Having my Spousal interview in a country I am temporarily visiting

[joshuaAE 15]

Hello all,

 

My wife and I submitted my I130 in May this year. We were transferred to Vermont which at the time had a 2year minimum wait time. We then decided to do some traveling. We are now currently in Mexico on a normal visitors visa. We have started a volunteering position that needs to be filled until Feb 2022. 

 

Now it seems my spousal visa interview might become available while we are here in Mexico. My questions is : Are we able to request a transfer to Mexico even though we are here temporarily and does anyone know how long it takes to get an interview in Mexico? 

 

TIA

 

[Adventine 3,196]

Where is your usual country of residence? You probably don't want to transfer your case to Mexico. It's one of the most backlogged US embassies/consulates in the world.

Edited October 8, 2021 by Adventine

[joshuaAE 15]

1 minute ago, Adventine said:

Where is your usual country of residence? You probably don't want to transfer your case to Mexico. It's one of the most backlogged US embassies/consulates in the world.

My normal country of residence is South Africa

 

The  only reason I would want to have it here is due to the financial implication of travel back to SA and then back to the USA 

[aaron2020 11,651]

You're going to have to return to SA for your interview.  That US Embassy/Post is in the best position to evaluate your background.  

The US Consulate in Mexico is unlikely to accept interviewing a SA applicant who is vacationing there.  

[Adventine 3,196]

You'll have to go back to South Africa for the interview, unless you become a Mexican permanent resident in the meantime.

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from Progress Reports to Process & Procedures.

[pushbrk 12,894]

2 hours ago, Adventine said:

You'll have to go back to South Africa for the interview, unless you become a Mexican permanent resident in the meantime.

This is correct.  Immigrant visa interviews are only held in country of citizenship or legal residence.  Exceptions are rarely made for severe hardships, but travel expense doesn't qualify.

[Redro 4,611]

2 hours ago, joshuaAE said:

My normal country of residence is South Africa

 

The  only reason I would want to have it here is due to the financial implication of travel back to SA and then back to the USA 

Even if you were successful in transferring your case over to Mexico. The wait time for interview would most likely take you past the end date of your volunteer work. 

And while it is expensive to fly back and forth from North America to South Africa, surely you factored that in before accepting the volunteer position (and you have a return ticket to SA in hand)?

If instead you are worried about penalties for leaving your volunteer position early, I would contact the South African embassy after they schedule your interview and ask to move it to a later date or slow down the process at the NVC stage and only submit documentation in December 2021/ January 2022). 

Edited October 9, 2021 by Kor2USA

[Redro 4,611]

For reference, visa journey users' CR1/IR1 timelines in Mexico. 

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list.php?op6=All&op66=All&op7=Mexico&op1=3&op2=&dfile=No&op3=5&op4=1&op5=5%2C6%2C8%2C10%2C11%2C13%2C14%2C15%2C16%2C17%2C18%2C20%2C21%2C22%2C25%2C26%2C27%2C28%2C108%2C110%2C111%2C208%2C210%2C211&cfl=0

 

 

Edited October 9, 2021 by Kor2USA
wording

[SalishSea 17,835]

5 hours ago, joshuaAE said:

Hello all,

 

My wife and I submitted my I130 in May this year. We were transferred to Vermont which at the time had a 2year minimum wait time. We then decided to do some traveling. We are now currently in Mexico on a normal visitors visa. We have started a volunteering position that needs to be filled until Feb 2022. 

 

Now it seems my spousal visa interview might become available while we are here in Mexico. My questions is : Are we able to request a transfer to Mexico even though we are here temporarily and does anyone know how long it takes to get an interview in Mexico? 

 

TIA

 

If money for flights is an issue, how will the petitioner be able to qualify to sponsor you?

[SteveInBostonI130 3,455]

16 hours ago, joshuaAE said:

Hello all,

 

My wife and I submitted my I130 in May this year. We were transferred to Vermont which at the time had a 2year minimum wait time. We then decided to do some traveling. We are now currently in Mexico on a normal visitors visa. We have started a volunteering position that needs to be filled until Feb 2022. 

 

Now it seems my spousal visa interview might become available while we are here in Mexico. My questions is : Are we able to request a transfer to Mexico even though we are here temporarily and does anyone know how long it takes to get an interview in Mexico? 

 

TIA

 

Hello, can you fill in your timeline?

 

If the I-130 was submitted in May 2021, the petition will probably be approved between Dec 2021 to May 2022.  After the I-130 is approved, it goes to the NVC.  These days it seems to take a month before the NVC assigns a case and invoice number for you to access your case to pay for AOS and IV.  The entire NVC step takes about a month on average for you to complete.  Then another month or two for NVC to mark your case complete (DQ).  Then another month or two for the NVC to s schedule your interview in SA.

 

The above brings your timeline to April 2022 to Dec 2022 for your interview.  There is almost 0 chance that the interview will be scheduled by Feb 2022.

 

If, for some reason, your I-130 gets approved soon - this month or next month - then you can always slow things down at NVC by not completing the document uploads and filling out the DS-260 until Jan/Feb 2022.

 

As others have said, the wait for spouse visa interview in Mexico is very long.  According to recent timelines, about 16 months from NOA2 to interview.  If you get DQ'd by Dec 2021, and you somehow successfully transfer your case to Mexico, then your interview will probably be FEB 2023.

 

EDIT: adjusted time/dates to reflect current timelines for Mexico.

Edited October 9, 2021 by SteveInBostonI130
Clarification

[joshuaAE 15]

Hello All,

 

Thank you for all of the great responses! 

 

I have no problem returning to my home country to attend the interview should I need to. Was merely wondering out of the convenience factor of not having to fly all the way back. But seeing the timelines estimated for Mexico returning to South Africa will be the most sensible option.

 

Thanks again for the insights.