bdglen

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.

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.

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. 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. I think more than anything this worries me.

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.

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.

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.....

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. 🤣

Thank you.

No, I do not intend to fly to Colombia and return with them to "save a few bucks". Me flying to Colombia or Panama or Mexico does not by definition save any money, Also, i have gone through the visitor line at US immigration on more than one occasion for the sole purpose of aiding the non US citizen i was travelling with. It's not an uncommon thing to do.

i believe it would be different because: 1. My husband and I would be travelling with them and would accompany then=m through the immigration and CBP inspection. AND 2. My husband used to work at SFO in the immigration CBP area and knows most of the CBP agents. Both those reasons would be preferable to a Mexican immigration officer interrogating them alone. in Mexico.

My reasoning?

If I gave the impression that I wanted to use the C1 as an alternative to a B2 for the purpose of visiting the US, then i apologize that is not and was not my intent. i was merely asking questions to try and find answers from ANYONE who had personal experience applying and being approved or denied for a C1 visa. As I'm sure everyone is aware, flight prices and availability vary tremendously from day to day and airline to airline etc. That is why i asked the questions i asked. I was hoping to hear stories that might guide me to the sweet spot of getting the right flight timelines. Alas apparently no one on VJ has ever dealt with the C1 transit visit... i hold out hope i will hear from someone.....

And then to Mexico City, wherein we encounter the first problem. Single Afro-Colombian men. I'm telling you, I've been a first hand witness to the problems with Mexican immigration as i explained in my first post and that is why we were thinking about meeting them outside the US, to avoid those problems. The alternative is to layover in Panama City (PTY) and then travel to Puerto Vallarta. except virtually all those flights go though Houston or Miami or Dallas etc..... Seeing as how the approval rates for C1 vs B2 are vastly different and the appointment/interview times are also vastly different, there is obviously some major differences in the process, hence my seeking out someone who has actually been through the C1 process.

No, actually i understand perfectly what he is saying. He's not telling me anything i don't already know. but that doesn't address the issues and questions I have asked, therefore i am looking for advice from someone who has actually applied for a C1 visa. If you don't understand the issue I am having, do a google flights search for yourself. From Cali Colombia (CLO) to Panama City Panama (PTY) to Puerto Vallarta (PVR) anytime in May 2024, Try to find a flight that isn't outrageously expensive and/or doesn't connect through a US layover. Additionally, the approval rates for a C1 (85%) and B2 (59%) visa are vastly different, so again, the process is not entirely the same. You'll see the only option if i want to make this happen is a C1 transit visa. So I am really looking to talk to someone who has had a C1 transit visa

except they can get a C1 visa interview in less than two weeks, so obviously the process isn't entirely the same. i appreciate your willingness to respond, truly, but it doesn't appear that you have any first hand experience with a transit visa.