Successful trip to Tijuana

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viswanathanv

Registered Users (C)
Hey guys,
I went for my visa stamping to Tijuana , Mexico on Sep 25th. It went cool.
Visa officer asked abt my university ( in US ) and what my company does (kinda casual talk). She asked for my pay stubs and even before looking into that, asked me to pay the 50$ fee and come and collect the passport at 3.00 o clock.
She also told me about a vegetarian mexican restaurant near by.
There are like four other indian friends with me .
All of them got the visa. Only one of them was questioned for a while.(But he too got the visa)
I stayed in the Travelodge Motel, very near to the border.
They let me park the car in the motel itself even though I checked out.
I crossed the border by walk and took the cab to the consulate.

Note: No one asked abt the mexican visa even though I got that..

I will be checking the thread for few days just in case u guys need more info...
thanks
vishwa
 
Congrats!

I'm planning to get H1B stamped for 8th yr in Dec'06.
Did you get ur stamp beyond 6th yr?
Is ur company does consulting??
If yes, did they ask about client info???

Also did you get 3 day Mexican border permit or Visa ??
How much time did it take for you to get Mexican visa.

Thanks in advance.
 
Hello viswanathanv,
Congrats on a successful US Visa Stamping trip to Tijuana, Mexico.

Can you update in detail to this forum your entire experience.

1) Your Appointment time at US Consulate?
2) When did you arrive there?
3) How did you get the Banamex bank receipt?
4) Which branch of Banamex in Tijuana you visited, as i was told there are several branches of banamex nearby?
5) How much time did it take you take the receipt at Banamex bank?
6) How much time did it take from Border to bank and bank to US Consulate?
7) How much did you pay to the cabs for the item no. 6?
8) I believe you had the Mexican Visa/permit? If so, did you get it stamped for the entry & exit? Did you surrender the FM3 booklet ? Please provide more details on how to get these done, if you have visa/permit?
9)When is your passport returned back? Same day ? What time?
10) Did you go for H1B Visa alone or H4 too?
11) Did you surrender the FM3 booklet before the US Border? Where did you surrender the FM3 booklet (Mexican visa/permit)?
12) How long it took you take the new I-94 card? Is there any fee associated with it?

13) Can you provide more details about the Travelodge you stayed? If possible the address, cost for one day stay at hotel? etc.
14) Also please let us know the Veggie restaurant name close by the consulate?

Your response, shall benefit many of us in this forum.
Thanks
Ram.
 
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I went for my first H1 stamping ( F1 to H1).
I got the mexican visa. It took me almost 6 weeks to get the visa.
I was a permanent employee.
---------
Hey ram,

My appointment time 9.30

I arrived in mexico at abt 8.00


Get a cab at the border and ask him to take to the american consulate.
Banamex bank is very near to the bank ( less than a min walk)

The bank opens at 9.00 am. It will not take more than three min. But better be at the bank by 8.30 . Many people will be waiting there.

COnsulate is very near the border. It took like 10 min to reach the consulate from the border

Reg the cab, yellow cabs will be the one u will see first when u cross the border. I paid them 10 bugs. I would suggest u to take the yellow cab itself.
They speak English well. If u r looking for the white cab ( which may charge like 5 bugs) u have to walk a bit further .

I got the FM3 booklet and the visa. But no one was there at the border. I didn't surrender that FM3 booklet. No one really cares when u go to mexico.

I got my passport back on the same day 3.OO clock.
I went alone for my h1b visa. But I saw one chinese guy with his family .

It took like 1hr to get new I94. I paid six dollars for it.

Once u get the passport back, come to the border and u will see a US flag there. Go inside that office first ( US Special Immigration office .. ) tell them u need to renew the I94 and get a new one and then enter US.

Travelodge address details :
643 East San Ysidro Blvd
San Ysidro, CA, 92173 US.

I paid like around 70 bugs ( including taxes )
The visa officer will give u a pamplet with the restaurant details. I lost that info. I will post that if I found that information
thanks
vishwa
 
Same day at Tijuana

vishwa,

I guess I saw you in that day. If you remember a Japanese guy and white girl couple waiting right behind you guys, that's me. Congrats your visa too.

>>I went alone for my h1b visa. But I saw one chinese guy with his family .

FYI, If you are talking about the family of dad/mom/2 kids, they were Japanese family. It seemed they had some problems. I heard they are talking "Did you come here on Friday? Yeah...", and my wife noticed he couldn't help scratching his face due to a lot of stress. His wife was caring him. I guess their case was finally approved as he and me received passports at the same time.


ram,

I can answer some of your questions:

1) Your Appointment time at US Consulate?

at 10:00AM

2) When did you arrive there?

I arrived at 10:30AM. Yes I was late LOL.

3) How did you get the Banamex bank receipt?

Just tell her "U.S. Consulate" and give your passport. She knows what to do.

4) Which branch of Banamex in Tijuana you visited, as i was told there are several branches of banamex nearby?

There's only one Banamex by the Consulate. If you take a yellow cab, your driver will inform you where it is. There are also many ppl standing near the Consulate. You can ask them too. FYI, there are some Banamex branches which open on Sunday. Visit the website bellow. Set "City" for a search type, then select "BAJA CALIFORNIA NORTE" for State, and select "Tijuana". You'll find what you are looking for.

http://www.banamex.com/bnxmap/servlet/banamexbusqueda_en

5) How much time did it take you take the receipt at Banamex bank?

about 5 min.

6) How much time did it take from Border to bank and bank to US Consulate?

Border to US Consulate: 20 min
US Consulate to Banamex: 2 min
Banamex to US Consulate: 2 min

7) How much did you pay to the cabs for the item no. 6?

Border to US Consulate: $10 with an yellow cab
US Consulate to Border: $6 with a white cab

8) I believe you had the Mexican Visa/permit? If so, did you get it stamped for the entry & exit? Did you surrender the FM3 booklet ? Please provide more details on how to get these done, if you have visa/permit?

You don't need Mexican Visa/permit.

9)When is your passport returned back? Same day ? What time?

You will be informed to come back at 3:00PM on the same day. I went back at 3:30PM and received at 3:35PM.

10) Did you go for H1B Visa alone or H4 too?

I went for H4 too. I was from VWP(Visa Waiver Program) to H1-B, she was from F1 to H4, although an officer didn't ask her to show I-20 but Marriage Certificate.

11) Did you surrender the FM3 booklet before the US Border? Where did you surrender the FM3 booklet (Mexican visa/permit)?

N/A

12) How long it took you take the new I-94 card? Is there any fee associated with it?

I arrived the San Ysidro border at 4:00PM. There were only about 6 ppl waiting in front of me. We entered to the building at 4:30PM. I got a new I-94 card at 5:00PM. Fee was $6 each.

13) Can you provide more details about the Travelodge you stayed? If possible the address, cost for one day stay at hotel? etc.

If you live San Diego - Los Angeles, you don't have to stay over night out there. If you have to/want to, there are many motels near the Consulate. I guess you can walk-in one of them. If you concern the language issue, you can stay the Travelodge vishwa mentioned above. FYI, I left Orange County after 7:00AM, arrived San Ysidro border at 9:00AM, went to Otay Mesa border at 9:20, returned to San Ysidro border at 9:40AM. Finally I crossed the border around 10:00AM

14) Also please let us know the Veggie restaurant name close by the consulate?

I bought some snacks at a supermarket near the Consulate. Then I went to watch a "Dog Race" until 3:20PM. Yes I was late again LOL
 
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Hi Viswan,

Do cell phones work at the border area.??? How about at the US consulate area??
If yes, did you get roaming??

Also where did you keep ur cell phone and car keys ???
 
congrats viswanathanv,

Did you meet with someone hwo got thier visa stamed for 3 years based on apprvoed I140 ( aft ther inital 6 years)?

I am on my 9 th year and my I140 has approved. I am planning get my 3 years visa stamped.

Do you see any issue?

Thanks,
 
Vishwa,
What is the good time to look for Tijuana appointment on the web site? Any rule what weekdays/time they are added? Thanks a lot.
 
Hi Viswa,

Is DS-158 form required for H1B revalidation in Tijuana, Mexico.
I guess this is to show family ties in home country.
If yes, is it required for India.

Thanks.
 
Hey panda-zetto,
Thanks for posting here. I do remember u. Congrats for ur visa

-----
hey rirlaborCT.. Reg cell phones, I had verizon service. My calls were intercepted. I got some spanish msgs.. It didn't work for me. But my friend was having a cingular service. He did call his friends.. It worked for him

U can see several shops next to the consulate. U can keep ur things there.
They will give u a token and u have to pay 5 dollars.
-----

hey saxena,I met one friend who was on h1 for 4 yrs. I didn't meet anyone who went after six years.

----

Hey aist77,
There is nothing like specific time for booking it. U pay 10 dollars and u can book a slot within three months. Keep checking everyday and if u find any day which is feasible, u can book it and change later.
U can pay another 10 bugs and have separate account too.. U can have two appointments and later on u can cancel one.

Some consulate in Mexico ( Nogales probably.. ) asked for ds158.
I did take that with me ( But no one asked for it)

Thanks
vishwa
 
Hello viswanathanv
Can you tell me how much you paid approximately in dollars at the banamex bank?

Thanks
 
Hi Viswan,

One more question?
For H1B stamping, wages in LCA should be equal to the current salary in paystubs??
Is it ok to have more salary than the wages in LCA??
In my case my salary is about 5k greater than the wages defined in LCA.
Will this cause any issues??
Did anyone have issues with wages??
Please let me know.
 
Hey priya,
I paid 106 dollars at the bank.

hey rirlaborct,
I don't think it will be a problem. But i didn't face that issue. I am not sure whether anyone had isses related to wages
thanks
vishwa
 
Re:

Hello viswanathanv,
Did you see anyone taking baby stroller inside the Tijuana Consulate. I would appreciate your input.

Do we need to keep this outside in a paid shop nearby or so? Please clarify.

Thanks
Ram.
 
Hi Viswan,

One last question:
Where did you get ur Mexican tourist visa?? How much did you pay for the visa??
Do you know for how many days that visa was valid ?? Is it a single entry or multiple entry???
Did you get FMT(tourist Visa) or FM3 VISA??
Which one is required to visit US consulate in Mexico????

I read in mexican consulate page that for India, we got to get entry permission from mexican immigration institute which takes about 4 weeks and then after that if qualify to get visa stamp at the mexican consulate.

Did you follow the same instructions to get mexican visa??
How much did you pay??

Thanks in advance.
 
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Hey ramsaiin,
I have seen people with kids . But I don't remember anyone with a baby stroller. But u know what .. I think electronic items ( including car keys, cellphones and lighter kind of stuff ) are prohibited. I don't think u will have any problem with baby stroller. But I am not sure

Hey rirla,
I applied for my mexican visa in the mexican consulate in LA. It takes more than a month . I told them that I have to visit the US consulate in mexico. I got the FM3 visa. It takes like 6 to 8 weeks. U need to take lot of doc.

For mexican visa
1) ur appointment letter ( take the one from the website .. not from ur yahoo or else fwd it to outlook and take a print out)
2) Ur passport I 797 .. Ur driver's license. Photocopy of ur credit card ( They asked me )
bank statements
employment letter

thanks
vishwa
 
Hi Viswan,

Do you know how much you paid for the Mexican FM3 Visa??
Is it just $36 or more???
Did you pay after getting approval from the Mexican immigration Institute?? OR at the time of filing the application for entry permit??
Did you visit the Mexican consulate twice for the entire process??
Also for how many days did you get the FM3 visa?? Is it for 30 days multiple entry or single entry???

I would appreciate if can answer.

Thanks
 
I went to the mexican consulate twice. First I went and applied for the visa.
Then I went after they approved my application and paid 130 dollars.
The visa is single entry and was valid for 5 days
thanks
vishwa
 
Hi Viswa,

I'm planning to take appointment at Nogales for renewal of H1 & H4, could you please help me on the following questions:

I am from Orange County. I-94 date was Oct 2005. I got entention apporval notice (I-797) valid till Jan 2007. Now I got another approval notice which is valid till Jan 2008.

-Can I renew my H1 & my wife's H4 at Nogales or should I have to renew it in India since I-94 was expired (But I have I-94's came along with apporval notices)?

Thanks for your posts, extremely helpfyl...
 
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