Successful stamping in Tijuana

K

kasheth

Registered Users (C)
I had an appointment for H1B stamping on March 5, 2007 in Tijuana. My and My family's (my wife and daughter) visa stamping was done successfully. Before visiting the consulate, I had read this discussion forums and the posting were very helpful. Thank you to all of those who had contributed.

I believe if you do your homework before going there and make sure that you take all the documents that you need for successful stamping, you should get your visa without any problems. I saw couple of cases were denied because they did not have enough supporting documents and they were asked to come back to the consulate when they are ready with those documents. Certainly, you do not want to find yourself in a position that you are not issued the visa that you are seeking and the visa stamp that you already have in your passport is canceled.

It was nice experience visitng the US consulate in Tijuana. But, we had to wait for a long time to get our I-94s at the San Ysidro Port of Entry building. It does not matter if you submit your passports there at 3 pm or at 5 pm, they will keep them aside and ask you to wait. They will concentrate issuing you I-94s only after all other people are done, so it looks like they give the least priority to the H1B holders. Please, be prepared to wait there for 2-3 hours or even more duration there. Not only that, the I-94 issuing officer might ask you even more questions than you were asked at the US consulate visa office who issued you the visa. I was there with my family and by the time (7:15 pm) we got back to US (in San Ysidro), we were exhausted.

I am putting my experience here so that it might be helpful to some one else.

Thank you.
 
Hi Kasheth,
Thanks for sharing your experiences. It helps many people like me a lot. I have few questions. Can you please answer? I have an appointment for H1B extension in Tijuana in the last week of this month.

1. Generally at what time on that day consulate is returning our visas? You said we might have to wait 2-3 hrs to get back our I-94s. I have my return flight at 7:30 PM in San Diego. I am just wondering whether I should reschedule this?

2. Can we keep our baggage at security point in consulate? I am taking my baggage and just wondering how to manage that since I am going from San Diego that morning.

Thanks and appreciate your response,
-KayK
 
Congrats kasheth,

Could you please answer these questions?

#1
What were question that VO asked you?

#2
Document List

#3
What were those documents that other people didn’t had, any idea?

#4
For which year of H1 did you get the stamping, is it based on Green Card (more than 6 years)

Please reply!
 
I had some other questions also.

How long did it take for you at bank paying visa fees? What was the procedure there? At what time they open in the morning?

Thanks in advance,
 
1. Generally at what time on that day consulate is returning our visas? You said we might have to wait 2-3 hrs to get back our I-94s. I have my return flight at 7:30 PM in San Diego. I am just wondering whether I should reschedule this?

I would advise you to reschedule.

2. Can we keep our baggage at security point in consulate? I am taking my baggage and just wondering how to manage that since I am going from San Diego that morning.

There is a shop outside the embassy. They keep your stuff for some money.
 
#1
What were question that VO asked you?

Not many questions. Mainly where do you work and what is the exact nature of your job.....

#2
Document List
I do not have a checklist, but you should take:
- your passports
- appointment confirmation page
- ds-156 and ds-157
- experience/recommendation letters
- employment and offer letters from your company
- degree certificates and transcripts
- pay check stubs
- bank statements
- your original I-797 approval


#3
What were those documents that other people didn’t had, any idea?

I did not get chance to talk to any of those. But, here is what US embassy focuses:

you have to have at least one of:
(1) you are highly qualified for the position that your company has offered
(2) you have two or more years of prior experience in the field in which you are working.

Basically, they want to find out: What makes you special for that company to hire you for that position.

#4
For which year of H1 did you get the stamping, is it based on Green Card (more than 6 years)

I believe I can still get extension.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
How long did it take for you at bank paying visa fees? What was the procedure there? At what time they open in the morning?

People started forming line outside the bank about 8:30 or so. It opens 9 am
 
hello Kasheth,

thanks for detailed information.
I heard the us consulate has moved to new location at Zona Rio.
can you please tell me how far the bank is from the new us consulate? do we need to take cab or just walk?

thank you
LCstat
 
LCstat said:
hello Kasheth,

thanks for detailed information.
I heard the us consulate has moved to new location at Zona Rio.
can you please tell me how far the bank is from the new us consulate? do we need to take cab or just walk?

thank you
LCstat
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right that the US consulate is now at a new location. The Banamex bank is not far away from the new consulate. You may walk or take a cab.
 
Thanks Kasheth,

I have one more question.

did you get/apply he Mexican Visa/Permet? if yes, Did anyone ask for it?

Thanks,
-VS
 
Many thnaks for your response Kasheth. It helps me a lot. I also have the same question as vsaxena.

Is mexican visa is really needed for us if we have US visa extension in mexico? What type of visa is needed?

Thank you,
 
Hello Kasheth

It would be really great if you could provide me the following details.

1. Which Banamex Branch did you went? Is it
Branch: C.F. RIO TIJUANA,BC
Branch Number: 626
Street: PASEO DE LOS HEROES No. 10101
Neighborhood: ZONA RIO
Phone: (664) 84 - 00 - 77
Fax: (664) 84 - 00 - 77
Working hours
Monday to Friday: 09:00 - 16:00 Hrs.
Saturday: --
Sunday: --
City/Precinct:TIJUANA
State: BAJA CALIFORNIA NORTE
ZIP Code: 22320

2. How far from the Banamex bank to Consulate Annex in Zona Rio. If you provide some rough direction it will be good.

3. From border at what time you took the cab?

4. From Bank how did you commute, if by cab whether it is easy to communicate with the cab driver. Whether they are familiar with nearby Consulate..

Thanks in Advance Kasheth.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Towards H1B visa application enlightenment at US Consulate Tijuana

I just went through the H1B visa application process at US Consulate in Tijuana mid March, 2007. Wrote this thing to help fellow H1B applicants to relieve anxiety.

Before we start, I hope you’re aware of the new location of the visa office since January 2007. If not, you have done too little homework so far.

1. Overall timeline

A. 9:00am – 9:15am: getting your receipt for the $100 visa fee payment at a BanaMex branch office
B. 9:30am – about 10:30am: interview at the US Consulate’s visa office
C. 3:00pm – 5:00pm: getting back stamped passport, along with your I-797
D. 5:00pm – 6:00pm: getting back to the US side
E. 6:00pm – 7:00pm: clearing US customs, getting your new I-94.
F. 7:00pm: breathing again.


2. General notes

Time difference: California time is not Tijuana time. You might be one hour early because of the daylight saving time.

Currency: dollars are accepted everywhere including parking lots and Red Cross fundraising.

Prices: Taxi: $5. Coffee at a trendy place: similar to US prices. Staples: higher than their US stores, I think. Internet café: $1 for 30 minutes.

Cell phone reception: typically you get some signal. With mine, I was able to check my voice mail but the voice was totally broken. My phone was also able to update time correctly. And from time to time mine picked up local signals and showed local time.


3A. BanaMex

The visa office is at Diego Rivera #2, on the block east of the main thoroughfare Padeo De Los Heroes in the district of Zona Rio.

The closest BaneMex office is on Padeo De Los Heroes, about two blocks north, close to the cross street of Ave Independencia. Takes about 15 minutes to walk there if you want.

BanaMex offices open at 9am sharp.

One thing you might not expect is that there is a long queue before the door opens. When I got there 8:45am, I found more than 40 people before me, and I almost got an anxiety attack because I needed to get to the visa office by 9:15am if I could.

Then at 9am, the queue started to move, briskly, I must say. I got my number 9:05, was herded into a queue. On 9:11am, I got to the window, and after paying $100 plus $5 something, I got the receipt, and got out 9:13am.

I drove to the visa office, and joined the queue there 9:30am. (I drove my Dollar rental car into Tijuana. Dollar sells Mexican insurance for $25 a day. High deductibles.)


3B. Visa interview

The Consulate lady at the queue checks everyone’s application form. Once that’s done, she makes sure that you do not bring anything funny inside, for example, a cell phone. If you have your cell phone with you, do not worry. The problem is solved for $3 if you check it in at a store right next to the visa office. If you are so inclined, you can make photo copies, take passport photos, or call the US, while there. My observation is that all logistics problems have been solved by enterprising people on both sides of the border for a price ranging from $1 to $5. So bring your green back bills and you’ll be fine. The only job that requires absolutely you yourself is to stare at the visa consul during the 5 minute long interview.

Multiple people move you from one queue to another. It is quite orderly. There are light moments, e.g., when at security check, the guard asks gents, please remove your belts.

After they’ve taken your picture and figure prints, it is the time to face the visa consul. It is probably 10:15am by this time. The interview lasts maybe five minutes. The questions are standard.

And if she or he says, come back 3pm, then you can congratulate yourself for a job well done.


3Ba. Until 3pm, filling up the blank yourself.

The district of Zona Rio is supposedly an upscale neighborhood. I walked around a bit and found the area pleasant. On the intersection of Heroes and Diego Rivera stands a tall statue of Lincoln, which could be assuring. His left hand holds a broken chain, to which 100 years ago must have had been vested with profundity. Today I thought it comes to handy if Mr Lincoln was more animated he could have used it to get rid of those pesky birds on his head and shoulders.

I drove to Rosarito for lunch and a bit beach walking just because I had my rental car. It took me about 30 minutes to drive to and through Centro, and the next 30 minutes on Route 1 before I reached the town that’s about 15 miles south of Tijuana. The ride was a smooth one. Congestion is not too bad in Centro or Zona Rio. And on Route 1, there was positively little traffic, maybe because it is a toll road ($2.65 each direction.) Many cars on Route 1 had California license plates.


3C. Getting back stamped passport

Show up 3pm and join the queues again. You’ll enter the building once again so same security steps and requirements (e.g., leaving your cell phone behind) apply.

By about 5pm, we H1B applicants got back stamped passports and got out. Do check the stamp for possible errors. They do occur. If there is a typo, you might need to stay the night while it is being corrected. That did happen before.


3D. Getting back to the US side

It’s about 2 miles and typically takes 30 minutes to an hour. Note, there is zero delay getting into Tijuana in the morning. No one checks on anyone. The trip from the border to the visa office should be within 15 minutes.


3E. Clearing the US Customs

At the board, H1B holders are asked to go to the US Customs office to get their I-94 forms. This requirement at the board is a relatively new thing, and the procedure is the same as ones at airports. There is a $6 fee.

Also, do check your I-94, and compare the new one with your old ones (you probably know exactly what it should be like.) Again, errors do happen, and you should ask them to correct it right there on the spot.

By the time you’re done, it is probably 7pm. So it has been a solid working day.
 
Congrats yuc,

Thanks for such detailed post.

I am going on 19th April with my wife (h4 visa stampin) and kids (US citizen) and would like to aks some questions. I am on my 10 year of H1 and have 3 years extension based on Approved I-140.

#1
what is your case?

#2
did you meet someone like me?

#3
did you take mexican permit/visa, was it ask anywhere by anyone (like american consulate of mexican security persons)

#5
my Appointment time 9:30 am? what if i am late from bank. i am not planning to rent. is it okay to use cab?

#4
did you submit your old I-94?

#5
what were the questions asked to you or someone wyou met?

#5
what are documents? do i need my resmue?

Please answer these question. Please.

Thanks,
 
yuc,

One more question.

#1
what do i say at the bank? do i need to provide some information? do they know about the payable infromation? do i get a draft from the bank? what is the new bank procedure?

Thanks,
VS
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top