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| Juarez, Mexico |  Review on June 19, 2010: |
Ralph of Kansas
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
My wife had her medical exam on Monday 31 May at one of the two approved clinics just a block away from our new consulate general bldg. Then we had her interview the next day. Go to the medical clinic and the consulate as early as you can, there was a large crowd when we arrived at both places before 6:00 a.m. Whatever you do, do NOT lose the number ticket you receive when you start waiting for processing at the consulate or you will have to come back the next day. STRONGLY SUGGEST that everyone bring all supporting documents, letters, cards, MoneyGram receipts, long distance \'phone cards, photos, wedding albums, bills, lease contracts, health care powers of attorney (showing your spouse as one of your health care agents in case of emergency), extra certified copies of BOTH spouses\' birth certificates, marriage certificate, etc. that you can. We carried in a gym bag with at least 30 lbs. of documents, just in case. Guess what our interviewing consular officer needed to see (after I had already sent it in during our IR-1 visa process 3 times) -- my certified Kansas birth certificate! (She was very nice, polite to both of us during the interview.) Also, American spouses, STRONGLY SUGGEST that you stick right with your Mexican spouse throughout the process at the consulate (you need to carry all of those heavy documents for your spouse, right?) The interview will be conducted in front of a thick glass bank teller\'s type window, with you standing on one side and the consular officer sitting on the other side. There must be at least 80 windows in that building! American spouses, stand by your Mexican spouse so that the consular officer knows a U.S. citizen with POUNDS of extra documentation is right there watching and ready to show whatever they need. Be polite, be straightforward, and THANK the consular officer when your spouse\'s visa is granted. Also, if you can\'t stick around Juarez long enough to pick up the approved visa packet at the local DHL office that it will be sent to in 1 to 5 business days after the interview, you might want to check out Aldaba\'s Asesoria Migratioria next to the Holiday Inn Express & Suites and the Microtel Inns & Suites on Paseo de la Victoria, just a couple of blocks down the same road as our consulate. (Muchas Gracias to Patricia Alcantar at the Microtel hotel for steering us to Aldaba\'s) As it turned out we picked up our packet at DHL the next day after our interview, and headed straight to the Border to have my Wife ADMITTED to the U.S., but if time constraints won\'t let you stay in town long enough after the interview, we were told that you can have Aldaba\'s pick up your approved visa packet at DHL (with your notarized power of attorney document that they can arrange for right there) and have it forwarded to you via DHL. We were told the cost would be around US $50 for their services and about US $100 to ship via DHL, insured. Well worth the money I\'d say if you have to leave Juarez before your packet arrives at the DHL office. There are several nice hotels along the Paseo de la Vicoria, just blocks up or down from our consulate on the same road. We loved the Denney\'s restaurant right there, and the La Misiones shopping mall across the street from the Holiday Inn Express. Good luck and God bless.
(updated on June 19, 2010)
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #6242