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| Juarez, Mexico |  Review on July 20, 2011: |
jasoncerri
Rating:  | Review Topic: General Review
Hi all, I got back a few days ago and here is my review. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Arrived: Sunday. Flew into El Paso, and got ride across bridge into Juarez. Checked in at La Quinta (more on the hotel later). 30 minutes later took taxi to pick up fiance and her daughter from CJS Airport. Returned to hotel and ate across the street at Mega Tacos. They didn't want to accept US Dollars and I didnt have time to exchange so I ended up paying with my card. Pretty good food.
Monday: Me and the girls wake up at 5am, in order to do medical appt at 6. Shuttle took us there and we were in line by 6:05. For some reason we ended up at the blue/white medical clinic which apparently is the better one of the two. We go through security, and get seperated from the girls. They asked for the girls Passports, Appt confirmation, and invitation letter from the Consulate. No DS 260 but we bought it anyways, they didnt ask for it, doesnt hurt to bring it though. Sit around for a while. Then they call my fiance and her daughter to the window, I watch them give their data then they waive for me to come to the window. Damn, I thought something was wrong. No, everything was fine, but they seperate the adults and children so I had to take my fiances daughter (Diana) to the upstairs part where we waited. My fiance (Elvira) went to do X-rays and such. The child didn't have to. We go upstairs and wait and finally they call Diana's name. They give her a shot to check for TB, no swimming til Wednesday!
The doctor asked for her mom, and LUCKILY Elvira was now in the same upstairs waiting area for her turn. She just asked how the pregnancy was (10 years ago), if any abnormalties, etc. Everything was fine. So, we were done and Elvira was done shortly after. We were done by 8:30am or so. Went downstairs to pay, it was about $330 USD for both. Then called the shuttle and went back to hotel.
Elvira's results were ready at 2pm. We went back and she got them. She was fine, but there were some people that they called out by a nurse wearing a mask and protective gear so maybe they tested for TB. After we got the results (less than 20 minutes) we went to the mall across the street. IT's big! and new looking. We would get to know that mall well since there is not much to do in Juarez and not many places to go that are safe.
****NOTE ABOUT THE CLINIC - THERE ARE COYOTES RIGHT OUTSIDE, ATTEMPTING TO REVIEW YOUR PAPERS AND CHARGE YOU FOR UNNECESSARY THINGS. AVOID THEM, JUST KEEP WALKING AND DO NOT LISTEN. IF YOU NEED SOMETHING, THEY WILL TELL YOU IN THE CLINIC, NOT OUTSIDE OF IT****
Tuesday: ASC. This was fairly simple. Shuttle drops us off at about 200pm for their 230pm ASC appointment. We are waiting outside (almost no shade) and man is it HOT! Finally they put the sign on the window saying "Now accepting 230pm appointments". The girls are some of the first to line up. Showing their passports, invitation letter, appointment confirmation AND DS 260 for EACH. YOU MUST HAVE THE DS 260 RECEIPT NOTICE. They turned away A LOT of people for not having this. They go in and I wait outside frying in the sun, haha. They come out about 30 minutes later with little stickers on their DS 260 showing that they completed the process. You WILL need to bring that to the consulate interview.
Wednesday: Picked up Diana's medical results. We went to the clinic at 11am. Everything ok! They check the injection area (around the elbow area) and it kept showing negative for TB. so they said she was good and could swim! HOWEVER, you do not get the results there. They tell you to come back, I think we went back at 4pm and they then gave us the black envelope (DO NOT OPEN) and that was it. She was fine and we were done for the day. I think we went back to the mall to eat.
Thursday: Nothing....Prepared for Friday interview. Organized all documents and had Elvira review my info (address, phone number, etc). She knew it all, but you still want to review!
Friday: Interview at 715am. We leave hotel at 6am and get to the Sala de Espera about 10 minutes later. I am with them the whole step of the way. They review the documents (passports, DS 260s with stickers for EACH, invitation letter, and appointment confirmation) then tell us to take another seat and wait. Waited for 5 - 10 minutes then they call "All 715 am appointments please proceed". So we walk down the long sidewalk to the consulate entrance area. I have to leave them there, thats as far as I can go. They go in. I see A LOT of people coming right back out so be sure to have all documents and be sure to check what you wear and what you bring (i.e. no cell phones allowed in). I waited nervously for about 25 minutes and they did not come back out so I figured they were good. There is a plaza right next to the consulate so you can sit there. Plenty of restaurants and stuff if you want breakfast (I was too nervous to eat). I bought a Juarez newspaper and tried to read it, but too nervous to concentrate. Finally, about 915am, the girls come walking out. Elvira has such a poker face that I wasn't sure how it went. She said, "well they gave me this", and it was the blue form that says she can't get a visa now, but she is eligible to file the waiver. That was good news! We knew that would happen since she was illegal in the US before, but sometimes people dont end up waiver eligible. She is waiver eligible so it is good news! We go back on 08/31 to file her waiver. Although, we still have a lot of the journey left, it was a HUGE relief off my shoulders. We celebrated and went to Dennys! (haha). We enjoyed the rest of the day together and then went home on Saturday. Oh yea, one big note on the consulate interview that my fiance mentioned. They asked her pretty standard questions (my name, address, etc. Has she ever been to the US, how long, any trouble with police, etc?) But at one point the official asked, "Ok, so your husband filled out the forms?" to which Elvira responded, "actually, my fiance filled out the forms". Who knows if it was an accident or if they were trying to catch her in a trap, but just pay attention to what they ask you. Everyone we met were doing 130 petitions for spouses, so its possible that the official was just used to nearly everyone petitioning for spouses, but better safe then sorry. Be very attentive to what they say. My fiance did say that there were not mean to her, they werent super nice, but they werent mean either. So they are just doing their job just like the rest of us. Keep in mind they live in that area, so I'm sure they are under a lot of stress regarding the safety there, so just be amicable and I'm sure everything will be fine.
A few notes on Juarez: Not much to do there. There is the mall, and a movie theatre in the mall. The La Quinta had a pool, and that was about it. Last Tuesday we were there, they had 21 homicides in the city in ONE day. So, we saw Federal Police driving like crazy up and down the boulevards all day. It's a tough place. We felt safe at La Quinta, but sometimes the shuttle takes a LONG time to pick you up (we went shopping at Walmart and waited over 1 hour). So we were standing outside waiting and you feel kind of vulnerable. We ended up taking several taxis so as not to wait outside for the shuttle. The La Quinta was pretty good, but next appointment we might stay closer since it is only one day and not one week.
However, that said, you should go with your spouse/fiance if you can. You can enjoy yourselves there and we felt safe in the mall and the immediate area around the consulate, so you dont have to be locked in the hotel all day. Beware of the taxi drivers, some will try to cheat you. At the end of the day, just use common sense as you would in ANY big city in the US or anywhere in the world.
Good luck to all and let me know if any questions.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #7971