H1-b renewal and traveling to the Mexico border

lorestan

Registered Users (C)
Hey guys,
I am in process of renewing my H1b and my company is planning to send me to the Mexico border (American side only) for work for couple of days...The INS is saying that it'll take 30 to 60 days to process my application (from May-28th 2003). I am planning for the trip in Aug-2003...What if I don't recive anything from INS...
I know there are couple of check point in the way, can I show them the copy of the received letter from INS??????????????
thx
 
You need H1 Extension approval Notice from BCIS in hand and all the supporting documents from your employer to apply for passport Visa in Mexico or Canada.
 
Any thoughts on preparation to do the multiple stamping in tijuana...


I am planning to goto madras in Oct., and all the dates in chennai consulate are fully booked in Oct., i am going there for a short stay (bro's marriage) and it is not possible for me to explore delhi or bombay.

so i would like to know what people think about going to tijuana mexico to get the multiple entry stamped on my passport.

is it okay and manageable? or is canada better?

i have an expired F1 on my passport and a valid H1-B Paper approval. what are my options?
 
if you are thinking of going to get H visa from Mexico
Visit:
http://www.acpsc.net/acps_8m.files/1859.files/ToMexico.html
http://www.smu.edu/international/mexicovisa.asp

O R
Contact Victor Garcia/Marco Garcia:
Address: 3812 OXFORD
El Paso, TX 79903
Phone: 915-564-3691
(Residence phone with answer machine, you can leave a message. Victor will promptly call you back.)
Cell Ph: 915-726-0957
Website: http://www.victorgarcia.com/
After you made the appointment, call Victor Garcia to make sure he knows when you are going to El Paso. You need to mail the following to him after the call:
1. copy of passport (with picture and expiration date)
2. appointment letter (if you don't have the letter, give him the reference number)
3. $50.00 cashier check or money order pay to the order of Victor Garcia, this is visa application fee. Visa application fee must be paid at a branch of Banco BANNMEX in Pesos (see the appointment letter). Victor Garcia will pay the application fee and get the payment receipt from bank for you.
4. The Spanish letter to authorize Victor Garcia getting a entry permit for you to Mexico. This letter needs to be notarized by a public notary. You can check Dallas Yellow Page to find a notary office and please don't sign it until you the notary office stamped on the letter, normally it cost $6 for notation.
The following is the Spanish letter to send to Mr. Garcia, please make sure get notarized. You can download this letter from http://www.victorgarcia.com/, or you can simply make it by using a copy machine.
Your Name Here:
Address Here:
Tel: xxx-xxx-xxxx
A quien corresponda:
De manera muy atenta y con todo el respeto hacia el Gobierno Mexicano. Authorizo legalmente al Sr. Marco o Victor Garcia para que se presente en las oficinas de Gobernacion en Cd. Juarez, Mexico con el fin de tramitar un permiso de Visitante local. El cual es requerido para mi internacion legal con el unico objectivo de adquirir una Visa Americana en el consulado Americano en esta ciudad.
Agradesco de antemano su coperacion.
Sinceramente

(Signature here)

English translation:
Your name here
To whom it may concern:
In a good manner and with all respect toward the Mexican Government, I authorize Mr. Victor or Marco Garcia to get me a legal permit to enter Mexico, with only the purpose of visiting the American Consulate in Ciudad Jaurez Chih, Mexico, to obtain an American Visa.
transportation, $30 for Mexico permit); $100 to the U.S. Consulate (for citizens of India only), $6 at INS for I-94, $5 for the cab you will take back to the U.S. border, and enough for food. Please prepare exact change for these sums of money.
You might not be asked to show all these documents to the consulate. Most likely the consulate officer will ask only for two or three, but you never know which documents the consulate will ask you to provide. It is wise to have all documents prepared.
The Trip
a) If you drive, please go to http://www.victorgarcia.com/ for useful maps
b) If you fly, please find the following Airline information:
American Airline: www.aa.com
Southwest Airline: www.iflyswa.com
Continental Airline: www.continental.com
c) Accommodation: Most students who use Victor Garcia's help are staying in the Econolodge Hotel:
Econolodge Hotel
6363 Montana Avenue
El Paso, TX 79925
Phone: 915-778-3311
Call the hotel for a room reservation. Please tell them you are a student changing a visa in Mexico -- you can get a rate of $39 per night, plus 14% service charge, with free breakfast (donuts, coffee, and orange juice). Master Card are accepted.
d) Arrive El Paso:
· If you are flying into El Paso, upon arrival at El Paso airport, please call Econolodge by using the phone at the phone booth for hotels. The hotel will pick you up within 15 minutes for free.
· Call Victor Garcia after you check in and tell him your room number.
The Visa Day
a) In the morning of your appointment day, Marco or Victor Garcia will picks up from your hotel around 7:30 a.m. regardless of your appointment time (either 8:00 AM or 9:00 AM). Make sure that you have all the documents with you. Leave camera, cellular phone, etc. at the hotel front desk. These are not allowed in the US Consulate. Mr. Garcia will give you the bank receipt of your visa application fee (the $50.00 you sent to him). He will briefly tell you what to expect at the border, where he will drop you off and what to do after you've got the visa.
b) At the US-Mexico border: Have your passport, appointment letter, and Mexico permit ready, in case Mexico guard checks it. KEEP YOUR I-94 FORM (Usually, Mexico border guard will not ask for your I-94). You should be able to reenter the U.S. as long as your I-94 form is valid (in case your visa is denied).
c) Outside of the US Consulate: Mr. Garcia will collect $70 from you. Usually there is a long line outside of the US Consulate, Mr. Garcia will talk to the guard and let you in without having to wait in the line. You need to show your appointment letter to get in.
d) Inside of the US Consulate: Once inside of the US Consulate, the guard will point you to the right building (Building B). You will wait in the line to submit the application.
e) Submit the application: The Consulate will collect the following information from you: Passport, application form (OF156) with photo, and the bank receipt.
f) The interview: You will be called once it is your turn to be interviewed. Be polite and calm. g) Get the visa and check it. Depending upon how many requests are ahead of yours, it may take some time to get your visa and passport back. When you do, make sure you double-check everything, especially the passport number and the name on your visa. Also check for the letter "M" under the visa, which indicates a multiple-entry visa. Chinese citizens should check for the number "2" under the visa, which indicates a double-entry visa (valid only for the next 3 months). If there are any mistakes, immediately ask the consulate to correct them.
h) Back to the Mexico-U.S. border:
If everything is fine, you can call a cab outside of the Consulate. Tell them you need to go to the Mexico border and you are paying $5.00 per person. The cab driver will drop you off at the border. You will walk about 400 yards to the US INS building.
i) Back to US:
Once you have passed the Mexico border, go into the US INS building on the right hand side to have your I-94 and your passport stamped. You will be waiting in the line at window 14 (Business window). Once you have your I-94 and passport stamped, you need to pay $6.00 at the cashier's window. Make sure that you have the exact change. Once you've got your passport and I-94 back, you can exit the INS building by showing the guard your visa and I-94.
j) Call Mr. Garcia to Take You Back To El Paso:
Use the public phone to call Mr. Garcia to pick you up from outside of the INS building. Mr. Garcia will pick you up within 10-15 minutes and drop you off at the hotel. If you need to go to the airport, the hotel shuttle bus will send you there for free
What If Your Visa Is Denied?
Under the old immigration rules if your visa was denied you could re-enter the United States with your valid signed I-20 or DS-2019 (IAP-66) as though the visa were still valid. Under the new rules that have been in place since April 1, 2002 if your visa is denied you WILL NOT be able to re-enter the United States. You will have to return to your home country from Mexico and apply for the F-1 or J-1 visa there. AUTOMATIC REVALIDATION OF (YOUR) VISA no longer applies if you are denied a visa as a TCN. This is true for those TCNs who are denied visas at U.S. Embassies or Consulates in Canada as well.
 
Thanks a lot...

To ginnu.,

Thanks a lot., That was a very informative mail. I will supply the link to all my friends who might want to proceed in this direction.

Thanks again for taking such pains and your time to help me and others out here., Balaji.C
 
Any new experiences to Tijuana, pls post, we are planning to go to Tijuana for changing from H1 to H4. We have approved i-539 from INS too..

thanks
 
TJ

I was sent to Tj border (inside the USA) so unfortunately, I can't answer your question. Thanks
 
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