Tijuana experience

Venkateshwar9

New Member
Hi Folks

This is our experience in Tijuana

We had got an appointment to go to Tijuana on 7 of August 2006 through the web site
http://www.visa-usa.com.mx for the 4th year visa renewal, H1B for my husband and H4 for myself.

We duly filled up all the forms : 2 pages of DS-156 and D157 for both of us. Collected all the necessary documents:

All our original passports
Copies of our passport
I 797, I -129, original petition
Last 3 months pay stub
Work letter stating title, salary and joining date
Company ID
Degree certificates
Resume
Bank statements
Tax returns
Marriage certificate
LCA
DS 156 and 157 forms with photos.

We thought we were all set to go, when we realized too late that we didn’t have a Mexican visa!! Then started our confusion. But we decided to go without it, since canceling and rescheduling will delay things considerably.

We booked a hotel at the Otay Mesa border. ( the border is only 2 blocks away from the hotel) We went to the hotel on 6th Sunday. On 7th Monday we left our car at the hotel itself and crossed the border by foot. It took only 5 minutes to cross the border and we were in Mexico. We took the cab to the Banamex Bank near the consulate.( Be sure to give the address to the taxi driver as there are a lot of Banamex Banks and most of the cab drivers don’t understand English). It took about 15 minutes to get DDs for both of us. The consulate is just a block away.

Before going inside, we had given our cell phone and other items, which we were carrying, in a shop nearby and she agreed to keep it for us till we came, since this is not allowed inside the consulate.

The consulate doesn’t really keep the appointment time, though we had a 10 AM appointment, we weren’t called until 12 PM

During the interview, the officer wanted to know about my Husband’s Company and what role he exactly played there. She also asked about all his previous jobs and went through all the papers we had given. She cancelled our old visa “Without Prejudice” and asked us to come to collect the passport with the new stamping after 3 o clock. At about 3 PM we went to collect out passport and got it only around 5 PM
.
In the mean time we went to Avenue de revolution, had our lunch and did some shopping.

After we got out passport we took a cab to the border. He dropped us at the San Ysidro border. There was a very long queue for the I –94 and we were standing for nearly 3 hours. After we got that, we simply walked out of Mexico. Nobody asked for the Mexican visa! We had also met 2 other Indian families and none of them had a Mexican visa.

We took a cab back to the hotel it took about 15 min since our car was parked at a hotel near the Otay Mesa border and we went back through the San Ysidro border instead of Otay Mesa border.
 
Hi

When you booked an appointment in Mexican consulate, can you tell me what information I need to have before I book? I recently did a H1 transfer and waiting for the new approval notice. So can I still book an appointment? Let me know

Thanks
 
Hi

All consulate appointments are online. The current availability in Tijuana is end october. You only need passport information to make an appointment online. H1 information is not required.
 
You got your H-1B visa stamped but did not use it to go abroad. Does the visa have no expiration date?
 
Permit Issue

Hi,
I have my appt in mexico on sep 25th.
I applied for my Mexican visa but I am not sure whether I will get that in time?
Will it be a problem to go without mexican visa.??
thanks
vishwa
 
thank u very much venkat.
One more question. I have my visa interview at 9.00 . The bank opens at 9.00 too. Can i go and get the receipt and then go for my visa interview. Will there be any problem being late by 10 15 min. Have u come across this problem
thanks
vishwa
 
Hi Vishwa

The consulate does not follow any hard or fast rules regarding time. If you are late by 10 or 15 minutes, it dosent matter. You have to tell the officer standing outside that you have an appointment, she will check your appointment and let you inside.

Once they let you in, they will make you stand in one queue, where they will verify your papers, and take your finger print. After this, you will have to stand in another queue for the interview. Here it might take quite a long time. For us it took almost 1 hr.
 
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