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| Juarez, Mexico |  Review on February 22, 2020: |
adamalv1215
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Haven't posted throughout this process, 2 years since I petitoned for my wife, though this site has helped me tremendously with so many questions I had. So just wanted to leave a review and maybe help someone as scared about the interview as we were.
And it is scary, no matter how much you prepare. The whole week was emotionally draining.
Her interview was on Thursday, February 20, our 2 year anniversary ironically. The wait for the interview was so long (a year) that her police report expired after we recieved the interview letter, but before her interview. So we needed a new one on short notice. It took her sister bullying someone on the phone to get an appointment in Puebla (where she's from) a couple days before leaving for Juarez, and we were glad she did. I know there's an office in Juarez where you can get one, but just having as few things as possible to handle when you're there is helpful.
We arrived on Monday before her interview. I flew into El Paso and crossed the border on foot at the Bridge of the Americas. I was anxious about it just cause I'd never done it before but the Lyft driver who dropped me off was so helpful and cool. It was easy, they don't check anything. I then picked my wife up from the Juarez airport, and we spent the rest of the day at the Courtyard Marriott near the consulate. There's a mall and restaurants nearby but most nights we just ordered UberEats, which was convenient.
Her medical exam was at SMF at 7am the next morning. We arrived maybe 15 minutes before and they took her right in. Throughout the week I was constantly worried about the paperwork I had given her, just praying it was printed correctly, that it was the right papers they wanted, etc. So while she checked in at the clinic I watched her through the window just to make sure she was processed okay, then went back to the hotel. They let her keep her phone, purse, etc, and she updated me throughout. Within not long she had already had her picture taken, x-rays, vision, and something else done. I returned to the clinic to wait in the waiting area (a separate building) when she started texting me worried. She had been sent for a psych exam (which I had expected) but she was scared she had failed the exam. She answered a few questions from the psychologist, then was given 3 vaccines, paid the bill ($405) and was out quickly. She said some there were told they needed over a $1000 worth of vaccines, but said the staff was helpful in making sure only the absolute necessary were given since many who go simply can't afford so many.
She was told to return at 4pm for the results, and that if there was an issue with any of the tests they'd call her. Apparently it would have been 3pm if not for the psych exam. So we spent the afternoon at the mall nearby, and while we were eating lunch she received a call from the clinic. We both went pale. She stepped outside for what felt like an eternity and came back to say the doctor called because she needed to know if she had any children. She had answered that question literally SEVERAL times in the medical exam, but answered it again. Phew. Was a scary 5 minutes.
After the movie we raced to get to the clinic by their 5pm closing time. When we got there we both went to the clerk (its empty at this point so I was allowed in) and were told her results weren't ready, and to come back at 11am the next day. Again, it's hard to describe just how scary any issue that comes up is. Like you know everyone else got their results and for some reason she didn't and you can't help but be scared as to why. She cried. I was worried too, but realized that if they needed her for more tests, they'd have scheduled her in the morning like everyone else, and if there was a problem they'd have mentioned it on the phone when they called. If they wanted her in at 11, it was because they literally just needed more time to finish her paperwork. Likely her case sat in a pile for the callback we got, and just never got completed before the doctor went home early.
I was right. The next day, they told her her results were transmitted to the consulate eletronically, which is a new process they're trying. So we didn't receive a black packet like most people are given. Instead a half sheet of paper was stapled to her interview letter informing the consulate that the results were sent electronically.
That afternoon she had biometrics. There's a crowd outside, and they let people in in groups. She waited in line outside for 10 minutes maybe, and was inside for 20. She said many were sent back outside for not having the right paperwork. In her group only her and a pregnant woman completed the biometrics without being sent back. She said the woman inside was really nice.
The next day was her interview. Her appointment was at 7:45 am but the biometrics lady told her to arrive 20 minutes early. We got there at like 7:10 and she was let in around 7:15 or so. She was inside for 4 hours. She said she saw the pregnant women get approved. Apparently the applicants with electronic medicals were grouped together and they took the longest. Several people/couples I saw walk in after her I also saw walkout before her. I was a nervous wreck, and left and came back, but still ended up waiting for 2 hours outside the consulate for her. You see people come out happy, come out crying, it's awful. She said she was shuffled between rooms, including one cold warehouse-like room she waited the longest, and you have to listen to applicants gossiping about what gets approved and rejected till you just wanna scream. When she was finally in the interview room her section was being called up to one of 3 windows, only 2 of which she could see because the 3rd was around a corner. She said one interviewer was approving almost everyone, and the other denying almost everyone, but that you could hear why and at least realize that their circumstances weren't ours. She kept praying for the good interviewer and thank god was sent to her. We had practiced the interview questions. She was only asked like 5 questions, simple ones we figured like my job, where we met, etc. At some point my wife noticed the interviewer was wearing a pin or shirt or something from my alma mater and said "Oh, my husband graduated from there too".
"Really, what year?"
"Like 2009 I think" [2008, babe]
"Cool. That's before me but cool. Has he taken you yet?"
"No he's wanted to since we met but we haven't had the chance yet."
"Well you will now. Congratulations."
A few minutes later I saw her come out smiling, talking with another woman she was grouped with the entire time, and man, just the biggest sense of relief of my life. So incredibly grateful this process is over.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #28080