Juarez Consulate

[kitkat1 5]

Wow, Pat, I'm sorry to hear about your struggle. If it were me, I'd be throwing a ###### fit. I'd be talking to anyone who would listen - the Mayor, the Govenor, the President, the newspapers, the news channels, Immigrant Advocacy Groups. Have you hired an Immigration Lawyer? Not sure if they can do much - but I wonder if you can sue the actual embassy? Seriously, I think I would be going crazy. Good luck.

The bottom line is there is nothing anyone can do. Mexico is the busiest consulate in the world. Interviews for spousal visas take an entire year to be scheduled - that's WITHOUT the need to submit a waiver. (Imagine if you had to wait a year for an interview and then wait again for waiver approval!) Getting funding to hire additional staff is a long and difficult process - it's the government after all. Last year at this time it took only 4-6 months for waiver approval. With the huge increase in the number of waivers submitted in Mexico so far this year, it's not at all surprising that they simply cannot keep up. The fact that they were even able to put the pilot program in place is nothing short of a miracle.

I agree that it sucks and it's unfair. But every pilot program and every law has a start date and those who aren't eligible don't benefit from it. Our I-129F petition got stuck in IMBRA and took close to six months for approval. Now we've been waiting more than five months for waiver approval and have about 7 more to go. So it's not like I don't have sympathy or understand where you are coming from. All we can do is hope they find a way to address the backlog, and keep in the front of our minds that we are very lucky the option to file a waiver even exists, and that Mexico's approval rates are very, very high.

tijuanahilton, chances are your file will get to CJD very quickly. Now it's all about getting the fiance packet and the appointment letter. You'll get it before your fiance, and you can scan and email the official letter to him so he doesn't have to wait for his packet to arrive. Fingers crossed that it all works in time!

[Allie&Leo 0]

Hi CDJ Friends,

I was reading last couple of posts and I'm seeing frustation that a bunch of us went thru last year and I totally understand that the WAITING/UNKNOWN feels like worst thing in the world. It took my fiance 11 months to get his K1 visa and we didn't have any waivers to file. Got stuck in namecheck issues at CDJ level. Basically KK and I and others will tell you that best thing to do is to be patient as possible and don't plan anything and get ahead of yourselves. Continue your relationship with your fiances like you weren't going thru process - plan trips to see each other. I drove my fiance crazy with crying, etc - didnt' help. CDJ seems really really busy right now with new pilot program and more K1 visas and waivers to process. I can only imagine that wait times right now will probably be a little longer than they were at end of year last year. Try to be as patient as you can and until your visa day comes - continue your relationship as best you can withouth thinking so much about the visa. BELIEVE ME the struggle/frustation will seem like nothing wants your fiance is here.

Allie

p.s. My husband is laughing because how big cindo de mayo is in the States and he says not really a big deal in Mexico. Happy Cinco De Mayo to everyone. We are going to our local La Hacienda restaurant for block party and tequila!!

[MonicaMexico 0]

Hi CDJ Friends,

It took my fiance 11 months to get his K1 visa and we didn't have any waivers to file. Got stuck in namecheck issues at CDJ level. Basically KK and I and others will tell you that best thing to do is to be patient as possible and don't plan anything and get ahead of yourselves. Continue your relationship with your fiances like you weren't going thru process - plan trips to see each other. I drove my fiance crazy with crying, etc - didnt' help.

This is great advice. I'm trying to fight the fantasy of spending fourth of July with my family and my fiance. What exactly are namechecks issues and how do visa's get delayed in this regard? (Yikes! more stuff for me to worry about.)

Also, can someone tell me how to add the timeline at the end of each post, detailing how you met, etc?

And final PS: to anybody who has any professional connection with the CJ embassy, please disregard any of the tounge-in-cheek comments I made about suing.

[GabachaYucateca 0]

Monica: you can edit what appears at the end of each post in your signature in your profile.

I think (and may be wrong) that the majority of visa interviews go smoothly. But those with probems we read more carefully and they definitely catch our eye more...and then we get to panic about what if. That's why I've spent less time here as the trip to juarez grows closer! I'm hoping for the best and will deal with it if the outcome is otherwise.

Homeboy had his first freak oyt about this whole thing a few days ago. He's petrified and really overwhelmed.

[trueimage 0]

Monica: you can edit what appears at the end of each post in your signature in your profile.

I think (and may be wrong) that the majority of visa interviews go smoothly. But those with probems we read more carefully and they definitely catch our eye more...and then we get to panic about what if. That's why I've spent less time here as the trip to juarez grows closer! I'm hoping for the best and will deal with it if the outcome is otherwise.

Homeboy had his first freak oyt about this whole thing a few days ago. He's petrified and really overwhelmed.

Gabacha,

When is the big day? Is he going to come as soon as he receives his visa?

[GabachaYucateca 0]

We're flying to juarez on June 18th! And we'll cross from there if everything goes well. No reason to spend the extra $$ to go back to cancun, no matter how much I'd love to.

[trueimage 0]

Wow! The day will be here before you know it. I'm so excited for ya'll!

I don't blame you. Get him into the States before somebody changes their mind! I want Adolfo to do the same thing..cross the same day. I know I still have a while to go, but I'm getting excited.

I was wondering: How long after marriage do you have to file the AOS? (Money is becoming an issue and I don't know when the new fees go into affect.)

[MonicaMexico 0]

So I was thinking last night about how much of a relief it feels to be meeting people who are in the same boat. I don't know anyone else who has gone through this visa process, and its kinda cool to know I'm not the only one. So, in short: thanks, everybody.

[trueimage 0]

So I was thinking last night about how much of a relief it feels to be meeting people who are in the same boat. I don't know anyone else who has gone through this visa process, and its kinda cool to know I'm not the only one. So, in short: thanks, everybody.

Monica,

I know what you mean. I was blown away by how many people marry internationally. After I joined VJ and saw how many are here and then realized that we represent only a fraction of actual petitions......speechless........ Good luck!

[Allie&Leo 0]

Monica: you can edit what appears at the end of each post in your signature in your profile.

I think (and may be wrong) that the majority of visa interviews go smoothly. But those with probems we read more carefully and they definitely catch our eye more...and then we get to panic about what if. That's why I've spent less time here as the trip to juarez grows closer! I'm hoping for the best and will deal with it if the outcome is otherwise.

Homeboy had his first freak oyt about this whole thing a few days ago. He's petrified and really overwhelmed.

Leo and I had no problems/issues with our case. He went for his interview in Aug 06 and went fine then they put his name in the computer and said there is a problem. His name happened to match some names on FBI criminal list so they had to run a 10 fingerprint check thru DHS. He was cleared from DHS in Oct 06 and then they scheduled his visa pickup for Jan 07.

[GabachaYucateca 0]

I'm having a ####### moment on a travel forum where I posted a question asking for info about good routes to take through the Southwest and interesting sites to show homeboy. I also asked a question about marrying in New Mexico since the fellow won't have his SS# yet.

This is one of the enlightened responses I've received:

I believe no matter where you are, if you are a US citizen and he is not, then you will have to get a visa stating that you are sponsoring him. I also think you will have a waiting period, and you will have to be interviewed to prove you are really in love, and that this is not just to give him citizenship.

Um, thanks dude, but I can count five pieces of incorrect info in these two sentences. But can you recommend a hotel in Tucson?????

[tijuanahilton 0]

For all of you whose fiances have already moved here. How did they get all of their stuff over to the states? Can you recommend andy shipping services? Or how on earth did you get it here? I don't even know where to begin. I've looked at freight forwarding services, but it seems like they only ship containers of stuff (Marco doesn't have THAT many things) and paying the airline to fly it all over with him would cost as much as chartering a jet. Any suggestions?

[Allie&Leo 0]

For all of you whose fiances have already moved here. How did they get all of their stuff over to the states? Can you recommend andy shipping services? Or how on earth did you get it here? I don't even know where to begin. I've looked at freight forwarding services, but it seems like they only ship containers of stuff (Marco doesn't have THAT many things) and paying the airline to fly it all over with him would cost as much as chartering a jet. Any suggestions?

I slowly brought some of his things back with everytime I went to visit him. Pretty much brought an extra suit case each time. He didn't have a large items though.

[tijuanahilton 0]

Marco has nicer electronics than I do and a bunch of amps for his bass. We've been contemplating renting a truck and driving up together from Mexico City but even that seems nearly impossilbe!!!

[Allie&Leo 0]

Marco has nicer electronics than I do and a bunch of amps for his bass. We've been contemplating renting a truck and driving up together from Mexico City but even that seems nearly impossilbe!!!

You guys be careful with any cd's he brings over that aren't originals - piracy issues.

Driving from Mexico City sounds tough. Be careful if you go that route.