The purpose
Get my H1 renewal and my wife's H4 renewal.
The process
Getting an appointment through the website
http://www.visa-usa.com.mx/ is fairly simple. Appointments are available much quicker than most other locations. I got mine 14 days before going.
Banamex receipt
Each of us had to pay $100 USD, the bank opens at 9(not a problem).
We paid in cash and got back either Pesos or USD. Everyone has an 8 AM appointment. Dont worry. Its ok. You can walk to the bank easily. Pay and come back easily by 9:15 AM.
Papers required
Everything you own
Getting to Mexico
Many say that a visa is required, I was told the same by the Mexican consulate...but they never approved me in time, so I went without one.
I live in Phoenix, so I drove my own car all the way. Many others have stayed at the Best Western on the US side, but I chose to stay in Mexico at the Fiesta Inn(very nice hotel, free internet and shuttle to anywhere in town).
By the time I got to Mexico, it was 2:30 AM on Monday and nobody checked a damn thing. Nobody was even there on the border to check. The Mcdonalds that everyone talks about is close enough to park and walk. Ofcourse if you are getting there in the morning, its ok....but at night...there wasnt much around there to help.
I then found my hotel(luckily I might add)--which was a 10-12 minute drive through town....on Avenue Obregon(which is the main street)--just follow signs on that or Hermosillo which is labeled as I15.
Judgement Day
I woke up at 6:30, had breakfast the Fiesta Inn and had their shuttle drop me off at the consulate. Since the bank doesnt open till 9...there is no need to do this. Just get up at 8...relax...head the bank and then go the consulate once. Infact if you stay at the Fiesta Inn, there's a Banamex right next door.
By the time, I got into the consulate(no keys, no nothing basically aside from papers) it was 9:30 AM and there was no line. I sat through my fingerprinting process which took about 10 minutes and then had to sit and wait for 3 hours before our number was called. We were number 50. Apparently the other Mexican workers applying for their work visas hog up the 3-4 counters first and then the rest are called.
The interviewer asked my papers, resume, my approval notice and my application forms for my labor. She took out my certificates and some work related info from that packet and told me the visa would be approved.
My wife had to pay $15 in reciprocity fee inside the consulate since she is from Thailand. We paid by Credit Card.
Came back at 3--and only my visa was issued. So went back to the hotel and stayed an extra night. Not many were given the dreaded 221g from what I could tell. My wife's wasnt done in time probably because we were interviewed around 12:30 PM
In the evening, went and hung out at the Nogales mall and watched Spider Man 3. Quite safe even at 1 AM. Picked up my wife's passport the next day at 2:45 PM.
Coming back into the US
Driving back I didnt realize that there were 2 different checkposts in Nogales.
I happened to go through the "truckers route" or the "vacationers route".
Got there around 3...the traffic was plenty but I was at the post around 3:45.
They called in an officer and he asked us to park in the side. Went inside and paid $6 each for the I-94. We were the only ones there and it took 5 minutes.
That's it. Done.
Just some pointers
You dont need to wake up at 6.
You dont really need Mexican visas.
You dont have to worry about getting killed there
You can easily walk around the consulate for food, bank etc.
Any other info, just ask.
Get my H1 renewal and my wife's H4 renewal.
The process
Getting an appointment through the website
http://www.visa-usa.com.mx/ is fairly simple. Appointments are available much quicker than most other locations. I got mine 14 days before going.
Banamex receipt
Each of us had to pay $100 USD, the bank opens at 9(not a problem).
We paid in cash and got back either Pesos or USD. Everyone has an 8 AM appointment. Dont worry. Its ok. You can walk to the bank easily. Pay and come back easily by 9:15 AM.
Papers required
Everything you own
Getting to Mexico
Many say that a visa is required, I was told the same by the Mexican consulate...but they never approved me in time, so I went without one.
I live in Phoenix, so I drove my own car all the way. Many others have stayed at the Best Western on the US side, but I chose to stay in Mexico at the Fiesta Inn(very nice hotel, free internet and shuttle to anywhere in town).
By the time I got to Mexico, it was 2:30 AM on Monday and nobody checked a damn thing. Nobody was even there on the border to check. The Mcdonalds that everyone talks about is close enough to park and walk. Ofcourse if you are getting there in the morning, its ok....but at night...there wasnt much around there to help.
I then found my hotel(luckily I might add)--which was a 10-12 minute drive through town....on Avenue Obregon(which is the main street)--just follow signs on that or Hermosillo which is labeled as I15.
Judgement Day
I woke up at 6:30, had breakfast the Fiesta Inn and had their shuttle drop me off at the consulate. Since the bank doesnt open till 9...there is no need to do this. Just get up at 8...relax...head the bank and then go the consulate once. Infact if you stay at the Fiesta Inn, there's a Banamex right next door.
By the time, I got into the consulate(no keys, no nothing basically aside from papers) it was 9:30 AM and there was no line. I sat through my fingerprinting process which took about 10 minutes and then had to sit and wait for 3 hours before our number was called. We were number 50. Apparently the other Mexican workers applying for their work visas hog up the 3-4 counters first and then the rest are called.
The interviewer asked my papers, resume, my approval notice and my application forms for my labor. She took out my certificates and some work related info from that packet and told me the visa would be approved.
My wife had to pay $15 in reciprocity fee inside the consulate since she is from Thailand. We paid by Credit Card.
Came back at 3--and only my visa was issued. So went back to the hotel and stayed an extra night. Not many were given the dreaded 221g from what I could tell. My wife's wasnt done in time probably because we were interviewed around 12:30 PM
In the evening, went and hung out at the Nogales mall and watched Spider Man 3. Quite safe even at 1 AM. Picked up my wife's passport the next day at 2:45 PM.
Coming back into the US
Driving back I didnt realize that there were 2 different checkposts in Nogales.
I happened to go through the "truckers route" or the "vacationers route".
Got there around 3...the traffic was plenty but I was at the post around 3:45.
They called in an officer and he asked us to park in the side. Went inside and paid $6 each for the I-94. We were the only ones there and it took 5 minutes.
That's it. Done.
Just some pointers
You dont need to wake up at 6.
You dont really need Mexican visas.
You dont have to worry about getting killed there
You can easily walk around the consulate for food, bank etc.
Any other info, just ask.