Juarez Consulate

[Amy&Aldo 2]

Hello I have a question on ds-156 on the last part where it asks if someone else prepared the form on the applicants behaf do I put myself the fiance as that person because i am filling out all forms for him and he is not present

thanks for the help and all confused with all this process

I think you can if you want, but it doesn't matter either way. I filled out the forms too, but I didn't put my name as the preparer. They aren't going to know or probably even look at it anyway. Good luck!

[GueraKristina 1]

Hello I have a question on ds-156 on the last part where it asks if someone else prepared the form on the applicants behaf do I put myself the fiance as that person because i am filling out all forms for him and he is not present

thanks for the help and all confused with all this process

I think you can if you want, but it doesn't matter either way. I filled out the forms too, but I didn't put my name as the preparer. They aren't going to know or probably even look at it anyway. Good luck!

I filled my husbands stuff out, and didnt fill that section in, believe me, they arnt going to be checking up on something as small as that. You are filling it out for him, and you have his best interests at heart, i think its more for someone like a lawyer or something, someone outside of your relationship. Dont worry.

[wheezy 0]

thank you so much for the fast responses am I suppose to fill out an intent to mary again because I sent one with the original package and if so does it have to be notirazed i know he is suppose to take one for himself not signed but unsure if I also sent one for me one more question he is suppose to take the orginal paper sumitted with the 129-f right plus all the proof of relationship and also include new and updated proof of relationship oh sorry forgot one more are we also suppose to sent the ds-157 because he is a male applicant ok i think thats all well for right now

I need to ask the experts that went through this already thanks for all

[GueraKristina 1]

thank you so much for the fast responses am I suppose to fill out an intent to mary again because I sent one with the original package and if so does it have to be notirazed i know he is suppose to take one for himself not signed but unsure if I also sent one for me one more question he is suppose to take the orginal paper sumitted with the 129-f right plus all the proof of relationship and also include new and updated proof of relationship oh sorry forgot one more are we also suppose to sent the ds-157 because he is a male applicant ok i think thats all well for right now

I need to ask the experts that went through this already thanks for all

Yes to the Ds-157, and i sent my husband with MY intent to marry letter, it wasnt notarized, but then again, he didnt need it, they didnt ask for it.

[limejello 0]

Hi everyone!

I'm back in the US with my honey! We arrived yesterday through Pittsburgh airport without any problems.

The past two weeks have been really insane. After we got back to Merida from Juarez I only had one night with internet, but I spent that time packing so I really didn't have time until now to write about the interview. My apologies.

I have to preface this by saying that I think our experience was pretty exceptional, especially in comparison with other VJ'ers that I've been in contact with who are in similar situations.

Marcos and I were in line outside the gate of the consulate, and I left him there around 7 AM and walked back to the hotel. He knocked on the door of our room at 9:45 AM and said that he had been approved. The order in which everything happened was exactly the same as previous posters have said: they checked his papers, he went inside and stapled a number to his invitation letter, there was a screen where his number his passed, and a half an hour later, and he went to a window and they asked for the DS-156 and 156K and they gave him a paper to fill out that is NOT on the consulate website (I think they only give it on the consulate premises). He went to sit down again, then they called him up to take his fingerprints, then sat down again to wait for the interview. They called him for the interview and LITERALLY the only thing they took from him was a copy of our baby's mexican birth certificate. They did not ask to see the affidavit of support, photos, or anything else. Like I said, I think our case was exceptional. Marcos said that the CO was not friendly/nice but wasn't rude either.

She swore him in and then asked him:

What is your full name? What is your fiancee's full name?

Have you been married before? Do you have children with another person?

Was your fiancee married before? Does she have children with another person?

Have you entered the United States before? (Also asking if he had in the past some kind of US documents like a US passport)

Have you had problems with the law in Mexico? In the US?

How did you meet your fiancee?

How do you and your fiancee survive (financially)? This question was because the CO asked Marcos if either of us worked and he said no, so she wanted to know how we were getting by.

He said that most of the time with the CO was spent with her checking over the papers that I had sent as part of the I-129 packet. She said that they didn't have the results of the fingerprint check but if nothing came back on the fingerprint check, she was approving the visa.

I have to say that most of our time was spent with people at the Holiday Inn who were going through the waiver process. Marcos said that when he went to the medical appointment, he was on the bus with a couple that was going through the K-1 process, too, and he offered for them to meet up with us, and I could look over their papers to make sure they had everything, and explain to them what to expect. He said that the Mexican fiance was acting like he didn't want to do it (almost getting mad at the suggestion/offer) so Marcos didn't press him about it. As Marcos was leaving his interview, he saw that same guy again waiting for his interview and he was FREAKING out, asking Marcos what he was asked at what to expect (but it was a little too late at that point).

If anyone has an interview coming up and wants to ask any questions I'll do my best to answer them from our point of view.

Now, wedding plans!

[In NYC 0]

Hi everyone!

I'm back in the US with my honey! We arrived yesterday through Pittsburgh airport without any problems.

The past two weeks have been really insane. After we got back to Merida from Juarez I only had one night with internet, but I spent that time packing so I really didn't have time until now to write about the interview. My apologies.

I have to preface this by saying that I think our experience was pretty exceptional, especially in comparison with other VJ'ers that I've been in contact with who are in similar situations.

Marcos and I were in line outside the gate of the consulate, and I left him there around 7 AM and walked back to the hotel. He knocked on the door of our room at 9:45 AM and said that he had been approved. The order in which everything happened was exactly the same as previous posters have said: they checked his papers, he went inside and stapled a number to his invitation letter, there was a screen where his number his passed, and a half an hour later, and he went to a window and they asked for the DS-156 and 156K and they gave him a paper to fill out that is NOT on the consulate website (I think they only give it on the consulate premises). He went to sit down again, then they called him up to take his fingerprints, then sat down again to wait for the interview. They called him for the interview and LITERALLY the only thing they took from him was a copy of our baby's mexican birth certificate. They did not ask to see the affidavit of support, photos, or anything else. Like I said, I think our case was exceptional. Marcos said that the CO was not friendly/nice but wasn't rude either.

She swore him in and then asked him:

What is your full name? What is your fiancee's full name?

Have you been married before? Do you have children with another person?

Was your fiancee married before? Does she have children with another person?

Have you entered the United States before? (Also asking if he had in the past some kind of US documents like a US passport)

Have you had problems with the law in Mexico? In the US?

How did you meet your fiancee?

How do you and your fiancee survive (financially)? This question was because the CO asked Marcos if either of us worked and he said no, so she wanted to know how we were getting by.

He said that most of the time with the CO was spent with her checking over the papers that I had sent as part of the I-129 packet. She said that they didn't have the results of the fingerprint check but if nothing came back on the fingerprint check, she was approving the visa.

I have to say that most of our time was spent with people at the Holiday Inn who were going through the waiver process. Marcos said that when he went to the medical appointment, he was on the bus with a couple that was going through the K-1 process, too, and he offered for them to meet up with us, and I could look over their papers to make sure they had everything, and explain to them what to expect. He said that the Mexican fiance was acting like he didn't want to do it (almost getting mad at the suggestion/offer) so Marcos didn't press him about it. As Marcos was leaving his interview, he saw that same guy again waiting for his interview and he was FREAKING out, asking Marcos what he was asked at what to expect (but it was a little too late at that point).

If anyone has an interview coming up and wants to ask any questions I'll do my best to answer them from our point of view.

Now, wedding plans!

Hi Limello! With all this swine flu issue, I won't be able to go to Juarez soon but I certainly want to have everything ready to go. Could you please tell me which are the forms that have to be filled out for the interview? How many days would you suggest me planning on staying there? Thanks in advance!!!

Congratulations on the visa and good luck on your wedding plans!!!!

[David-J 0]

Congrats limejello.

I have more or less the same doubt as Ivonne'n Jim.

How much time do you guys who already went through the whole interview process at the Juarez consulate recommend to stay in Juarez.

A full business week. Like having the medical on a Monday, the interview on Tuesday and having the next three days for waiting the Visa.

I was just wondering if the people who have recently got their visa could post how much time after the interview had to wait for their visas. It seems for what I have read that the time has diminished to next day after the interview. I just want to see how things are happening nowadays more or less.

Cheers, congrats to all the one who went through this successfully and also patience for all the ones who are waiting.

[limejello 0]

Hi David-J and Ivonne'n Jim,

The only forms that they asked for from Marcos were the DS-156 and DS-156K. I filled out and printed 2 copies of each and paperclipped them together. They did not ask for the DS-157, although I did fill out and printed out 2 copies of that as well, and kept it separate, just in case. There was another, simple form that they had at the consulate and I think the consular officer filled it out for him and had him sign it. I don't know the reference number for that form and I have no idea what the form was about. Also fill out the intent to marry form, don't sign any of the forms because the fiance signs in the consulate.

Remember that although others have not had problems at other consulates with 3 ring binders and sheet protectors (and possibly past interviewees at the Juarez consulate have also not had problems), when we were there 3 ring metal binders were prohibited, so we had to take a taxi to Office Depot to buy an accordian folder. It's best to be aware of this before you/your fiancee go there.

Ok, on to the amount of time it takes to get the visa. We arrived in Juarez on a Sunday afternoon and did nothing that day but check into the hotel. Monday was crazy because we went early to print out the invitation letter, did the medical exam, when Marcos got back from the exam he took his passport photos at the mall across the street from the hotel, we paid the bank fee at the Banamex at the same hotel, and then he went to pick his medical results up that afternoon. So basically Monday was really full, there was hardly enough time to eat from the time we got up in the morning til the time he got back from picking his results up at 4 PM. Tuesday morning he went to the interview, and got his DHL reference number, which we kept checking online and via telephone all day and at the last second before DHL closed it showed up as having arrived. So in all, we did everything, include receive the visa in 2 crazy days. The medical exam is what took the longest out of everything we did. What I would recommend is to plan for 4 full days in Juarez, 5 to be safe. If you can afford the hotel for that amount of time, go for it. I liked the hotel because it had a kind of communal feel to it, lots of the same people hanging out in the common area watching TV and chatting (a little like a hostel). Despite the stress of what was going on, it was actually kind of fun. We got to meet some really interesting people, the area that the Holiday Inn Express is in is safe, and you can kill some time across the street at the mall if you happen to be there a couple of days extra after getting the visa.

I have to say that the worst part of the whole thing was Juarez airport. I understand that security is a huge priority but it was a bit ridiculous having immigration and customs going INTO the airport (flying OUT of Juarez), where they not only x-ray your bags but also have security thoroughly go through them. We were planning on eating something once we got to the gate to catch the plane but it turns out there was nothing there and we had to leave the terminal completely to get some food and then go back through immigration and the security checkpoint/2nd x-ray/metal detectors. So eat BEFORE you go to the airport and plan some extra time to go through security.

Looking back on the experience, I don't regret at all being really overly cautious and prepared, but I do regret being so stressed and worried.

[In NYC 0]

Hi David-J and Ivonne'n Jim,

The only forms that they asked for from Marcos were the DS-156 and DS-156K. I filled out and printed 2 copies of each and paperclipped them together. They did not ask for the DS-157, although I did fill out and printed out 2 copies of that as well, and kept it separate, just in case. There was another, simple form that they had at the consulate and I think the consular officer filled it out for him and had him sign it. I don't know the reference number for that form and I have no idea what the form was about. Also fill out the intent to marry form, don't sign any of the forms because the fiance signs in the consulate.

Remember that although others have not had problems at other consulates with 3 ring binders and sheet protectors (and possibly past interviewees at the Juarez consulate have also not had problems), when we were there 3 ring metal binders were prohibited, so we had to take a taxi to Office Depot to buy an accordian folder. It's best to be aware of this before you/your fiancee go there.

Ok, on to the amount of time it takes to get the visa. We arrived in Juarez on a Sunday afternoon and did nothing that day but check into the hotel. Monday was crazy because we went early to print out the invitation letter, did the medical exam, when Marcos got back from the exam he took his passport photos at the mall across the street from the hotel, we paid the bank fee at the Banamex at the same hotel, and then he went to pick his medical results up that afternoon. So basically Monday was really full, there was hardly enough time to eat from the time we got up in the morning til the time he got back from picking his results up at 4 PM. Tuesday morning he went to the interview, and got his DHL reference number, which we kept checking online and via telephone all day and at the last second before DHL closed it showed up as having arrived. So in all, we did everything, include receive the visa in 2 crazy days. The medical exam is what took the longest out of everything we did. What I would recommend is to plan for 4 full days in Juarez, 5 to be safe. If you can afford the hotel for that amount of time, go for it. I liked the hotel because it had a kind of communal feel to it, lots of the same people hanging out in the common area watching TV and chatting (a little like a hostel). Despite the stress of what was going on, it was actually kind of fun. We got to meet some really interesting people, the area that the Holiday Inn Express is in is safe, and you can kill some time across the street at the mall if you happen to be there a couple of days extra after getting the visa.

I have to say that the worst part of the whole thing was Juarez airport. I understand that security is a huge priority but it was a bit ridiculous having immigration and customs going INTO the airport (flying OUT of Juarez), where they not only x-ray your bags but also have security thoroughly go through them. We were planning on eating something once we got to the gate to catch the plane but it turns out there was nothing there and we had to leave the terminal completely to get some food and then go back through immigration and the security checkpoint/2nd x-ray/metal detectors. So eat BEFORE you go to the airport and plan some extra time to go through security.

Looking back on the experience, I don't regret at all being really overly cautious and prepared, but I do regret being so stressed and worried.

Thanks Limello!!! What you've posted gives us the step by step process. I hope this will help not to get so stressed while being there. I assume you were veeery lucky to have done everything in a couple of "crazy" days. I think I'll follow your advice and plan for at least four days. Who knows how things will be after this swine flu alert!

[limejello 0]

OMG, I must have been so tired when I posted last night! I meant we paid the Banamex fee at the same MALL, not the same HOTEL. Please excuse any past and/or future grammatical flub-ups as my brain has been completely fried by the stress of this whole process!

[rymusic04 0]

hello, when the consolate reopens, i am hoping to get news that they have recieved the peitition from the NVC. They sent it a month ago, nayway i was wandering when my fiancee gets past the interview and she is approved, can we just walk across the Border to El Paso that same day? thats what i would like to do or does she have to wait a while before she can enter the US or what? Thanks for all the info this thread is great

[limejello 0]

hello, when the consolate reopens, i am hoping to get news that they have recieved the peitition from the NVC. They sent it a month ago, nayway i was wandering when my fiancee gets past the interview and she is approved, can we just walk across the Border to El Paso that same day? thats what i would like to do or does she have to wait a while before she can enter the US or what? Thanks for all the info this thread is great

You can leave Mexico the same day that you have the visa in hand! Just remember that sometimes the visa might not reach DHL the same day as the interview/approval. When crossing, as is if you are flying to another point of entry, she will have to go through inspection. In our case we flew from Cancun to Pittsburgh airport, and we went together through the immigration line and the immigration officer scanned and stamped my passport and sent us to an office right there in the airport. When we went into the office I handed over my passport, my foreign fiance's passport, and the brown packet that you get at DHL along with the visa (the corner is cut on the packet, and you cannot open it). The officers there open it, stamp the I-94 arrival/departure record (basically invalidating the visa) and explain that you have 90 days to get married. They keep all the papers in the brown packet and the bottom half of the I-94. Sometimes they ask you a couple of questions like when you are getting married, etc. but in our case they didn't. Then they send you on your way.

On our visa, and I'm assuming everyone's visa it has under annotations: Blanket waiver. The officers at the airport asked "does your fiance have a medical condition? I see here that he has a blanket waiver." I said no, and explained about the vaccinations.

[rymusic04 0]

hello, when the consolate reopens, i am hoping to get news that they have recieved the peitition from the NVC. They sent it a month ago, nayway i was wandering when my fiancee gets past the interview and she is approved, can we just walk across the Border to El Paso that same day? thats what i would like to do or does she have to wait a while before she can enter the US or what? Thanks for all the info this thread is great

You can leave Mexico the same day that you have the visa in hand! Just remember that sometimes the visa might not reach DHL the same day as the interview/approval. When crossing, as is if you are flying to another point of entry, she will have to go through inspection. In our case we flew from Cancun to Pittsburgh airport, and we went together through the immigration line and the immigration officer scanned and stamped my passport and sent us to an office right there in the airport. When we went into the office I handed over my passport, my foreign fiance's passport, and the brown packet that you get at DHL along with the visa (the corner is cut on the packet, and you cannot open it). The officers there open it, stamp the I-94 arrival/departure record (basically invalidating the visa) and explain that you have 90 days to get married. They keep all the papers in the brown packet and the bottom half of the I-94. Sometimes they ask you a couple of questions like when you are getting married, etc. but in our case they didn't. Then they send you on your way.

On our visa, and I'm assuming everyone's visa it has under annotations: Blanket waiver. The officers at the airport asked "does your fiance have a medical condition? I see here that he has a blanket waiver." I said no, and explained about the vaccinations.

THanks! When we have it in our hands, we are going to walk across to El paso and drive to AZ. Hopefully we wil hear something soon, that they have it in Juarez, i mean its been a month, anyway thanks!

[wheezy 0]

Hi limejello

I have a question for you did your fiance take all the original paperwork sent with your 129F including pictures and proof of relationship plus did you sent recent proof for example recent pictures and telephone bills sorry but I am a nutcase right now trying to make all paperwork perfect and not forget nothing thanks for the help

[GueraKristina 1]

Hi limejello

I have a question for you did your fiance take all the original paperwork sent with your 129F including pictures and proof of relationship plus did you sent recent proof for example recent pictures and telephone bills sorry but I am a nutcase right now trying to make all paperwork perfect and not forget nothing thanks for the help

You should take all the proof of relationship that you can. Some people can get though the interview without having their evidence looked at, like limejello, they just wanted to see her baby's birth certificate and that was it, but with my husbands interview in december, they looked through every picture, quized him on who was who, and their names, and their relationship to us. Anything with BOTH names on it will help, bank accounts, car titles, anything.They say that you dont have to take the 129F paperwork because if you have an interview, theyalready have that paperwork, but alot of people like to take it just incase. We didnt, and we were fine, they didnt ask or it, or anything, we did take the 797 approval notice of our fiance petition though, just a proof that we were approved, we also took the letter we got that said that the paperwork was going to be sent t juarez but none of that was asked for. GOod luck, and hope this helps.