expensive so I would only use it as a last resort.

Or, you can do what we did and start bringing his things back with you each time you visit.

I'm not sure that Angel will have too much to bring over. He's got clothes and shoes... and that's about it. I'm kind of thankful for that- because if I had to move, we'd need a whole airplane to ship my stuff there He said there is a place where he lives that ships things to the U.S. for a "decent" price so he's going to check on that. Otherwise, it might just be cheaper for him to pay the extra charge to check extra bags. We'll see!! I did find one-way tickets from Mexico City to Chicago for only $217 so that's great!!

[caityrose 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

Marko- you must allow two days for the process. The first day is the medical exam and your fiance has to return around 2:00PMish that day to pick up the results. It seems like 10:00AM is a common time to get out of the medical, and then picking up the results later that afternoon does not allow for the interview to be done the same day.

As far as the packet goes- I received the packed about a month after the petition arrived at the consulate in Ciudad Juarez. Angel (Mexican fiance) ALSO received the packet about 2 weeks after I did. The U.S. citizen will most likely receive the packet before the Mexican fiance (and they may never even get it...). I have heard of people going there without the packet/invitation letter and then picking up the "invitation letter" at the consulate before they go to the medical exam. I'm not sure how that works though. I guess you'd have to call CDJ and make sure they are ready for you to come???

Hope that helps

[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

Marko- you must allow two days for the process. The first day is the medical exam and your fiance has to return around 2:00PMish that day to pick up the results. It seems like 10:00AM is a common time to get out of the medical, and then picking up the results later that afternoon does not allow for the interview to be done the same day.

As far as the packet goes- I received the packed about a month after the petition arrived at the consulate in Ciudad Juarez. Angel (Mexican fiance) ALSO received the packet about 2 weeks after I did. The U.S. citizen will most likely receive the packet before the Mexican fiance (and they may never even get it...). I have heard of people going there without the packet/invitation letter and then picking up the "invitation letter" at the consulate before they go to the medical exam. I'm not sure how that works though. I guess you'd have to call CDJ and make sure they are ready for you to come???

Hope that helps

That really helps! OK two days hopefully that packet will arrive soon. I know I will think of some more questions- here is one! How long before the interview should the electronic form be sent in-does it matter? (Sorry the form # slips my mind at the moment but the one you have to file electronically?

thanks so much!

marko

[YGandMAT 0]

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.

Hi Kristina,

My husband got his vaccinations about 2 weeks before he had his interview in Juarez, so that turned out OK.

Good luck

[caityrose 0]

That really helps! OK two days hopefully that packet will arrive soon. I know I will think of some more questions- here is one! How long before the interview should the electronic form be sent in-does it matter? (Sorry the form # slips my mind at the moment but the one you have to file electronically?

thanks so much!

marko

Marko- nothing need to be sent it to Ciudad Juarez before the interview. All forms (un-signed) are brought TO the interview by the fiance. The DS-156 is the form you must fill out online, but then you print it and keep it.

Hope that helps

[GueraKristina 1]

I have a question. The DS-156 form, it is not supposed to be signed, but when it asks if the form was prepared by anybody but alfredo, i filled in my information because alfredo cant read or speak english. When i sign it should i get it notarized or what? Let me know what you guys think.

[nm123 0]

I have a question. The DS-156 form, it is not supposed to be signed, but when it asks if the form was prepared by anybody but alfredo, i filled in my information because alfredo cant read or speak english. When i sign it should i get it notarized or what? Let me know what you guys think.

I filed and filled out all the forms out for my husband. Beforehand, I let him know what each item asked for, and he signed it. He can read English but isn't fluent. We had no trouble with anything. And at his CDJ interview, all the questions he was asked had been questions listed on the I-129F. On the DS157, the only thing they asked about was his current employment. I didn't fill out the parts about the "preparer" since I assume that is really there for a lawyer or notario...

Also, even at the adjustment of status forms and cover letter, we did the same thing.

[YGandMAT 0]

I have a question. The DS-156 form, it is not supposed to be signed, but when it asks if the form was prepared by anybody but alfredo, i filled in my information because alfredo cant read or speak english. When i sign it should i get it notarized or what? Let me know what you guys think.

I filed and filled out all the forms out for my husband. Beforehand, I let him know what each item asked for, and he signed it. He can read English but isn't fluent. We had no trouble with anything. And at his CDJ interview, all the questions he was asked had been questions listed on the I-129F. On the DS157, the only thing they asked about was his current employment. I didn't fill out the parts about the "preparer" since I assume that is really there for a lawyer or notario...

Also, even at the adjustment of status forms and cover letter, we did the same thing.

Exactly, we did the same thing. Even though I prepared the forms, I did not fill that section out., and there is no need to notarize even if you do decide to put in your information.

[웃 910]

I find it strange that the US government would build a brand new embassy in Juarez with knowledge of all the violence going on there. I spent 2 weeks there in August and walked around without any conflict, but the statistics are terrible. They average about 3 murders a day in Juarez. My fiancée has been living there since early June, she has just 1 more month to go, I definitely worry when she doesn't pick up her phone....I just read this online today:

Thursday, November 6, 2008

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico...A beheaded man was hung from an overpass Thursday, a gruesome display even for this northern border city long used to drug-related violence.

Shortly after the grisly sighting about 5 a.m., police found the victim's head in a black bag in a nearby plaza, said state police spokesman Alejandro Pariente.

Pariente said the body was wearing black jeans, a red T-shirt and white sneakers, and was handcuffed. A banner apparently directed at rival drug-gang members was hung next to the corpse.

The victim's father identified the 23-year-old man.

Elsewhere, masked men gunned down two police officers in a convenience store in Chihuahua City, the capital of Chihuahua state, where Juarez is located, said Eduardo Esparza, spokesman for the state attorney general's office. After the killing Wednesday evening, assailants left a toy pig next to the bodies. Two shoppers also were wounded.

On Tuesday, a man wearing a pig mask was found hung in a residence in Ciudad Juarez. Near the body was a message threatening to do the same to others. Police believe the message was from drug gangs.

Drug violence has been escalating across Mexico and cartels have turned to increasingly gruesome methods to send a message to their rivals and police. Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, has registered one of the highest murder rates in the country, with more than 1,000 people killed so far this year.

Edited November 7, 2008 by Confucian

[YGandMAT 0]

I find it strange that the US government would build a brand new embassy in Juarez with knowledge of all the violence going on there. I spent 2 weeks there in August and walked around without any conflict, but the statistics are terrible. They average about 3 murders a day in Juarez. My fiancée has been living there since early June, she has just 1 more month to go, I definitely worry when she doesn't pick up her phone....I just read this online today:

Thursday, November 6, 2008

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico...A beheaded man was hung from an overpass Thursday, a gruesome display even for this northern border city long used to drug-related violence.

Shortly after the grisly sighting about 5 a.m., police found the victim's head in a black bag in a nearby plaza, said state police spokesman Alejandro Pariente.

Pariente said the body was wearing black jeans, a red T-shirt and white sneakers, and was handcuffed. A banner apparently directed at rival drug-gang members was hung next to the corpse.

The victim's father identified the 23-year-old man.

Elsewhere, masked men gunned down two police officers in a convenience store in Chihuahua City, the capital of Chihuahua state, where Juarez is located, said Eduardo Esparza, spokesman for the state attorney general's office. After the killing Wednesday evening, assailants left a toy pig next to the bodies. Two shoppers also were wounded.

On Tuesday, a man wearing a pig mask was found hung in a residence in Ciudad Juarez. Near the body was a message threatening to do the same to others. Police believe the message was from drug gangs.

Drug violence has been escalating across Mexico and cartels have turned to increasingly gruesome methods to send a message to their rivals and police. Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, has registered one of the highest murder rates in the country, with more than 1,000 people killed so far this year.

Yes, I agree. It's terrible what's going on out there, it must be so scary for the residents of Juarez. We also did not have any issues on our 5 day stay in CD. Juarez. However, it's a good point, why would they build a new consulate there? They should have changed the location to a safer location, which is also strategically located.

[caityrose 0]

Hey everyone- for those who haven't gone through the interview yet, I posted a consulate review- my fiance wrote something up, and then I translated it into English also. Hope it can help someone!! I know they we found the experiences and reviews VERY helpful

Take care!

Caity

[Marty80 0]

Good afternoon,

I'm trying to limit the time we must spend in Juarez. I know we will need one day for medical, and another day for the interview, then we have to wait a few days before we can interview for the waiver. Is it possible to get the medical in another city, prior to going to Juarez? Do they have hours on the weekends for medical exams in Juarez?

-Marty

[caityrose 0]

Good afternoon,

I'm trying to limit the time we must spend in Juarez. I know we will need one day for medical, and another day for the interview, then we have to wait a few days before we can interview for the waiver. Is it possible to get the medical in another city, prior to going to Juarez? Do they have hours on the weekends for medical exams in Juarez?

-Marty

I think that the only place you can do the medical are the two places they list in Ciudad Juarez.

In the packet of information it says "The only medical offices authorized to perform medical examinations on behalf of this Consulate are:" and then it lists the two places. Also, it says they are open Mon-Fri from 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

[웃 910]

Hey everyone- for those who haven't gone through the interview yet, I posted a consulate review- my fiance wrote something up, and then I translated it into English also. Hope it can help someone!! I know they we found the experiences and reviews VERY helpful

Take care!

Caity

Thanks! I copy and pasted your fiance's review and sent it to my fiancée (she only speaks Spanish.) Her interview date will be around the tenth of December so she is starting to get nervous.