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| Juarez, Mexico |  Review on March 23, 2018: |
Karen Espino
Rating:  | Review Topic: K3 Visa
My husband petitioned me for an immigrant visa (US Permanent Residence).
So here's a brief summary of my experience at the US consulate, medical and bio-metrics in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua.
We traveled to Cd. Juarez by car through Mexico, we arrived on a Thursday (Feb. 22, 2018), we stayed at the City Express Ciudad Juarez which is 10 minutes driving distance to the US consulate.
On Friday (Feb. 23, 2018) I had an appointment at 10am for my medical at the Clinica Medica Internacional, (which is right next to the consulate).
They asked me for my passport and vaccination records, since I take controlled medication I let the person know and she advised to tell the doctor during my actual physical.
After that she gave me a number waited for my turn, once my number rang up I went into one of the booths they have, they registered me, asked a few questions, took a picture of me, registered my fingerprints and had me sign electronically so I can authorize them to do the medical and then handed me a wrist band that you cannot take off.
After that they sent me to other chairs where I was getting my vision checked and checked my temperature, once that was done they sent me to other chairs so I can urinate in a cup, a nurse will hand you the cup and give you instructions.
Once that was done they sent me to another building, (they tell you to follow the yellow arrows), next step was getting blood drawn, while I waited for my turn they had me put my fingerprints so they could pull up my information and asked me my name and where I was born, once I confirmed the information they printed a sheet and gave it to me and had me back in line to wait to get blood drawn.
Once my turn was up and they took blood they sent me to another booth to wait to get X-rays done. That was where I waited the longest, everything else was quick, women children are separated from men before going into X-rays.
They asked if anyone was pregnant before going in to X-rays and they only let 6 woman at a time, once I went in they gave me a plastic robe and ask to take my top off, (don't worry they have changing rooms where you can do that privately) then they had us go in one at a time to get a X-ray, the radiologist was really nice and gave us specific instructions on what to do.
After they took the X-rays I went back into the changing room to put my top back on and after they told me to take my robe and go sit on the chairs to wait to be seen by a doctor. They are only 3 women doctors doing the physical so it was a bit slow. Once I went back in the booth they assign me to a doctor, once it was my turn the doctor told me to undress and just keep my underwear and put on the plastic robe given to me when X-rays. The doctor asked me health related questions, asked me If I took any controlled medication which I do, antidepressants and some other pills, they asked me why I took them and I explained and showed them the letter my psychiatric made for me to present to them and showed them my pills, they weighed me and checked my blood pressure. She checked me for any tattoos, scars (which she asked how I got them), moles and birth marks. After that she had me sign a paper told me to get dress, and to go to vaccination and to psychology.
I went into the vaccination booth, they once again asked for my fingerprints and printed out a receipt so I can pay at the cashiers they have once I am done with vaccination. They only applied 2 vaccinations the flu shot and a booster, because according to my vaccination records I had all of them and that's all I needed. After that they told me to pay and go to psychology.
I paid $365 dollars, it's different for everyone depending what shots you get.
Since they were not taking anymore patients at psychology because it was already late they rescheduled me on Monday (Feb. 26, 2018) at 6am and told me through what doors to enter.
I lasted about 5 hours in medical, there's a lot of people and for women is a bit more slower when it comes to the actual physical, for men it was faster.
Monday (Feb. 26, 2018) was my appointment again at Clinica Medica Internacional for psychology at 6AM.
I arrived at 5:45AM at the medical center, once again I was sitting on the chairs waiting for my turn. They send you there if you have any tattoos, been arrested or take any controlled medication (which I take medication). Once it was my turn they asked for my fingerprints, asked about my full name, where I was born, where I live, what I do for a living, then they asked me what type of medication I take and letter from my doctor explaining why I take it, the dose and for how long and also to show them my pills. Once I answered all that they told me I could pick up my medical results that same day at 6PM.
I got there at 5:45am and was done by 7:15am.
Monday (Feb. 26, 2018) was also my appointment at Bio-Metrics at 8:40AM.
As soon as I got out the medical place we walked over to the Bio-Metrics center which is also right next to the consulate in a little plaza.
There's also a lot of people but they do not let you in until 10 minutes before your appointment. There's security guards instructing people, and on the door they have like a paper clock where they show what time appointment they are letting in. Once you see the time of your appointment on the door (they also yell it out) you line up outside the door and they tell you to turn off your cellphone, (DO NOT PUT IT ON SILENT BECAUSE THEY WILL SEND YOU BACK OUT, ALSO IF YOU HAVE BIG PURSES OR BACKPACKS THEY WILL SEND YOU BACK OUT TO LEAVE IT OUTSIDE.) Once I went in I had to put my papers in a bin, I left my purse and cellphone outside with my husband since I didn't want any issues, a security guard ran metal detector on me, once I was cleared they told me to go to the booth so they can register me, they asked me for my passport, bio-metrics confirmation letter (DS 260) and the confirmation letter of my interview at the consulate. They registered me then they had me take a seat on some chairs and wait for my turn, there was a guard telling people what booths to go to.
Once it was my turn they asked for my passport, bio-metrics confirmation letter and consulate confirmation letter for my interview once again, they took my pictures and fingerprints and they asked if I had everything for my interview, I said that I was only missing my medical results but I was going to pick them up later that day at 6pm, they said ok and gave me a paper where it said where I was picking up my package if approved and they mentioned I could no longer change the receiving address.
The Bio-metrics was really quick, went it at 8:40am and was out at 9:05am.
I was really checking times to see how long I took in every place.
That same day I went to pick up my medical results at 6pm, there were A LOT of people also waiting to pick up their results.
They had us sit down and they informed us that we could NOT open the black plastic bag because it contained our results and only the consulate could open them, if we opened them the consulate would deny it and we had to redo them and had to reschedule our interview. And they also advised that there would be a sheet and CD stapled to the bag, that was ours to keep and to save because once we would enter the US they would ask for that and that they do not provide copies of that.
Once they were done explaining I had to listen for my name being called so they could hand me my results.
I got there at 5;45 pm and got out at 7:35 pm.
Tuesday (Feb. 27, 2018) the day of my interview at the US consulate, my interview was at 8:15am.
There was also A LOT A LOT of people outside, I got there at 6:00am with my parents, sister and husband.
I lined up to go in at 7:00am, they waited for me outside by the corner store OXXO next to the consulate.
Before entering the first building the consulate officials scanned my passport and asked for my confirmation interview letter and the bio-metrics confirmation letter. Then they sent me to another line to wait for the guards to open the door, I had to go through metal detectors then they gave me a number and told me to exit the building and outside they would be guards telling me where to go. They sent me and other people to a pavilion where it's a waiting area, there's other pavilions but depends where they tell you to wait. I sat in there waiting for a consulate official to tell the guards to let certain lines go in to the building where they are doing the interviews. They let 5 lines at a time, which each line has 10 people.
I waited there about 30 minutes then they let us in, we sat in another chairs waiting for the official to assign us a window, they asked me for my original birth certificate, original marriage certificate and original police record letter and asked me who was sponsoring me and they returned some pictures we had sent when my husband first did my process. After that was done they gave me another paper and told me to sit on some green chairs where I would wait for my interview.
I waited there for 1 hour, waiting for another official to tells us what side to go to. Once the official called our line he told us to line up to a certain area where we were just waiting for our turn to be interviewed, I waited there another hour. You can hear everyone's case and what they are being asked. the person interviewing you is behind a window and they talk through a microphone and you hear them through a speaker.
Once it was my turn, the person interviewing had me swear that I was telling the truth and not committing any fraud, once I swore she asked me a couple of questions.
1. who is your petitioner?
2. what does he do for a living?
3. How did you meet?
4. when was the last you saw him?
5. What do you do for a living?
And that was it, my interview lasted 7 minutes and my visa was approved. The lady gave me a green paper that had instructions on how to track the package and a white pamphlet that listed my rights in the US.
She also told me that as soon as I receive the package that I should not open it and take it unopened to the international bridge, the officers there would register me and instruct me on what to use to cross the bridge, and lastly that the package will arrive at domicile (DHL) in 1 to 2 weeks.
The reason why I received my package through DHL is because I live in Mexico and I chose to receive it at my hometown when we started my process.
The package was delivered on March 8, 2018, I received an email confirming that I could go pick up my package with an ID and tracking number.
I crossed to the US on Saturday March 10, 2018, they took me into an office and opened the package, entered information to the computer and stamped my passport, they told me I could use my passport to cross for a year.
Review of the city.
Everyone there is really nice, and the zone is really nice and safe, we felt comfortable the whole 6 days we stayed there.
GPS worked like a charm we drove everywhere, also the hotel has transportation that can take you to the medical place, bio-metrics and consulate I heard it was free or the receptionist can call a cab for you.
Hopefully this information helped anyone that is about to experience this.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #23499