Successful H1B Stamping in Monterrey,Mexico

[Ash406]

I want to share my H1B visa stamping experience in Monterrey, Mexico on Oct 23/24 2019.

Mexico Visa: Please obtain a Mexico visa if you don't have a valid US or Canadian visa. This is mandatory and they won't let you in if you don't have a valid visa. There are few more visas on which Mexico allows people in. Please check in their visa portal to know the complete list. I took Mexican Visa and they give it for 6 months.It took only half day to get Mexican visa in Atlanta.

Day 1 - 10/22/2019

I took direct Delta flight from Atlanta to Monterrey,3 hrs travel time.

POE questions @ Monterrey :-

  -  purpose of your visit? - I told i came for US consulate appointment.

  - How long you going to stay? - Till Monday

 They give you a Immigration slip and this is sufficient. Then you will go through the x-ray scan of your baggage and then you are in Mexico officially. It's a pretty easy process.

Took  Uber from airport  hotel. It will mostly cost $13 for 30 miles ride.Uber is very convenient and cheap in Monterrey.

I have not taken any visa agent service during my trip.

Hotel Stay - Radisson Hotel

I highly recommend this hotel in Monterrey. The main reason being its located in a nice neighborhood and they provide shuttle service to ASC appointment and US consulate or any place near 10 miles radius. . You also find nice bars & restaurants right opposite the hotel in a mall. Walk able distance to  restaurants and i highly recommend Tok's for breakfast/Lunch or Dinner.

Day 2 - 10/23/2019 - Fingerprints:

I completed my fingerprints at 11:30 PM and I was all free rest of the day. It took me around 10 mins. You can carry mobile phones but turn it off.

Day 2 - 10/24/2019 - Consulate appointment:

I had my appointment at 8:15 AM in the morning. I left the hotel around 6:30 AM taking an Uber. (Hotel shuttle starts from 7 AM) I reached the consulate at 7.15 AM and I was allowed inside. Like you already know, no electronics are allowed inside the consulate.there is canteen beside consulate you leave it there for 40 pesos.Cash only.

After I was done with the security check, I was told to go to the second building inside. 

First Counter - You will be screened for your application. The guy inside took around 5 mins for me to go over all the documents online. he didn't ask me for any documents other than passport and I797. You may be asked for physical documents here. So be prepared to show your documents. This counter took around 15 mins in including waiting in the line.

Second Counter - They verified my fingerprints in this counter and it was pretty quick. It took around 5 mins.

I was asked to stand in a preassigned line. This line was only for the petition based visa applicants. The line was moving pretty fast and I waited for around 5 mins. Someone inside keeps track of this line and they keep sending people one after the other to the actual visa interview counter.

Visa counter - I was asked to go to the visa counter

Me: Good morning Sir!

Visa Officer: Hello, Good Morning! Can you please give me your passport and DS-160 confirmation page?

Me: I handed over everything.

Visa Officer: How long your in US?

Me: xxx years

Visa Officer: Have your employer started your GC process?

Me: Yes,i have my I-140 approved.

Visa Officer: entered someone on her computer.

Visa Officer: Ok, what do you do in US? 

Me: Told

Visa Officer: Ok, your visa is approved. You can return on Monday 10/28 to the same location at 2 PM and collect your passport and visa.

He handed me a Orange paper mentioning the same as stated above.

Me: Thank you, Sir! 

- No documents asked.

 

There are other two guys went to same and beside counter and got visa approved.

Overall, it took around a min at the visa counter. I simply walked out of the consulate. Overall, it took me 45 mins and I was out around 8.10 AM.

I took a UBER back to the hotel . I chilled the rest of the day in the hotel and went to local attractions like Santa lucia over weekend.You can also order food in UberEats.

Day 3 - 10/28/2019 - Passport collection

 Took a Hotel shuttle and went to the consulate around 1:30 PM. Collected my passport in 5 mins and it was all perfect.

I again took shuttle back to hotel and my return flight is next early morning.Took uber to airport for next day and at airport counter you need to give Mexican immigration slip that you got during entering Mexico.

POE at US- Not much questions asked.

 

 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Overall, as always it was a nice experience. If you cant go to your home country for stamping, I suggest this location. I also observed almost all the other applicants who had come for H1 stamping got their visa.  All the other applicants had the appointment time around the same time.

Hope this information helps. Please message here if you have any questions. I would be happy to give all the information I know.

 

[User099]

Congrats! Glad you took some time to share your experience. 

[premkalyan521]

On 10/31/2019 at 12:56 PM, Ash406 said:

I want to share my H1B visa stamping experience in Monterrey, Mexico on Oct 23/24 2019.

Mexico Visa: Please obtain a Mexico visa if you don't have a valid US or Canadian visa. This is mandatory and they won't let you in if you don't have a valid visa. There are few more visas on which Mexico allows people in. Please check in their visa portal to know the complete list. I took Mexican Visa and they give it for 6 months.It took only half day to get Mexican visa in Atlanta.

Day 1 - 10/22/2019

I took direct Delta flight from Atlanta to Monterrey,3 hrs travel time.

POE questions @ Monterrey :-

  -  purpose of your visit? - I told i came for US consulate appointment.

  - How long you going to stay? - Till Monday

 They give you a Immigration slip and this is sufficient. Then you will go through the x-ray scan of your baggage and then you are in Mexico officially. It's a pretty easy process.

Took  Uber from airport  hotel. It will mostly cost $13 for 30 miles ride.Uber is very convenient and cheap in Monterrey.

I have not taken any visa agent service during my trip.

Hotel Stay - Radisson Hotel

I highly recommend this hotel in Monterrey. The main reason being its located in a nice neighborhood and they provide shuttle service to ASC appointment and US consulate or any place near 10 miles radius. . You also find nice bars & restaurants right opposite the hotel in a mall. Walk able distance to  restaurants and i highly recommend Tok's for breakfast/Lunch or Dinner.

Day 2 - 10/23/2019 - Fingerprints:

I completed my fingerprints at 11:30 PM and I was all free rest of the day. It took me around 10 mins. You can carry mobile phones but turn it off.

Day 2 - 10/24/2019 - Consulate appointment:

I had my appointment at 8:15 AM in the morning. I left the hotel around 6:30 AM taking an Uber. (Hotel shuttle starts from 7 AM) I reached the consulate at 7.15 AM and I was allowed inside. Like you already know, no electronics are allowed inside the consulate.there is canteen beside consulate you leave it there for 40 pesos.Cash only.

After I was done with the security check, I was told to go to the second building inside. 

First Counter - You will be screened for your application. The guy inside took around 5 mins for me to go over all the documents online. he didn't ask me for any documents other than passport and I797. You may be asked for physical documents here. So be prepared to show your documents. This counter took around 15 mins in including waiting in the line.

Second Counter - They verified my fingerprints in this counter and it was pretty quick. It took around 5 mins.

I was asked to stand in a preassigned line. This line was only for the petition based visa applicants. The line was moving pretty fast and I waited for around 5 mins. Someone inside keeps track of this line and they keep sending people one after the other to the actual visa interview counter.

Visa counter - I was asked to go to the visa counter

Me: Good morning Sir!

Visa Officer: Hello, Good Morning! Can you please give me your passport and DS-160 confirmation page?

Me: I handed over everything.

Visa Officer: How long your in US?

Me: xxx years

Visa Officer: Have your employer started your GC process?

Me: Yes,i have my I-140 approved.

Visa Officer: entered someone on her computer.

Visa Officer: Ok, what do you do in US? 

Me: Told

Visa Officer: Ok, your visa is approved. You can return on Monday 10/28 to the same location at 2 PM and collect your passport and visa.

He handed me a Orange paper mentioning the same as stated above.

Me: Thank you, Sir! 

- No documents asked.

 

There are other two guys went to same and beside counter and got visa approved.

Overall, it took around a min at the visa counter. I simply walked out of the consulate. Overall, it took me 45 mins and I was out around 8.10 AM.

I took a UBER back to the hotel . I chilled the rest of the day in the hotel and went to local attractions like Santa lucia over weekend.You can also order food in UberEats.

Day 3 - 10/28/2019 - Passport collection

 Took a Hotel shuttle and went to the consulate around 1:30 PM. Collected my passport in 5 mins and it was all perfect.

I again took shuttle back to hotel and my return flight is next early morning.Took uber to airport for next day and at airport counter you need to give Mexican immigration slip that you got during entering Mexico.

POE at US- Not much questions asked.

 

 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Overall, as always it was a nice experience. If you cant go to your home country for stamping, I suggest this location. I also observed almost all the other applicants who had come for H1 stamping got their visa.  All the other applicants had the appointment time around the same time.

Hope this information helps. Please message here if you have any questions. I would be happy to give all the information I know.

 

Thanks a lot for the detailed information on your visa stamping experience . Truly appreciate your time and info

the only question I have is how did you pay your visa fees for stamping at this consulate