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| Juarez, Mexico |  Review on July 23, 2017: |
Ray & Andrea
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
First off, I would like to mention crossing into Juarez from El Paso. I HIGHLY advise crossing over the Zaragoza Bridge...both into and out of Mexico. The reason I say this is because there are places to park,on both sides of the border and plenty of taxi's waiting for you on both sides, as well. The very first time we crossed over, we paid $65 to have a taxi take us across the Paseo Del Norte Bridge and to our hotel. It took a total of 2 hours and 35 minutes. Once we figured it out, we took the Zaragoza Bridge, by foot and paid $4.75 from our Air BnB to the Zaragoza Bridge where we walked over the bridge, in 8 minutes, for $.50. It took a total of 30 minutes, including the drive and being inspected by border agents. Total cost crossing by foot = $5.25 and it was so much easier and faster.
My mom and I arrived in Juarez on Sunday, May 21, 2017. When we arrived into Juarez, we stayed, very cheaply, at the Hotel Ibis, for 4 days to complete all the necessary appointments. After we checked into the hotel, we caught a cab to take us to the airport to pick up my fiancee. If you take Uber, they cannot drop you off inside the airport, at the door. You will be dropped off, outside the airport and have to walk in. It is not a bad walk, but I would recommend taking a cab, which we did, when we connected with my fiancee. Hotel Ibis was a 5 minute walk to the consulate, a 10 minute walk to the ASC for biometrics & was in the same parking lot as the Clinica Medica Internacional, where my fiance had her medical exam done. If a fancy place to stay is what you are looking for, this is not it. There is no pool, there are no laundry facilities and breakfast isn't free. However, the breakfast is 125 pesos and well worth it. There is a FABULOUS little cafe that is attached to the Clinica Medica International, that is open 24/7. This hotel is in a PRIME location, with the mall & various restaurants, within walking distance. After my fiance finished her interview, we checked out the next day to wait for her visa at an Airbnb, farther away from the consulate. This was a fabulous idea and I am glad we did it. We saved so much money and stayed with a great host family who let us use their washer and dryer to do our laundry.
The medical exam was at 6 a.m. on Monday, May 22, 2017 at Clinica Medica Internacional. When we arrived, the place was already almost full. They did allow me to stay in the building, but I could not sit with her & they have a waiting room for us to sit in, as well as a bit area outside the building where many people chose to sit and wait. The process was very proficient and I was pleasantly surprised how quick and organized they were at moving so many people through their system. It took my fiance 5 hours for her medical exam because she had a tattoo and when she was asked if she ever did drugs, she said that she had never done drugs but about 4 years prior, she had been in a car with people who had smoked marijuana. She needed to go see the psychiatrist who questioned her about her tattoo (it is a heart with a musical note). She asked my fiancee "so, you love music, I take it?" And my fiancee said "yes" and she smiled at my fiancee and said "that's great. So do I". She asked her about the marijuana incident and she told my fiancee "good choice. I don't need to tell you that doing drugs is illegal and causes many problems." My fiancee said she understood that, and they psychiatrist told my fiancee "good luck". Make sure to take a list of all the prescription and over the counter medications you take, because they will ask. When done with my medical exam, I was told that I needed 3 immunizations and that I could get them now or I could get them in the US when I filed for my adjustment of status. I opted to do them in the US, due to money reasons. I paid $265 for my medical exam. I was to return back to the clinic, that day, at 3:00 pm. We waited for an hour and a half and walked out of the clinic, with my fiancee's results.
On Tuesday, May 22nd, my fiancee did her biometrics appointment. It was quick...she was in and out in 20 minutes. Just a note of caution...you are not allowed to wear any jewelry except a ring and earring studs. NO BELTS!! No big metal anything. They will not let you in.
On Wednesday, May 23rd, my fiancee had her interview at 8:15 a.m. My mom & I dropped her off at the consulate and decided to go eat breakfast and take a nap. My mom called me at 10:00 a.m. and we left the hotel at 10:30 am. We met lots of people while waiting for my fiancee to come out of her interview. We heard so many stories and it was good to meet others who understood our situation and plight. At 10:45, my fiancee came out and she was crying. I was frozen solid and my mom said "well?" and my fiancee nodded her head "yes"! We started to form a circle doing a group hug, but my mom and fiancee were both hugging and crying so hard, that I stood back. It was okay...I knew at that moment, that I'd have my "wife" to hug for the rest of my life, very soon. I let them have their girly moment and stood back and waited, in shock, feeling relief!.
It took 10 days from her interview to get her visa. We forgot to look at the calendar and didn't realize that the following Monday was an American holiday, and therefore, the consulate was closed. My mom and I both had to leave May 31 to go back to work and my fiancee had to stay in Mexico, at the Airbnb home. I was a nervous wreck, leaving her alone, without any of her family or my family with her. THE ONLY reason I left her was because the host family on airbnb was so loving and kind and protective, I knew she would be okay.
My fiancee crossed the Zaragoza bridge, by foot, just like my mom and I did. She had the same great experience as we did. She had no problems with border patrol agents stamping her visa and letting her cross into the US. She went through border patrol and customs in 20 mintues. She then took an Uber to the El Paso Limousine company my mom and I discovered when my fiancee was getting her biometrics done. It was very affordable ($69). We chose this company over Greyhound because they had more departure times. The buses were very comfortable and clean. We couldn't fly because with all the extra expenses in Ciudad Juraez, we were pretty low on funds.
My fiancee is now my wife and we are now working on the Adjustment of Status process. I wish you all the best of luck on your Visa Journey. Just remember this: nothing worth having comes easy and you must be EXTREMELY patient through the whole process.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #22205