Tattoo between visa and AOS?

[meadow 2]

My Mexican fiancé was approved for the visa at the end of June and we'll be getting married in the US in September. My fiancé would like to get a tattoo of flowers on his leg before he leaves Mexico. Would it cause a problem in the AOS process if he gets a tattoo after the interview/visa approval and before the greencard application? He's waited this long because we knew that there's a stigma around tattoos at the Ciudad Juarez consulate, and I wouldn't want this to cause any issues now that we've made it this far...

Thank you in advance for your advice!

[HeatDeath 430]

I could be wrong, but:

I don't believe CBP will notice a leg tattoo if he wears long pants when he drives or flies in.

Similarly, there's nowhere on the AOS forms to report any tattoos.

He'll need to get his vaccinations transcribed to an I-693 by a civil surgeon prior to AOS. If the doctor does a full exam they may notice the new tattoo, but he won't (unless he's been told) need another medical exam once he's in the US, and should refuse if the CS tries to force him to get one. He should probably wear long pants to the CS as well.

So as long as the visa has already been issued, and he has not been told he needs a followup medical in the US, and you're both sure that vines on the leg is not a known kind of gang tattoo, and as long as he wears pants to the PoE and the CS, I would think it should be fine.

[Eric-Pris 1,606]

Not sure what's funnier, the question or the response.

(Lots of gang tatts have flowers on them?)

Edited July 25, 2013 by Eric-Pris

[HeatDeath 430]

Beats me, the only gang tatt I know is "31". But it wouldn't shock me if a gang wanted to use a spreading flowered vine as a metaphor for it's own growing range and influence.

The consular officers and panel physician in CDJ - and the CBP officers on the southern border PoEs- are going to be the real experts on Mexican gang tatts.

[meadow 2]

Not sure what's funnier, the question or the response.

(Lots of gang tatts have flowers on them?)

Thanks so much for the responses HeatDeath and Eric-Pris! The question may sound a bit paranoid, but everyone in Juarez with a tattoo was sent for an extra psychological consultation, and there have been several cases of (greencard holding, no criminal history bearing) Mexicans leaving the US to visit family in Mexico after being approved and not being allowed back into the US because their tattoos may or may not resemble some abstract form of a gang sign. Just want to prevent any terrible future incidents from happening!

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

He will have on pants and no one will even see it or know the tattoo exists. He is not required to get another medical if his K-1 medical was done within a year of filing for AOS. He will not be asked about tattoos on any of the forms, so I think this is a non-issue, even if I understand your concerns(and I do because my husband got hassled a bit at his medical in Juarez).

[AbroadABROAD 0]

I appreciated reading this thread, despite the little bit of sarcasm that popped up towards the OP there in the middle ^^^^. My husband is just getting started on this process and hasn't had his medical exam or first interview yet, so we are collecting all the possible advice we can find. He has several tattoos that are related to his interest in Mesoamerican mythology. Never even crossed my mind that tattoos would be discussed one way or the other, but now, I am thinking he might just take the archaeology books the tatoos were derived from just in case anyone wants to get bent out of shape about them at the medical examiners office. Easier and cheaper to be prepared to ward off a negative response, rather than be flippant and suffer the delays and added expense of not having responded to an issue that we considered trivial, but the approving authority did not.

OP - thanks for planting the thought in our head!

[meadow 2]

He will have on pants and no one will even see it or know the tattoo exists. He is not required to get another medical if his K-1 medical was done within a year of filing for AOS. He will not be asked about tattoos on any of the forms, so I think this is a non-issue, even if I understand your concerns(and I do because my husband got hassled a bit at his medical in Juarez).

Thank you so much for your reassuring words! AbroadABROAD, good luck with the process!

[lovelylovegia 0]

my fiancee has a half of sleeve omg now im worried