H1B/H4 visa stamping experience at Matamoros, Mexico on 02/16/2016


RAGK

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H1B/H4 Visa Stamping SUCCESSFUL Experience (Visa interview/Accommodation/Food/Transportation) at Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico on 02/16 (Tuesday).

 

Based on many applicants’ reviews/ past and recent experience/few research from my end/ friends advice, I decided to go to Matamoros, Mexico for H1B/H4 stamping. I did first time from Toronto, Canada back in 2013. Thought let me share my experience here, so future applicants will have some advantages as I gained some important information from here in last few days and prepared myself well before I went there.

 

Fingerprint/Photo appointment: 02/15/16 (Monday) at 9:00 AM. (You need only DS-160 Confirmation page + valid passport).Consulate visa interview appointment: 02/16/16 (Tuesday) at 8:00 AM.

 

For Accommodation/Transportation/Food=  Took Salvador’s service ( Please find detail experience with him below): Total He charged for everything: $120/day/person+ $30 /day/additional person with you+ Free Transportation+ Free Breakfast

 

US Consulate visa interview appointment: 02/16/16 (Tuesday) at 8:00 AM.

Completed basic formalities for security check and went inside and waited for few minutes. Window # 7, 8, and 9 were opened for initial documents check by Mexican employees (took 5 minutes only to verify my job position/I129/passport) and Window # 1, 2, 3 were opened for an interview.

VO’s were one American White guy (window #1), Mexican guy (Window #2) and American White lady (window #3).I was told from another employee to go on front of window#1  for interview. I was on 2 feet far  front of window#1 and VO called me to come up little front of window and time start now.

Interview conversation:

Me: Good morning VO, how are you doing today?

VO: No reply. Just had bit movement of his head.

He was typing something in the system for 30 seconds and then,

VO: How long you been with your employer?

Me: XX years and XX Months

VO: What is your job title?

Me: XX/XX (since I have two different job title mentioned in LCA/I129)

VO: What is your educational background?

Me: Master of XX from XX (University), XX (City), XX (state) in US.

VO:  Can I have your job letter?

Me: Here it is (gave him my employer letter)

VO: Do you have OLD passport with you?

Me:  Yes, I gave him my old passport with open page of my previous  US visa Stamping (I thought let me open previous  US visa stamping page  and give it him, so that way I could have little + point, and he would realize that okay, this person had already previous US visa  stamping)

VO: Did your employer filed an immigration petition for you?

Me: Yes, VO.  My i140 is approved.

VO: Can I see your i-140?

Me:  Here it is VO.  (My employer is very cooperative and take care of each employees questions/comments/concerns and provide documents as needed, so as I requested him, he provided me original i-140).

Then VO typed (my employer name/ job title from job letter that I gave it to him) for few seconds and he returned all my documents that he requested to see except H1B/H4 passports.

At that time I understood myself and said there you go buddy, deal successfully done here with visa but waiting from him to listen myself that GOLDEN word. He looked at me and throwed that word is “Your Visa is approved and collect yours passports at 3:00 PM today from here”.

Me: Thank you!!

VO: No reply and again had bit movement of his head.

 

Few important things I noticed and followed while stayed 2 nights in Matamoros, Mexico. If Salavadore is not there , you will 100% get trouble for communication ( English/Spanish Translation) where ever you go in Matamoros and  once you cross the border no body understand and speak English, ONLY Spanish. During day time you can go anywhere, during night time, VERY risky.In Matamoros, cosmetic, cloths, liquors Dental clinic are very cheap like 1/3 price of US.While I waited to get my passport, me and my wife took an appointment of one the popular Dentist in Matamoros and got done some Dental work/Cleaning in few hrs with nominal price.There were total 6 H1B/H4 candidates from India and China and all of them got visa approved with kind of similar questions asked by VO’s.Usually there is no need of Mexico visa, if you have valid I797; I would recommend rather to slip in future trouble, better to apply for Mexico visa from nearest Mexico Consulate by paying nominal fees of $36 for 6 months visa. While we crossed the border and come back to US CBP to get  I-94:

1 Waited 1 hr 20 M inside to get the I94 (they just asked job letter)

2 I-94: $6 CASH we have to pay at CBP.

Salvadore:   70 years old well experienced person in US/Mexico. Very nice, humble, kind, helpful person and most important Reliable/Trustworthy guy. He treated me and my wife as we are his family.

Email: salcas46@hotmail.com

Website: mexicovisaservice.appspot.com

Mobile: (956) 545-5255 (He preferred to have communication via WhatsApp by text or call)

Accommodation: Best Western Hotel; $120/day/person+ $30 /day/additional person with you; Decent room; good speed of an internet; humble hotel staff.Transportation:  Salvadore  picked me  up from  UETA Duty Free Store, Brownsville, TX  at 17:30 on  02/14(Sunday) ( FYI- Car parking area is back side of the store , just in case if you park rented car or own car  with $5/day charge) and he dropped me off at the BW Hotel for Check-In. It took 5-7 minutes to cross the border (they barely randomly check while you entered in Mexico).Next day on 02/15 (Monday) he picked me up from hotel and dropped me off at CSC office for Fingerprint/Photo and waited outside till it was done. It will take few minutes to get it done. He dropped me off at the hotel and after an hour as I requested to him, he came with me at nearest market place as I was curious to know about Mexican Market /Culture /Infrastructure/Rules and Regulation/Law/People/House/Living style/Cinema hall etc…. He spent almost 2 hrs with me to explain each and everything in detail. We came back at hotel and had lunch together at BW Hotel’s restaurant.  Next day on 02/16 (Tuesday) he picked me up at 7:45 and dropped me off at US Consulate.  Once my interview was done , as he directed , I called him from OXXO Store ( next to US Consulate ) telephone booth  inside the store  and  he came back to picked me up in few minutes and dropped me off at the hotel. After 2 hrs he came back and picked me up from hotel and as I requested to him, he game me city tour and I did some shopping. We went at US Consulate to pick up my stamped passport at 15:00 same day and he dropped me off at the inside of the Mexico border and guided me where to walk and  go for I-94 at US Border. Food: At BW hotel Restaurant:  Good, wide verity of food with average $8.00/item. I had Dominos /Papa zone’s pizza as well in 2 days from market.

 

Overall, I recommend everyone to go there for second renewal. It will be smooth/easy compare to others locations of US Consulate across the countries.

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Hi,

Did you get renewal stamping for new employer?

 

my first stamping was done with Employer X in 2007, but now for last 4 years, I am employed with Employer Y.

 

do you know if somebody was in this case and was approved for H1 Visa.

EVC model

 

Thanks

Satyan

 

 

 

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@Immigration121

 

Thank you for this detailed review of the visa interview process at Matamoros. It was really helpful. I am headed there for my interview on 2/25. Does anyone else on these forums have their interview there that day?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Jaydoc - Did you get your visa stamped? please share us your visa interview experience.

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  • 1 month later...

I am going on a business trip to Mexico and plan to stamp my H1B while on a trip at Monterrey. 
Can anyone share their experience of visa stamping in Mexico (especially Monterrey)? 
Can i collect my passport the same day of visa interview? I believe it is a 2 day process - day 1 bio metrics and day 2 - visa interview? 
Please advise.

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  • 3 months later...

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