Port of Entry from Mexico

[estrelloso 0]

My fiance is from Tijuana, and I am in San Diego. We have to go to Juarez for the interview like everyone else, so my question is, Does he have to cross the border at El Paso directly after the interview? He'd like to return to Tijuana and work for another month and cross here, which would be much more convenient because we could drive rather than fly and bring all of this stuff.

Usually the entries I read say they get the visa and cross the next day into El Paso. Is that a required POE?

If anyone know, that would be a big help!

Thanks!

[Otto 83]

Is that a required POE?

No.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Moving from US Consulate and Embassy forum to Latin America, Mexico & the Caribbean forum as question is not so much Consulate related as a question about process afterwards and answers will probably be more relevant here

[Isi 1]

My fiance is from Tijuana, and I am in San Diego. We have to go to Juarez for the interview like everyone else, so my question is, Does he have to cross the border at El Paso directly after the interview? He'd like to return to Tijuana and work for another month and cross here, which would be much more convenient because we could drive rather than fly and bring all of this stuff.

Usually the entries I read say they get the visa and cross the next day into El Paso. Is that a required POE?

If anyone know, that would be a big help!

Thanks!

He does no need to cross right after the interview, just make sure traveling to US before his visa expires.

Good luck!

[estrelloso 0]

Thanks to all who responded.

One more thing. He currently has a B1/B2 tourist visa. Are they going to take that away at the consulate when they issue the k-1? I assume you cannot have two visas at once. We are lucky to be so close to each other with just a border between. Right now he is able to visit any time, but since the k-1 is a one-time-only visa, that would mean I would have to go to Tijuana to see him before he comes over with the k-1.

Has any one here successfully crossed the San Ysidro border with a k-1? Every time I have mentioned anything about it to the border guards there they seem completely clueless.

Thoughts or experience?

Thanks again!

Edited January 8, 2010 by estrelloso

[Lia792 5]

The K-1 is a one-time only entry. You don't have to enter right away or even from Juarez. I'm not sure why they say that in Juarez but I think it refers more to marriage visas than fiancee visas.

I have heard that they do take away the B1/B2 visas and I have also heard of people retaining theirs. But you can't cross over with one of those when you have a K-1 granted already anyways (that I know of.)

[TBoneTX 45,542]

Has any one here successfully crossed the San Ysidro border with a k-1? Every time I have mentioned anything about it to the border guards there they seem completely clueless.

Last year, someone asked a similar question about driving across a Texas POE, perhaps a smaller one without traffic back-ups, but with the tradeoff risk that the CBP agents wouldn't be prepared to process a K-1.

Disclaimer: I'm sure that they all know how to process one, in theory, as part of their training, but if they've never actually done one themselves, they may stumble through it a bit (understandably).

My suggestion then & now is this: If the visa is issued and you set a date regarding when you would like to enter at San Ysidro, phone the Port Director there about a week ahead of time (see www.cbp.gov to find the phone number), explain your desire, and ask if he could arrange to have appropriate personnel on duty during the window of time when you foresee entering. (Narrow this window as best you can, out of respect.) If you have some flexibility, you might even ASK which day of the week, and which time of day, would be most convenient for them. The Port Director will respect YOUR respect, and he may be quite accommodating. Especially if he sounds neutral or unenthusiastic, you can throw in the idea that this would be something different and interesting for his agents -- a nice change from the usual.

On the chosen day, when you're on your way, give the port a buzz to say "We're about an hour away" or similar.

Preparation & communication are everything. The San Y port is as valid a POE as any, and your openness with the Director there will likely go very far toward a good mutual experience. Besides, you'll have a nice story to tell us about what it's like to enter at a non-airport POE, si man!

[trueimage 0]

My understanding is that Juarez is the only land bridge you can cross. My fiance is from Acuna as well.

[TBoneTX 45,542]

My understanding is that Juarez is the only land bridge you can cross. My fiance is from Acuna as well.

Del Rio (across from Acuna) should be very prepared & able to process someone entering with a family-based visa. (If in doubt, call the port and ask.)

[jaremedios 1]

Del Rio (across from Acuna) should be very prepared & able to process someone entering with a family-based visa. (If in doubt, call the port and ask.)

Ok, this might be a really stupid question, but I'm new to all of this. Once my hubby gets his IR-1/CR-1 visa (I'm thinking positively), he has to enter through specific cities? I'm from New Jersey. Can't we just get a flight from Mexico to New Jersey and when we arrive to first city in US (whether it's Houston or Newark), they check his sealed envelope?

[TBoneTX 45,542]

Can't we just get a flight from Mexico to New Jersey and when we arrive to first city in US (whether it's Houston or Newark), they check his sealed envelope?

Not a stupid question. Any airport that receives international flights can serve as your port of entry, si man. Houston is pretty good at processing our kinds of entry visas, by the way.