C1 Transit visa for relatives.

[bdglen 31]

2 minutes ago, millefleur said:

I was about to say, I'm pretty sure USC's can go through the visitor/"everyone else" line if they want. It's just that obviously most would opt not to to avoid having to wait longer. 

 

Exactly, I'm not sure why this isn't known.  As a US citizen returning home, i can pretty much go through any damn line I want. 🤣

[SteveInBostonI130 3,459]

7 hours ago, bdglen said:

Exactly, I'm not sure why this isn't known.  As a US citizen returning home, i can pretty much go through any damn line I want. 🤣

 

 

You can't go through the flight crew/diplomats line, and you can't go through global entry line unless you have global entry.

[Thunderbolt 172]

In my opinion from what I've read in here. It would be 1 in a million for 2 single Colombian men to get any kind of visa to US, be it B or C visa. 

You are saying that the flights from Cali to PVR are expensive? Pretty much every day in May the price is around $400. 

 

For flights Cali to PTY to SFO to PVR to Cali is pretty much $1100 and up

https://www.google.com/travel/flights/s/LETo2mwPmv7cXHCq9

 

Meet with them at PTY and arrive at PVR on the same flight. Problem solved. 

[bdglen 31]

4 hours ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

 

 

You can't go through the flight crew/diplomats line, and you can't go through global entry line unless you have global entry.

Obviously I can't go through the flight crew/diplomat line, that's pretty much self evident. But I can and do go through the Global pass line regularly. I can also go through Mobile pass/ CBP-MPC  as I also use that service.  I know you weren't intentionally trying to split hairs, but c'mon man, really?

 

I'm trying to get comments from folks who have actually gone through the C1 process not opinions on who can or cannot go through which lines at CBP.....

Edited January 16 by bdglen

[bdglen 31]

2 minutes ago, Old_Glory said:

Nothing to add, other than to say  "good luck and enjoy the time in PVR"...We're headed there this November for our 20th anniversary. Thinking of buying property around the area as a retirement plan.

 

Good luck

Thank you I appreciate the kind thoughts.  PV is a wonderful area with really friendly folks, I'm sure it's a great retirement spot, Good luck to you too.

[jan22 3,056]

It is unlikely that a C1 would be issued when it is not the usual, logical flight pattern to get from Point A to Point B.  As others have said, since the requirements are exactly the same for a C1 and a B1/B2 visa, it makes no sense from a consular officer's viewpoint. Since the starting point for either visa adjudication is the assumption that the applicant intends to go to the US and stay, they need to not only be convinced that there are strong reasons to leave the US (and, no -- onward tickets are not a strong reason), but also that a transit visa is needed for the travel itinerary.  Since there are, clearly, several routes from Cali to Puerto Vallarta that do not require transiting the US, it will be difficult to justify why one is needed.

 

This can also appear to be an attempt to "game the system" and using a C1 appointment -- which is much quicker to get since they are usually needed/used by crew members to get to their immediate assignment -- to get into the US quickly and avoid the long wait for a B visa interview. 

 

 

Edited January 16 by jan22

[bdglen 31]

1 hour ago, Thunderbolt said:

In my opinion from what I've read in here. It would be 1 in a million for 2 single Colombian men to get any kind of visa to US, be it B or C visa. 

I agree, that's why I was considering meeting them and flying with them.

 

The reason for the C1 visa is: EVERY FLIGHT from PTY to PVR transits through some US city, MiA, DFW, SFO, LAX IAH etc....... also, by the crow flies, Puerto Vallarta is 5 hours from Panama City, yet the fastest economy flight duration is 13.5 hours, costs over $6,000 for two economy seats. and still flies though a US city AND Mexico city. obviously it's not a viable option.  The least expensive flight is $800, takes over 23 hours and STILL flies through Houston.

1 hour ago, Thunderbolt said:

You are saying that the flights from Cali to PVR are expensive? Pretty much every day in May the price is around $400. 

 

The flights from CLO to PVR round trip for two, are are not too expensive per se, but they don't solve the problem of two single afro-Colombian men arriving in Mexico.

https://www.google.com/travel/flights/search?tfs=CBwQAhoeEgoyMDI0LTA1LTAxagcIARIDQ0xPcgcIARIDUFZSGh4SCjIwMjQtMDUtMDhqBwgBEgNQVlJyBwgBEgNDTE9AAUABSAFwAYIBCwj___________8BmAEB&tfu=EgYIBRABGAA

 

1 hour ago, Thunderbolt said:

 

For flights Cali to PTY to SFO to PVR to Cali is pretty much $1100 and up

https://www.google.com/travel/flights/s/LETo2mwPmv7cXHCq9

 

Meet with them at PTY and arrive at PVR on the same flight. Problem solved. 

This was my plan and it is why I asked to hear from people who had first hand experience with the C1 visa. This itinerary, all things considered the fastest and least expensive, BUT it requires a C1 visa as it transits through San Francisco

 

[top_secret 2,421]

My wife was refused entry at Mexico City before for no reason whatsoever and they were not nice or even slightly professional about it, so I know what you are talking about there.  She noted that as she was was sent to the "rudely get thrown out of the country room", it was filled primarily with a large number of Colombians and Venezuelans.

 

That said, even though you definitely have my sympathy on the Mexican immigration issue, it sounds fishy even to me for someone to fly from Colombia TO Mexico, requiring a visa to transit the US, in order to avoid transiting Mexico City.  It may take a combination of seperate tickets but I am quite certain there are cheap ways to get from CLO to PVR that don't involve transiting the US.  I also am not sure PVR immigration is any more friendly than MEX.  Even being sympathetic, if I were the consul I would have to deny that visa because the itinerary does not make sense to me. 

 

The consequences of someone being denied a C1 visa based on a questionable itinerary is that it would probably sabotage a later chance at a B2 visa.

Edited January 16 by top_secret

[Family 3,988]

36 minutes ago, jan22 said:

It is unlikely that a C1 would be issued when it is not the usual, logical flight pattern to get from Point A to Point B.  As others have said, since the requirements are exactly the same for a C1 and a B1/B2 visa, it makes no sense from a consular officer's viewpoint. Since the starting point for either visa adjudication is the assumption that the applicant intends to go to the US and stay, they need to not only be convinced that there are strong reasons to leave the US (and, no -- onward tickets are not a strong reason), but also that a transit visa is needed for the travel itinerary.  Since there are, clearly, several routes from Cali to Puerto Vallarta that do not require transiting the US, it will be difficult to justify why one is needed.

 

This can also appear to be an attempt to "game the system" and using a C1 appointment -- which is much quicker to get since they are usually needed/used by crew members to get to their immediate assignment -- to get into the US quickly and avoid the long wait for a B visa interview. 

 

 

You are right ..as always. I could see a chance if there was a cruise connection . 
I will add that the approval rate is deceiving …since worldwide there have been less than 10,000 granted each year .
 

[bdglen 31]

16 minutes ago, top_secret said:

My wife was refused entry at Mexico City before for no reason whatsoever and they were not nice or even slightly professional about it, so I know what you are talking about there.  She noted that as she was was sent to the "rudely get thrown out of the country room", it was filled primarily with a large number of Colombians and Venezuelans.

Thank you for the confirmation of what I was saying about Mexican immigration and their attitude towards Colombian men.  I can't say I'm shocked they would also treat a Filipino woman this way, as I have seen first hand their lack of humanity and  professionalism.  Thank you also for your empathy.

16 minutes ago, top_secret said:

 

That said, even though you definitely have my sympathy on the Mexican immigration issue, it sounds fishy even to me for someone to fly from Colombia TO Mexico, requiring a visa to transit the US, in order to avoid transiting Mexico City.  It may take a combination of seperate tickets but I am quite certain there are cheap ways to get from CLO to PVR that don't involve transiting the US.  I also am not sure PVR immigration is any more friendly than MEX.  Even being sympathetic, if I were the consul I would have to deny that visa because the itinerary does not make sense to me. 

Trust me, I have searched flights for days trying to find a way for my husbands relatives to avoid dealing with Mexican immigration on their own. That's why i was investigating travelling with them so that when they went through Mexican immigration, I would be with them.  I'm proud to say my American passport is a powerful tool I'm unafraid to use.  And after searching through every possible flight combination, the over-all fastest and cheapest flights go from PTY to SFO to PVR.  The next best alternative is my flying to Colombia and entering Mexico City with them and that would require about 30 hours of travel for me to get to CLO and then ultimately to PVR.  i love my husbands family but I don't know that I want to spend a day and a half in airplanes and airports for what is essentially a 4 hour flight from SFO to PVR. 

 

The 'C1 visa is as much for my benefit as it is theirs.

16 minutes ago, top_secret said:

 

The consequences of someone being denied a C1 visa based on a questionable itinerary is that it would probably sabotage a later chance at a B2 visa.

I think more than anything this worries me.

[davidvs 337]

Since you are so adamant about not having to deal with Mexican authorities, I would suggest finding a vacation destination that is more welcoming.

[bdglen 31]

1 hour ago, davidvs said:

Since you are so adamant about not having to deal with Mexican authorities, I would suggest finding a vacation destination that is more welcoming.

Thank you for your suggestion, but My husband and I have already booked and paid for a villa over a year ago. This residence is booked years in advance, and we actually booked it for one month, 

 

http://www.casadeamigospv.com/villa-suite-apartment.html

 

C'mon folks, we just wanted to try and bring our relatives to join us on our vacation.  I'm not looking for suggestions or opinions that don't apply to the issue at hand.  Telling me to find a more welcoming place is really not helpful.  

Edited January 16 by bdglen

[top_secret 2,421]

1 hour ago, bdglen said:

Trust me, I have searched flights for days trying to find a way for my husbands relatives to avoid dealing with Mexican immigration on their own. That's why i was investigating travelling with them so that when they went through Mexican immigration, I would be with them.  I'm proud to say my American passport is a powerful tool I'm unafraid to use.  And after searching through every possible flight combination, the over-all fastest and cheapest flights go from PTY to SFO to PVR.  The next best alternative is my flying to Colombia and entering Mexico City with them and that would require about 30 hours of travel for me to get to CLO and then ultimately to PVR.  i love my husbands family but I don't know that I want to spend a day and a half in airplanes and airports for what is essentially a 4 hour flight from SFO to PVR. 

 

You may be interested to know that Mexico keeps it's rechazo statistics categorized by nationality online. https://politicamigratoria.segob.gob.mx/es/PoliticaMigratoria/evento_de_rechazos_aereos It looks like about 4% of Colombians get refused entry on arrival by air in Mexico which is like close to 100 a day.  It is kind of an appalling percentage for persons who obviously had all the required documents they needed to board the flight only to be kicked out on arrival.

 

I do feel my wife would have been treated differently if I had accompanied her rather than her traveling alone and me trying to meet her in Mexico City.  But she is not inclined to ever try flying to Mexico again.  We rather abruptly changed our vacation plans and went to Brazil instead, where she received a much more friendly reception.

[bdglen 31]

13 minutes ago, top_secret said:

 

You may be interested to know that Mexico keeps it's rechazo statistics categorized by nationality online. https://politicamigratoria.segob.gob.mx/es/PoliticaMigratoria/evento_de_rechazos_aereos It looks like about 4% of Colombians get refused entry on arrival by air in Mexico which is like close to 100 a day.  It is kind of an appalling percentage for persons who obviously had all the required documents they needed to board the flight only to be kicked out on arrival.

 

I do feel my wife would have been treated differently if I had accompanied her rather than her traveling alone and me trying to meet her in Mexico City.  But she is not inclined to ever try flying to Mexico again.  We rather abruptly changed our vacation plans and went to Brazil instead, where she received a much more friendly reception.

Thank you. it is indeed appalling and I bet those denied entry are all single men. Your wife absolutely would have been treated differently if you were there. i have the first hand experience to back that up. It's sad that I'm being forced to look at 30 hours of travel just to have/bring my relatives  to join us on a vacation. It really should not be this hard.  Mexican and the US immigration attitudes toward afro-Colombian men, border on outright racist.

 

BTW, I love Brazil, have had nothing but positive experiences there, even when i accidentally through away my entrance/exit paperwork. immigration could not have been nicer and more accommodating, but then again the US passport is a powerful tool.

[milimelo 4,481]

And topic locked. OP got the answers (even if they weren't to his liking). Do not restart the thread. 

Edited January 17 by milimelo