IR-1/CR-1 (FB-1) - Ciudad Juarez Interview Wait Times 2025

[Josh B K 26]

The goal of this thread is to form an up-to-date expectation for wait times for interview assignments at the US Consulate in Ciudad Juarez in 2025. 

 

I want to unite Visa Journey members with approved I-130 family based petitions in preference category 1 (FB-1) (US Citizen Petitioner). This thread is for you if: 
 

• You have an approved I-130 FB-1 Visa Petition
• You have completed your DS-260 and Affidavit of Support with NVC and are Documentarily Qualified (DQ'd) 
• You are waiting for an interview in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

 

If this is you, please share the following information with the thread. 

 

1. Date you received notice from NVC that you are Documentarity Qualified (DQ'd)
2. Date you received an interview assignment from NVC (if you have received one)
3. Date of your interview (if you have received an interview assignment)

 

My hope is that this info will help you and the petitioners who come behind us. I will be organizing the info and sharing statistics here. 

 

[Josh B K 26]

Using VisaJourney and reports from the I-130 Visa Server (Discord),

 

The average time from the DQ'd date to get an appointment assignment in Ciudad Juarez for a CR-1/IR-1/F1 is 359 days, and the average time from the DQ'd date to the appointment is 408 days. 

 

I'd love more examples. Please share your dates with me if you are waiting for an appointment in Ciudad Juarez. 

 

[appleblossom 3,453]

Your post is confusing - the title says both CR1/IR1 and FB1, and you’re asking about a preference category but also mention a USC petitioner and this is in the spouse visa forum. Can you clarify what type of case you’re asking about? As it’ll make a big difference on timescales. 
 

If it’s a preference category then it’ll be very dependent on Priority Date too. 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 11:52 PM by appleblossom

[Josh B K 26]

@appleblossom Thanks you for your reply and willingness to help me clarify my post. I realized after I posed it that I got some terminology wrong. I don't see an option to edit my post; so, maybe I will delete it and repost it. 

 

I am looking for people with approved I-130 applications for Immediate Relatives of US Citizens - spouses and unmarried children under 21. I confused the family based preference category AND used the term FB-1 instead of F1. 

Do you think my headline should say "IR-1/CR-1 - Ciudad Juarez Interview Wait Times 2025" or "Immediate Relative - Ciudad Juarez Wait Times 2025". 

I think whether you are petitioning for a spouse or an unmarried child under 21 you are in the same waiting line. You are in a category that is not impacted by visa limits. I wanted to get info from people who are waiting for their interview in the consulate to understand the current wait times. 

[Ryan H 3,840]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to Mexico, Latin & South America regional forum.  OP is wanting to find out about multiple visa types at on specific Consulate.

[appleblossom 3,453]

3 hours ago, Josh B K said:

@appleblossom Thanks you for your reply and willingness to help me clarify my post. I realized after I posed it that I got some terminology wrong. I don't see an option to edit my post; so, maybe I will delete it and repost it. 

 

I am looking for people with approved I-130 applications for Immediate Relatives of US Citizens - spouses and unmarried children under 21. I confused the family based preference category AND used the term FB-1 instead of F1. 

Do you think my headline should say "IR-1/CR-1 - Ciudad Juarez Interview Wait Times 2025" or "Immediate Relative - Ciudad Juarez Wait Times 2025". 

I think whether you are petitioning for a spouse or an unmarried child under 21 you are in the same waiting line. You are in a category that is not impacted by visa limits. I wanted to get info from people who are waiting for their interview in the consulate to understand the current wait times. 

Thank you for clarifying. F1 is for for adult children of USC’s, who are in a preference category. Children under 21 of USC’s are IR2’s. 
 

I don’t think you need to repost now that you’ve clarified. 
 

Hopefully others in the same boat will respond, you can also search timelines (for IR5 too, as that’s another immediate relative category). Most recent ones I could find seemed to show approx 14 months for DQ to IL. How that will be impacted by Trump’s consular staff reductions though we can only guess at. 

 

Good luck. 

[Josh B K 26]

I want to unite Visa Journey members with approved I-130 IR-1/CR-1 petitions and are waiting for an interview in Ciudad Juarez. This thread is for you if: 

• You have an approved I-130 IR-1/CR-1 Visa Petition
• You have completed your DS-260 and Affidavit of Support with NVC and are Documentarily Qualified (DQ'd) 
• You are waiting for an interview in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

If this is you, please share the following information with the thread. 

1. Date you received notice from NVC that you are Documentarity Qualified (DQ'd)
2. Date you received an interview assignment from NVC (if you have received one)
3. Date of your interview (if you have received an interview assignment)

Currently I have 4 members with up-to-date data points. I'd like to increase to 10 members. My goal is to provide a good up-to-date estimate for Ciudad Juarez Wait Times in the CR-1/IR-1 category. 

[Josh B K 26]

I just received new data from a user with recent experience. data sheet

 

[roxanlopz13 0]

Hello @Josh B K! 

 

Posting here our timeline but I think it may be an outlier on what you are trying to achieve.

 

We were approved on April 22nd 2024, received the letter and completed everything by May 1st and received the DQ letter on May 8th. We requested to expedite our case due to health complications on my husband, that was sent on January 16th and received the interview letter on January 21st, 2025. 

 

I am in several facebook groups and saw some posts of people with DQ on early April 2024 whom received an email late February to have their interview scheduled in April 2025

 

Hope this helps! 

[appleblossom 3,453]

1 hour ago, Josh B K said:

Currently I have 4 members with up-to-date data points. I'd like to increase to 10 members. My goal is to provide a good up-to-date estimate for Ciudad Juarez Wait Times in the CR-1/IR-1 category. 

 

There are lots on the timelines section of the forum? That will get you far more than 10, but do bear in mind that things are likely to change going forward with consular staff being reduced, so don’t assume yours will be the same. 

[Josh B K 26]

@appleblossom I reviewed the timelines for all users with NOA2's since January 2024. I have contacted all those members asked for them to share their info. As you said, things are changing; so, my goal is to stay in touch with members who are recently scheduled or waiting. 

Have you seen any specific media or info about reductions of staff in the consulates? 

[Josh B K 26]

On 3/7/2025 at 2:49 PM, Josh B K said:

@appleblossom I reviewed the timelines for all users with NOA2's since January 2024. I have contacted all those members asked for them to share their info. As you said, things are changing; so, my goal is to stay in touch with members who are recently scheduled or waiting. 

Have you seen any specific media or info about reductions of staff in the consulates? 

 

@appleblossom Just this morning I came across two media articles to confirm the planned reductions in staff at the consulates. 
 

1. While Federal Firings Focus on Immigration Processing, Funding for Immigration Enforcement Expands, 6 March 2025, Immigration Impact, https://immigrationimpact.com/2025/03/06/federal-firings-immigration-processing-enforcement-expands/?utm_campaign=everyaction&utm_medium=email&utm_source=&emci=9f705f61-97fb-ef11-90cd-0022482a9fb7&emdi=c3639da6-eefc-ef11-90cd-0022482a9fb7&ceid=11628368
2. US embassies told to prepare for staff cuts as Trump overhauls diplomatic corps, sources say, 13 February 2025, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-embassies-told-prepare-staff-cuts-trump-overhauls-diplomatic-corps-sources-2025-02-13/